Have you been blackberry picking yet? The blackberry brambles are full of beautiful, juicy berries, and they are one of the easiest wild food ingredients to find and forage. If you haven't been picking yet, there is still time (late September). So grab your basket and off you go! Then you can give this delicious wild blackberry margarita cocktail recipe idea a go.
East Meets West: Kala Khatta Inspired Margarita Cocktail
So what is the Indian twist I mention?
This margarita cocktail recipe is inspired by Kala Khatta, a treat almost every child in North India has impinted in their memory. Of course though, this treat is non-alcoholic!
Kala Khatta is a syrup made from the Jamun or Malabar plum. In India, it is a welcome refreshment in the hot summer months. Kala means "black" and Khatta is "sour" or "tangy."
The syrup is generously poured over shaved ice, or goals as they are called in India. A gola is crushed ice that is pressed together into the shape of a ball or gola. Jamun syrup is the most popular flavour, although many other flavours exist too.
Kala Khatta can also be enjoyed as drink during the summer months when the Jamun is in season.
Here in the UK, I have been waiting for the blackberry season to arrive to give this margarita cocktail recipe a go. This is because I use the wild blackberries to create a similar flavour and colour to the kala khatta. Kala namak - also known as black salt - and lime juice is added to this margarita cocktail recipe, taking it to another level.
The blackberry syrup together with the tequila and black salt make this cocktail a punchy, tangy, lip smacking winner.
Want a non-alcoholic mocktail version? No problem. Go here.
How-To Video
Here is a video guide to making your kala khatta inspired margarita cocktail recipe.
📖 Recipe
Kala Khatta Inspired Margarita Cocktail
Equipment
- Muslin cloth
- Cocktail shaker
Ingredients
Blackberry syrup
- 350 gms Blackberries
- 100 gms Sugar
- 125 ml Water
Margarita
- 50 ml Blackberry syrup
- 100 ml Tequila
- 1 Lemon Peel for garnish and juice
- 1 tablespoon Kala Namak
- 20 cubes Ice cubes 14 cubes crushed
- 2 Blackberries whole for garnish
Instructions
Blackberry syrup
- Wash the blackberries.
- Add the berries to a pan along with the sugar and water and bring it to a rapid boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until berries are mushy and soft.
- Remove from the heat and pass through a fine mesh sieve, lined with muslin cloth to remove all seeds and pulp.
- Transfer to a sterilised bottle and refrigerate.
Kala Khatta Margarita
- For the garnish, Using a peeler, peel the skin from a lemon. Cut a piece into a rectangular shape and then cut the ends into points. slit it in the centre and set aside.
- Put a little kala namak on a plate. Wipe the rim of your glass with some lemon juice. Turn the glass upside down onto the salt and twist to coat.
- Add some ice cubes into a cocktail shaker and add all the other ingredients and shake to combine.
- Add crushed ice into a glasses and pour over the cocktail. Garnish with the lemon and a blackberry and serve immediately.
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