Cocktail & Other Recipes By Spirit Tequila & Mezcal Cocktails

Hot Like Kohli

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Liquor.com
Liquor.com

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Updated 10/26/22
A faceted rocks glass rests on a green bar top. The glass is partially coated in chile salt, and the drink within is a vivid green. It’s garnished with a dehydrated blood orange wheel.
Katrine Moite

The Hot Like Kohli is a bold and complex take on a Spicy Margarita. The drink comes from bartender Mikey Belasco, who developed it at the modern Indian restaurant GupShup in New York City, where it still remains on the bar menu. Meant to pair with the aromatic Indian dishes served at the restaurant, this agave-spirit cocktail contains multiple infusions, including a green chile-infused blend of tequila, mezcal and pear cordial; a simple syrup infused with matcha, cilantro and mint; and a chile-salt mix for the rim. For the liquor element, a pear liqueur (like from St. George Spirits in California or the French brand Mathilde) will do nicely.

While the drink is a stunning and unique cocktail, it’s also rather labor intensive to prepare each of the ingredients. However, once you do so they’ll each last for at least a month. And with most of the labor happening at the preparation stage, it means putting the cocktail together for the final steps is as easy as making any standard Margarita. With that in mind, it’s the sort of drink you’ll want to prep ahead of time to serve for parties and other gatherings.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces green-chile-infused tequila, mezcal and pear cordial*
  • 1 ounce matcha-cilantro-mint simple syrup**
  • 3/4 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • 2 drops chile tincture
  • Garnish: chile-salt mix***
  • Garnish: lemon wheel

Steps

  1. Rim a rocks glass with chile-salt mix and set aside.

  2. Add the green-chile-infused tequila, mezcal and pear cordial, matcha-cilantro-mint simple syrup, lime juice and chile tincture into a shaker filled with ice and shake until well-chilled.

  3. Double-strain into prepared glass over fresh ice.

  4. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

*Green-chile-infused batch of tequila, mezcal and pear cordial: In a 32 ounce Mason jar, add 12 ounces Tromba blanco tequila, 6 ounces El Silencio mezcal, 6 ounces pear cordial, 5 small whole green chiles and 5 small green chiles sliced down middle with seeds exposed. (When handling chiles, use plastic gloves.) Seal and let sit for 24 hours, then fine-strain to remove seeds.

**Matcha-cilantro-mint simple syrup: Add 1 quart simple syrup and 1 tablespoon matcha powder into a medium-size pot at medium heat and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 pinch of loose chopped cilantro, stems removed, and 1 pinch of mint leaves, stems removed. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes. Pour into large container and place container in an ice bath for 15 minutes, then let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Fine-strain to remove leaves and powder residue. Can keep refrigerated for 1 month.

***Chile-salt mix: Combine 8 ounces Marhaba Tajín powder, 4 ounces kosher salt, 2 dried Thai Bird chiles, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon ground pasilla negro chiles and 1/2 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed.