The title of this martini could provoke a culture war so I’ll start with the disclaimer that I did not name it!

Desi is a rough term that refers to people, culture, music, food and other things that have a South Asian origin.

I was served this drink in a trendy nightclub somewhere during a heady night of exploration in Hyderabad.

It’s a fairly simple variation on a classic martini: the drink is shaken with both ice and torn coriander / cilantro to impart a zesty herbal flavour.

I’ve previously made martinis using gin infused with coriander but this is a lighter, fresher version.

Equipment

You will need v-shaped martini glasses, a cocktail shaker (or a sealable jar if you don’t have one to hand), a chopping board and a sharp knife.

The Ingredients

It’s very simple. You will need:

• Gin or vodka to your preference
• Vermouth
• Fresh coriander/cilantro
• Ice cubes (although these are technically optional if you chill your spirits in the freezer)

How to Prepare the Desi Martini

• Put your gin or vodka in the freezer for at least six hours.
• You should store your glasses in there as well.
• Put your vermouth in the fridge for the same amount of time (once the vermouth bottle has been opened you should store it in there permanently).

• When it’s time to pour, roughly chop a handful of coriander.
• Take everything else out of the fridge and freezer.
• Pour a standard, classic martini in a glass to your preference (around 2-15 ml or 0.5-3 teaspoons vermouth to taste, topped up with 80-120 ml or 3-4 US fl oz gin/vodka).
• Pour your martini into your shaker (or jar) as well as the chopped coriander/cilantro.

• You can also add ice cubes at this stage. They will help break down the coriander/cilantro but they will also water down your drink and remove any of the oily consistency you get from freezer-chilled spirit. It’s down to your preference.
• Shake very well so as to impart the coriander flavour.
• Strain back into the martini glass and serve immediately.

If you have any fragments of coriander/cilantro in the glass it’s absolutely fine. You can even garnish the drink with an additional sprig.

There is also a wealth of tasty desi snacks you can serve to accompany this, from simple bite mixes to grilled meats and fried things. Bite-sized things you can eat with one hand are recommended and please share your favourite desi drinking snacks below!

Otherwise, what better meal to follow up this drink I discovered in Hyderabad with, than a classic Hyderabadi biryani – the motherlode of flavoursome comfort food?

Enjoy!