Be alcholi'c ready

It’s that time of the year when caution is thrown to the wind. Dressed in a mish-mash of colours, revellers make the most of the occasion. If you’re throwing a party, it is a great time to get together and indulge. Great food and drinks always set the tone for the party. Bhaang which is synonymous to Holi, and hence, it is a great idea to add this to your cocktails as well. 

Variation and twists in cocktails have become one of the leading trends. Bring home the feel of authentic Holi with delectable cocktails using thandai. One can create a special thandai LIIT using thandai, gin, vodka and rum. Take a shaker with loads of ice-cube. Add vodka, white rum, gin and thandai mix. Next add milk and shake well. Serve chilled. Garnish with almond and pistachio-almond flakes.

Keeping the festival of colours, don’t shy away from keeping your drinks colourful. You can mix flavoured like strawberry syrup, blue curacao, peach, caramel, kala khatta with vodka and rum to keep it colourful. Add thandai and your drink is ready to be served! 

There are many ingredients that we can work for the festive theme. Make use of sweet and spiced milk, masala lassi and alcoholic sweets. 

One thing to keep in mind, however, is this: do not ever mix bhaang with alcohol while making Holi-based cocktails. This potent mix can prove to be fatal.

If you do have the patience for it, fruit ice-cubes work well. Add these to your vodka/white rum with your mixer and you’re good to go. It helps that this simple drink also adds a touch of colour, and makes it for a visually enticing picture.

Thandai Spiked with Whiskey

Thandai Spiked with Whiskey  
Ingredients 
45 ml whiskey
250 ml warm water
30 gm almonds
20 gm pistachios
2 tsp poppy seeds
30 gm melon seeds
2 tsp gulkhand
1 tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp black pepper
3 to 4 cardamoms
1 pinch saffron 
100 gm sugar
1 glass chilled milk
Ice cubes as per requirement
Method
Pour warm water in a bowl. Add almonds and black pepper, mix well and keep aside for two hours. Blend the mix from the bowl together along with the water. Add cardamoms with saffron and blend again until it’s a fine paste.

Blue Parade

Blue Parade 
Ingredients 
45 ml vodka
10 ml blue curacao
10 ml sambuca
60 ml cranberry juice
60 ml pineapple juice
10 ml lime juice
Method
Add all ingredients in the glass. Mix well and garnish with pineapple slice.

Gin Watermelon Fizz

Gin Watermelon Fizz
Ingredients 
75 ml Gin
120 ml Tonic water
15 ml Lime juice
60 ml Fresh watermelon juice
4-5 Watermelon chunks 
Method
Except tonic water, pour all ingredients in a glass and muddle. Top the glass with tonic water. Use a slice of watermelon to garnish.