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This recipe from a MasterChef legend sees soju meet gin and lime for a flavoursome spin on a classic.
About the cocktail
The OG Gimlet is great – there’s no denying that. But every classic needs a good shake-up now and then, and, together with Diana Chan, we think we’ve come up with the perfect soju, gin crossover: the Soju Gimlet. It’s a ridiculously tasty li’l number that, according to Diana, tastes “like summer in a glass. Refreshing and zingy.” Remember summer? How good was that? Before we jump into “summer in a glass”, let us introduce our brilliant collaborator and friend, who is a wiz in the kitchen and an absolute joy to be around. You might recognise Diana’s face from MasterChef, when she won the whole shebang in 2017. Lately, she has been making a name for herself as a menu designer, product creator, restaurateur, TV personality and content creator. She even ducked past earlier this year to whip up a Spiced Autumn Highball with us. In short, she’s a busy gal! So we feel hashtag-blessed to have her help creating this delish cocktail. In this long overdue remix, Korean soju and Japanese gin are married together with a healthy serving of lime (yes, both juice and leaf) and orange bitters. And don’t overlook the umeboshi! The salty, tangy, pickled Japanese plum serves as the ideal garnish to this picture-perfect cocktail, adding an undeniable umami flavour. You can pick them up from your local Asian grocer and in many supermarkets too, along with the makrut lime leaves. The Soju Gimlet is light, not too sweet and, best of all, a breeze to make. “I love how easy it is to prepare. A few special ingredients to elevate the drink and you have this outstanding cocktail,” Diana says. It’s the type of cocktail that can be enjoyed on its own, but Diana reckons it shines alongside your main meal – “It is light and refreshing, and acts as a palate cleanser between your courses.” Once you’ve made your Soju Gimlets, you're bound to have a little soju left in the bottle. You could make more Gimlet cocktails with it OR you could use it in some Diana Chan-approved dishes. “I would use it like you’d use rice wine, so, in something like steamed clams or in a braising liquid with other aromatics and chicken,” Diana explains. “It will also work well in fried chicken as a marinade. The sugars in the soju will be absorbed by the meat making it juicy and flavoursome.” Diana even suggests whacking it in a beer or cider for a Korean-inspired take on a Shandy. If you’d like to make some Soju Gimlets at home, have a read of Diana’s tips below.
Watch: How to make a Soju Gimlet
Ingredients
50mL soju 20mL gin 5mL lime concentrate or fresh lime juice 10mL sugar syrup 2 dashes orange bitters 1 makrut lime leaf (lightly torn) Ice Garnish: umeboshi plum (AKA pickled Japanese plum)
Method
Add all your ingredients to a mixing glass Fill the glass with cubed ice and stir for 30 seconds until chilled and diluted just the right amount (taste with a spoon to be sure) Strain into a chilled cocktail glass – we recommend a Martini glass but you do you Garnish with umeboshi on a skewer
Diana’s top tips
The Soju Gimlet is an easy drink to make so don’t stress too much. In fact, Diana’s only top tip is to pre-prepare. “Just have freshly squeezed limes ready when they are in season and maybe just play around with different types of sugar and sugar syrups.” Of course, if you don’t have fresh limes at hand, a high quality lime concentrate will stack up here, too. When it comes to food pairings, we’d dare to say that Diana’s suggestions are almost compulsory. “This cocktail lends itself to having something fresh and light, therefore I’d say something like a sushi platter or lobster rolls would be great pairings.”
