I love India food.  And though Riesling is my favorite pairing with Indian food, sometimes a cocktail is just what the doctor ordered.  Here are some suggestions for Indian cocktails using Sub Rosa Spirits Saffron vodka. 

Hard Mango Lassi

This is basically an alcohol smoothie inspired by the classic Indian beverage. I love making this cocktail for a group of friends be it 4 people or 15. Scale this to your taste and the tools at hand. If the ice cream is soft, you can make it in a shaker, otherwise use a blender.

- Mango ice cream - Start with a half pint.
- Mango juice - I always have a six pack of 12 ounce cans in the 'fridge. Add 6-12 oz. to make the smoothie as thin or thick as you like.  Mango puree is fine, just adjust liquid by adding water. 

- Lime juice - the juice of one fresh lime in a half pint of ice cream is fine.
- 1 cup Saffron vodka [figure an ounce to ounce and a half per person]

Add ingredients in a blender. Taste it. Add more juice or ice cream. Make it so you can just taste the alcohol. If you want to get fancy, add a touch of triple sec. The creaminess of the ice cream and the sweetness of the mango are the perfect foil to the spiciness of the Saffron vodka.  

Srirampur Sip  

1 1/2 oz. Sub Rosa Saffron vodka
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1 oz. orange juice

1/2 oz. simple syrup

Shake vigorously in a mixing glass filled with ice. Pour over crushed ice in a short glass. Garnish with a sprig of fresh Cilantro.   Very gingery and on the tart side, but quite nice.

Kashmir

2 oz. Sub Rosa Saffron vodka
3 oz. Apricot nectar
3 grinds Black pepper [fine grind]
1 oz. simple syrup [or Canton ginger liqueur]

Chill over ice in a mixing tin, shake vigorously, serve up.  Alternatively, build and serve on the rocks.

Bharat Mary

2 oz Sub Rosa Saffron vodka
3 dashes Worcestershire
1 dash Peychauds bitters [orange bitters if you don’t have Peychauds]
3 dashes hot sauce (or more)
Tomato juice (to fill)
Celery salt (to taste)

Make a 'short' Bloody Mary in a small cocktail or Old Fashion glass, filled with ice. Garnish with Indian pickled carrots and peppers

Golden Orb

2 ounces Sub Rosa Saffron vodka
1 ounce Cointreau [triple-sec or some other orange liqueur]
1/2 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice or less, to taste for balance
2 ounces mango juice or nectar

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with cracked ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and garnish with a long twist of lime.  A bit like a mango cosmopolitan.

You can find Sub Rosa's Saffron vodka in Oregon, Washington State, Washington DC, Colorado and California.  Or via the Internet here. 

Image Credit: ifood.tv