Cocktails

Kaffir Lime Mojito

Posted by Fiona Beckett (Google+) on January 3 2022 at 08:38

One of my favourite recipes from my new book How to Drink without Drinking. I absolutely adore the flavour of kaffir limes which are wonderfully fragrant in comparison to ordinary limes – a bit like a bergamot is to a lemon. They more than make up for the lack of rum in this classic cocktail.

If you can’t find fresh kaffir limes, you can use the more widely available frozen ones, but the flavour of the rind is not quite so intense. I suggest garnishing the drink with a wedge of ordinary lime, though, because the pith of kaffir limes is so thick.

SERVES 1

about 10 mint leaves, plus 1 sprig to garnish

pinch of coarse sea salt

30ml (2 tbsp) Kaffir Lime Syrup (see below)

wedge of lime

crushed ice

chilled soda water, to top up

Put the mint leaves in the bottom of a wide, heavy-based tumbler, sprinkle over the salt and lightly crush with a muddler or the end of a rolling pin. Pour in the kaffir lime syrup, then squeeze over the wedge of lime, drop it into the glass and stir.

Fill the glass halfway with crushed ice, top up with chilled soda water and stir. Garnish with a sprig of mint and serve.

For the kaffir lime syrup

Makes 300ml/10 fl oz

3-4 kaffir limes

200g (7oz) caster sugar

300ml (10 fl oz) water

Using a vegetable peeler finely peel the rind of the kaffir limes, taking with it as little of the white pitch as possible. Juice the limes and set aside.

To make the syrup put the sugar in a saucepan and add the measured water. Place over a low heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has completely dissolved. Bring to the boil and add the lime rind then simmer for 3 minutes. Take off the heat and leave to cool.

Stir in the lime juice then strain the syrup through a fine sieve into a wide-necked jug or bowl. Pour through a funnel into a sterlised bottle or jar, seal and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

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