Cocktail for This Week: The Patiala Peg – Recipe
Folklore suggests that during 1920, the Maharaja of Patiala, was adamant that his cricket team would triumph over a touring English squad. For a competitive edge, he organized a splendid party on the eve of the match, at which he served his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These are famously generous four-finger whisky pours, historically poured from pinky to index finger. As expected, the English players drank too much, leaving them terribly the worse for wear and, inevitably, vanquished the day after. Thus, the myth of the Patiala peg came to be.
This Punjabi spin on the Old Fashioned cocktail takes its cue from that original beverage. At the restaurant, we offer it from a specially crafted five-litre bottle, but we've adjusted the formula to make it easier for a home environment.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Makes 1 litre, to serve 10-12 drinks.
You Will Need
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g sugar syrup (1:1)
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange-flavoured bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Method
Combine all the ingredients in a large bottle. Add 130g water, mix to combine, then put it in the refrigerator. It will now keep for up to a few weeks.
To serve, measure out roughly 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a short glass filled with ice (ideally one big block). Serve promptly. If you're feeling traditional, you could measure it in by hand for authenticity.
