White port, arrack, orange liqueur and white tea combine in this punchy update on the classic Jerry Thomas Five star: Hopper’s white ruby punch takes the traditional, five-ingredient punch as its starting point. The word punch has its origins in the Sanskrit panch , meaning “five”. Traditionally, a punch […]
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White port, arrack, orange liqueur and white tea combine in this punchy update on the classic Jerry Thomas
The word punch has its origins in the Sanskrit panch, meaning “five”. Traditionally, a punch is made with no more and no fewer than five ingredients: a spirit (commonly arrack, rum or gin), sugar, water, fruit and spice. This one has been on Hoppers’ drinks list since we first opened in 2015, and is a twist on the classic Jerry Thomas from way back in 1840. It’s a great one for when you have people round, and works both as an aperitif and alongside food. We cold brew our tea, to extract the best floral and aromatic flavours, rather than the bitterness and tannins you get from a hot infusion. The process takes eight to 12 hours, so you’ll need to prepare ahead.
White ruby punch
Serves 6
For the cold brew
12g white tea leaves
425ml water
For the drink
140ml white port
110ml Ceylon arrack
140ml Cointreau or triple sec
105ml sugar syrup
50ml lime juice
425ml cold brew white tea (see above and method)
4 kumquats, cut into rings
4 tbsp tukmaria (AKA basil seeds, from south Asian food stores; or chia seeds), to finish
Mix the tea leaves and cold water, cover and leave at room temperature to infuse overnight, then strain into a clean jug.
Mix all the liquids other than the tea, then add the strained tea and pour into a punch bowl. Top up with ice and garnish with the sliced kumquats.
Put the basil seeds in a cup with enough water just to cover them, leave to soak for five minutes, then strain. Add the drained, puffed-up seeds to the punch just before serving.
This is an edited extract from Hoppers: The Cookbook – Recipes, Memories and Inspiration from Sri Lankan Homes, Streets and Beyond, by Karan Gokani, published by Quadrille at £30. To order a copy for £26.10, go to guardianbookshop.com
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