Gitatini - A Ginger Tamarind Cocktail

Thursday, November 22nd, 2007

Filed Under Cocktails, Ginger, India - Tamil Nadu 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I forgot the last time we were in town for Thanksgiving and Black Friday. For those outside United States, Black Friday is the day after thanksgiving, the official start of the Christmas shopping season. Most stores open very early in the morning, some even open at Midnight, and has amazing sales. People line up before the stores open to get to the limited doorbuster deals. I have never been to a Black Friday sale, I always thought people must be crazy to go shopping at odd hours in the cold, and I was never in town to even consider it. But since we are not leaving for Spain till Saturday, we are actually thinking of hitting the Seattle Premium outlet mall at midnight. Thanksgiving day was just another day for us, I actually spent the whole day in bed, watching TV, getting some much needed R&R before the vacation.

Before we leave, I wanted to post this cocktail I mentioned in my last post. How do you like the clever name - Ginger Tamarind Martini - Gitatini. It has a nice Indian ring to it, right? Yeah, I came up with the name all on my own ;). The recipe is all Siv’s, it is based on a traditional Tamil drink called Paanakam.

 

Ingredients

(for 6 drinks)

Method

Take about 3 tbsp seedless tamarind (available in Asian stores), and soak it in about 1 cup of water for five minutes. Squish the tamarind with your hands to get the extract out, add more water and repeat the process to finally form 4 cups of tamarind extract.

Place the tamarind extract, crushed cardamom pods, ginger powder, brown sugar and vodka in an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake well to combine. Strain into chilled martini glasses, and enjoy the delicious Gitatini.

See you all in about two weeks. Adios!



Comments

41 Responses to “Gitatini - A Ginger Tamarind Cocktail”

  1. bee on November 22nd, 2007 10:24 pm

    i am so making this. we have all the ingredients. please thank siv from us, and have a great vacation.

    Thanks Bee! I’ve passed on the thanks to Siv… :)

  2. steamy kitchen on November 22nd, 2007 10:43 pm

    wonderful cocktail!
    I don’t think I’ve ever had a cocktail with tamarind before. sounds wonderful!

    Thanks Jaden!

  3. divya and chaya on November 22nd, 2007 11:02 pm

    Have a great Holiday!!!! Bring loads of wonderful memories with u.

    Thanks Divya and Chaya.. :)

  4. Miri on November 22nd, 2007 11:23 pm

    Tomorrow is Saturday!!! Im making this tomorrow definitely, thanks to Siv for coming up with this - Panakkam with a kick :wink:

    Happy vacations and safe travels! have a great time and come back with lots of pics and food stories! Kick back some tequila and tapas for me! :mrgreen:

    Miri

    Thanks Miri, hope you like it… and yeah, tapas and booze is the main agenda of the trip ;)

  5. Pravs on November 22nd, 2007 11:39 pm

    I will def try this drink..very indian with the name and with the ingredients..except for vodka :wink: Happy Thanks giving. Like you i spend watching tv :grin: Have a great trip to spain and back. Seeya till then.

    Thanks Pravs.. :) Yeah, that is the best way to spend a holiday, watching TV :) don’t you think? :)

  6. roopa on November 22nd, 2007 11:44 pm

    wow the panaka looks yum :drool: :) and have a wonderfull holiday :party:

    Thanks Roopa :)

  7. Meeta on November 23rd, 2007 12:03 am

    Sig, I love your creations they are unique and so invigorating. What a fantastic blend of flavors!

    Thanks Meeta, though this time it is Siv’s creation :) I have passed on the compliments

  8. musical on November 23rd, 2007 12:23 am

    Gitatini is a beautiful Indian name, Sig! and it must have tasted really zingy as well :(Martini): Have fun shopping :)

    Thanks musie… :) Shopping was no fun, I did my first and last black friday midnight madness… it was crazy!!

  9. Raaga on November 23rd, 2007 12:44 am

    Lovely recipe… glad you got Siv to make it again. Sachin will love this too… will try it soon :)

    Have a blast in SPain… will wait for pics when you get back.

    Hugs

    Thanks Raaga, will try and get some good pics… :) enjoy all your weddings

  10. Srivalli on November 23rd, 2007 1:02 am

    Happy vacation!…will try this for hubby…I prefer pannakam any day! :razz:

    I love panakkam , a great thirst quencher, but add some vodka, and it is even better ;)

  11. Rachna on November 23rd, 2007 1:33 am

    oh i love this drink…i know M will love this… which encourages me to post M’s vodka with tadka…. heee all the best for the trip…..

    Now that sounds like a great drink, vodka with tadka :D do post the recipe… :)

  12. Padmaja on November 23rd, 2007 2:21 am

    hey Sig, I am going to try this cocktail, love all amazing things going into into the vodka and mainily that tamarind!!!
    Have a great holiday!!!

    Thanks Padmaja, this is a great drink, tamarind and vodka is a great combo, who knew :).

  13. sia on November 23rd, 2007 2:38 am

    so chweet of siv to make this for us :(Martini):
    have wonderful time in spain darling…

    Thanks sup… he was more than happy to make this… he loves the fame ;)

  14. Nags on November 23rd, 2007 4:00 am

    i’ve tasted panakam but it definitely didnt look this glamorous. hope you have a great vacation. see ya soon!

    :) thanks Nags :)

  15. Freya on November 23rd, 2007 4:49 am

    A martini for everyday of the year!! :party:

    Hi Freya, nice to see you after a long time… :) martini for everyday of the year sounds great..just what I need :)

  16. sra on November 23rd, 2007 5:09 am

    Have fun, Sig! :(Martini):

    Thanks Sra :)

  17. Happy Cook on November 23rd, 2007 5:50 am

    Sig this is a wonderful drink. We make a lot of drinks with vodka but never ever had tamarind to it.
    If i tell my hubby i want to go for shopping by midnight he will say i am getting crazy :smile:
    Have a nice holiday in spain.

    :) yeah, skip the midnight madness… we went shopping at midnight, and it was crazy… people were going nuts, and looong lines everywhere, not my kinda fun :)

  18. Rajitha on November 23rd, 2007 5:54 am

    that drink truely looks awesome..i can imagine the taste..girl u are married to a talented dude..good for u..:) thnks siv for the recipe :(Martini): ….and i have never been to that sale..i cannot imagine getting up that early esp. when it is soo cold….

    and have a fantastic trip to spain honey..and bring back tons of pics of u and the food ;)..will u try snout??..and how was ur packing ..hope u could fit it all…ms.glamourous :)..will miss u….hugs

    don’t ever go to that sale… :) I can’t get up early either, but we made it for the midnight sale, NEVER again… there are lines to get into the shops, and lines for billing, dressing room… never seen so many people at one time ever :)
    packing went fine… :) two big suitcases… couldn’t do it any other way ;) Will miss you too..

  19. Passionate baker on November 23rd, 2007 6:56 am

    :drool: Clever name, great idea & cool drink! Got here off Aparna’s blog…and am glad I did! m off to browse around somemore…Thank u Sig!!

    Welcome Passionate Baker… thanks for dropping by… see you around :)

  20. richa on November 23rd, 2007 7:03 am

    have a fun trip sweetie :grin:
    hope u got some good deals at the midnight sale :(Martini):

    Thanks Richa… :) And we got some good deals at the midnight sale, but it was not worth it :) Now I know why it is called Midnight Madness

  21. Mishmash! on November 23rd, 2007 7:49 am

    Enjoy ur vacation and come all charged up :)

    Shn

    Thanks Shn :)

  22. Laavanya on November 23rd, 2007 8:43 am

    The name is as delicious as the drink! :) Sounds Indian too. Thanks Sig for posting this (and Siv for creating it). Lovely.

    Thanks Laavanya, I am glad you liked the name :) I had to think long and hard for that :D

  23. Shantanu on November 23rd, 2007 9:51 am

    Hmm, seems pretty original. Enjoy your vacation! Look forward to your ‘foodie’ experiences in Spain. :smile:

    Thanks Shantanu… wish I could go to El Bulli … but I am sure the food is fantastic everywhere :)

  24. Rina on November 23rd, 2007 12:24 pm

    Perfect Kick drink Sig. :drool:

    Thanks Rina :)

  25. Reena on November 23rd, 2007 2:33 pm

    I am going to make it today :(Martini): . Have a great vacation, Sig!

    Hope you liked it :) Thanks Reena…

  26. sunita on November 23rd, 2007 5:05 pm

    Have a great holiday…must have sorted out the packing by now :wink:

    Thanks Sunita, packing is finally done… but no travelling light for me :)

  27. Cynthia on November 23rd, 2007 7:32 pm

    This is a wicked flavour combo. Pucker up for this one kids! :smile:

    :) Thanks Cyn, yep, the flavors are just right in this one… :)

  28. archana on November 24th, 2007 10:33 pm

    yumm, looks tangy and zingy! have a great time in Spain.

    Cant wait to see pics and reviews! :party:

    :) thanks archana, posts coming up soon..

  29. Anita on November 25th, 2007 12:06 am

    Cardamom pods! Marked for this evening!

  30. Kaykat on November 25th, 2007 12:27 am

    *drool*! I could use a yummy Gitatini right now! I’m totally making this for my next party and I’m going to label it ‘Sig’n'Siv’s Gitatini’ - that truly sounds like a song :)

    Yay!

    Have a fabulous trip, amigo!

    lol, hope your guests like it… we will have to patent the name ;)

  31. Anita on November 25th, 2007 6:40 am

    Can’t believe how great the touch of cardamoms is! Thanks Siv (and Sig)!

    You tried it already! :) glad you liked it…we love cardamom in everything…

  32. Aparna on November 25th, 2007 8:34 pm

    Lovely idea. Have a great holiday.

    Thanks Aparna! :)

  33. sandeepa on November 26th, 2007 9:47 am

    Ohhhhhhhhhh I had thought you had already left after the quail. How did I miss all these. have a fabulous trip sweetie

    :) I have been in vacation mood for long, I started talking about it way before the actual trip ;)

  34. mandira on November 26th, 2007 1:57 pm

    have a wonderful vacation Sig and thanks for this delicious cocktail… will be trying it as soon as my throat is able to handle it ;)

    Hope you are feeling better now Mandira, that really sucks.. :(

  35. Archana on November 28th, 2007 10:03 pm

    Enjoy a splendid vaccation, come back with snaps and stories.

    Thanks Archana! :)

  36. Rajitha on November 29th, 2007 5:08 am

    sig…congrats on winning the book girl :(Yes): ..just had to tell u even tho u are in Spain…

    Thanks Rajitha, I can’t wait to get my hands on that book :)

  37. sandeepa on November 29th, 2007 6:48 am

    ohhhhhhhhhhh rajitha did it already…same news..Congrats :D

    :) Thanks Sandeepa… yipppeee :D

  38. Bharathy on November 30th, 2007 3:31 am

    The coktail lady is back with her glass :cool: :(Martini):
    …Oh yeaaaaaah panagam !I almost forgot about it…that is also a wonderful entry..hmm now the time is up I think! :oops:

    oh you mean for think spice event… I already sent my ginger entry weeks back :)

  39. richa on November 30th, 2007 9:39 am

    hey sweetie, great news waiting for ya when u get back :grin:
    congrats on the winning entry!

    :) Thanks Richa… it is exciting

  40. sagari on December 1st, 2007 7:30 am

    very new and wonderfullllll recipe

    Thanks Sagari!

  41. Kristina on August 12th, 2008 10:22 pm

    Hi, I will try this cocktail at my curryparty. Please advise what to do with instant tamarind. (thats all I get here). Thanks, Kristina

    Hi Kristina, by instant tamarind, do you mean the tamarind paste? If that is the case, try 2 tbsps mixed in enough water to form four cups of liquid. Make sure the tamarind is mixed well with the water, you might want to heat it up a bit to dissolve it completely, and then cool the liquid down. We haven’t tried it with tamarind paste, so I suggest that you give it a try before the party to make sure it tastes good… Good luck with the curry party :)

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