Power outage on July 4th? Make fireworks with vodka, lime and jalapeno.
In India they called it a Risky Venture. After last night, I’d call it a Great Recovery.
Sometime between the corn and the fireworks, a wild wind suddenly blew through the trees, tossing their leafy tops like whitecaps on the sea. Moments later fat rain drops, the first in a parched while, splotched the deck. The lights flickered and died.
Also the air conditioning.
No matter. We flung open the windows and lit the votive candles, all 27 of them. While the rain spattered, a flock of ecstatic frogs called to each other with deep trilling voices. B and I poured some vodka.
In Kumarakom, on the shores of Lake Vembanad, I had a tall drink called a Risky Venture, involving vodka, lime and one of the long green chilies that are ubiquitous in Kerala’s vegetarian cuisine. Sitting outside on a steamy night, listening to the water splash in the canals, the combination of cold vodka and a hot pepper was irresistible.
Last night, I improvised by candlelight, using fat green jalapenos I had just picked from the garden. After three vapid tries, I realized I would get more fireworks if I slit the chiles from top to bottom, just as they do in India when they want to get heat into a dish without overdoing it.
The fifth round was perfect. The peppery jalapeno infused the vodka with its fresh green aromas and plenty of fire, while lime and a splash of tonic added the right sweet-sour-bitter notes. The drink got hotter and spicier as I got to the bottom, but the ice kept it cool.
I feel asleep listening to the rain and the frogs.
Ice Cold Vodka with Jalapeno and Lime
To make one cocktail
Ingredients:
1-1/2 ounces of vodka
1 large jalapeno or other hot green chile
Ice
Juice of 1/2 lime, or to taste
Tonic water, to taste
Method:
1. Pour the vodka into a glass. With a sharp knife, make 7 or 8 vertical slits in the jalapeno, without cutting all the way through the top or bottom. The chile should remain intact. Put it in the vodka and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Add ice to the top of the glass. Add lime juice and a splash of tonic. Stir and enjoy while waiting for the power to come back on.