Ace of Base

In contemporary cooking parlance, the sequence of mix, match and mature is known as infusion—a process in which veggies (tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, lime), herbs (lemon grass, mint, cilantro, basil, sage, rosemary), spices (chillies, ginger, garlic, pepper) and sometimes even flowers (elder, rose, jasmine) are dunked into a base (oils, vinegars, spirits) till it matures and takes on the flavour of the additive.

The result is a flavoursome, textured base. ‘‘Not all flavours are always available. Making our own concoction lets us create the taste we want,’’ says Jaydeep Mukherji, of Indigo Deli, south Mumbai’s latest delicatessen. They stock vinegars infused with tangerine and rosemary, red onion and garlic and lime and red chilli (Rs 250 for 500 ml).

“For oil infusions, we only use olive oil because it has a great aroma and flavour and takes on the nuances of the added ingredients,’’ says Mukherji. Their olive oils are infused with garlic and sage, herbs and pepper, juniper and lime, chilli and basil and desi variations with coriander and curry leaves.

If you think infused oils and vinegars are only for an at-the-table drizzle, then think again. Jochen Kern, executive chef of Mumbai’s InterContinental, infuses spirits and uses them in the cooking process. A recent trout festival saw Kern flambé the Himalayan river water fish with lemon grass-infused vodka.

If spirits have entered the wok, imagine the action at the bar counter. Vodka, often termed the ‘hungry’ spirit, is everyone’s favourite base liquor.

Salt Water Grill (SWG), a seaside restobar in downtown Mumbai, is set to launch a liquor menu with various infused vodkas. Says bar manager Naveen Kotyankar, ‘‘If you want to get your guests to experiment, you have to try something unusual and make sure they feel it’s worth the money spent.’’ Kotyankar’s guests flip over SWG’s plum and orange rind-infused vodkas; orders have also started coming in for entire bottles.

Delhi bars too are trying infusions, but these, however, are not yet a part of regular menus. The ITC Maurya Sheraton even cites legal wrangles as a reason for not trying them—they fear changing a vodka brand’s basic taste may result in a suit.

Aura, the vodka bar at The Claridges, central Delhi, is among the few that dish out home-made brews like cucumber, chilli and coriander-infused vodkas. “Pink Cucumber (cucumber-infused vodka, cranberry juice and a splash of lime) and Spicelandic (with coriander-flavoured spirit) are hot sellers,’’ says bar in-charge Manoj Bhatia.

Olive Bar and Kitchen, in Mehrauli, serves infused vodkas on ‘‘special nights’’. The highlights are Zubrowka, a martini-esque cocktail with lemon grass-infused vodka and the sweet Apple Bomb, with cider-infused vodka.

Athena, in Nehru Place, has herby vodkas featuring star anise, kaffir lime, mint and dhaniya. But these drinks are mostly served on theme nights and occasions such as Valentine’s Day.

Mumbai, however, isn’t waiting for special dates. The Indigo bar’s 24 infused vodkas are always ready. While most of them are used as cocktail bases, many are sipped straight. ‘‘Our Chilli Caipiroska with chilli pepper-infused vodka is a great hit,’’ says Indigo’s bar manager Greg D’Souza, who also makes mojitos, martinis and margaritas with infused vodkas.
(With inputs from Nitya Rao/New Delhi)