El Matador Cocktail

4.5 from 2 ratings

Behind the bar at New York City’s Michelin-starred Junoon, mixologist Hemant Pathak works to complement the kitchen’s ambitious progressive Indian cuisine with equally exuberant cocktails that incorporate many of the same herbs and spices. This recipe features mezcal with a maple-jalapeño syrup and South Asian spices.This recipe is courtesy of Hemant Pathak, the mixologist of Junoon restaurant. To watch a video of Pathak making three cocktails including El Matador, click here.

Servings

servings

Ingredients

7 1/2 ounce maple syrup
1 jalapeño, cut in half
2 ounce mezcal
3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 ounce jalapeño-maple syrup
1 curry leaf
4 drops of turmeric tincture

Directions

Using a cooking technique called steeping, which involves soaking of a solid in liquids to extract flavors, heat the maple syrup to 175 F and pour it over the jalapeño. Cover the pan with silver foil and let it sit overnight. Strain, and store it in a clean Mason jar in the refrigerator.
Shake all ingredients vigorously with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass filled with rock ice. Garnish with a lime wheel and curry leaves.