’Tis the season to stay hydrated and generally consume lots of fluids to cool off. But how about getting a bit creative in the kitchen with homemade mocktails? If the last time you attempted a fruit punch you ended up with a vat of green stuff no one at the party wanted to approach for fear of radioactive contamination (true story) you’ll doubtless need some guidance. And even if you are a whizz at mixing drinks, perhaps you want to try something different this summer to spice up your party.
Either way, you can’t go wrong with our collection of slurp-worthy recipes, contributed by Abu Dhabi food joints that really know their drinks. Keep hydrated, enjoy, and slurp without shame.
Cool off with Ushna
If you think chilli and spice doesn’t go with this heat, think again. Ushna have always mixed up a good mocktail, and now they’ve got a new drinks menu designed to refresh and guaraunteed to put out the fire out on your tongue (so when you’re too busy to make your own at home, you know where to go). Imagine an infusion of local tastes like pomegranate and lychee or very random ones like bell pepper and basil. Best of all, Ushna have been generous enough to share the secret ingredients that go into their exclusive exotic drinks, so you can cool off at home. But shhhh, tell no one else!
Bell peppers and basil
Ingredients
2 juliennes of green pepper
2 juliennes of red pepper
2 juliennes of yellow pepper
4-5 basil leaves
2 juliennes fresh ginger
15ml lemon juice
30ml sugar syrup
Method
Finely chop all peppers and ginger.
Put them in a glass, add basil leaves.
Add lemon juice, and muddle all the ingredients together.
Add sugar syrup and crushed ice, mix together.
Top up with ginger ale and enjoy.
Garnish with a fan made of one slice each of all three peppers and a sprig of basil, and serve in a tall glass.
Mango and passion fruit
Ingredients
60ml mango pulp
1 whole passion fruit
30ml passion fruit syrup
15ml lemon juice
1 can lemonade
Method
Put mango pulp, squeezed passion fruit pulp/seeds, passion fruit syrup and lemon juice in a tall glass.
Add crushed ice and mix all ingredients together.
Top up with lemonade.
Garnish with a fan made from fresh mango fruit slices and passion fruit slices and serve in a tall glass.
Strawberry and kiwi
Ingredients
3 fresh strawberries (roughly chopped)
1 kiwi fruit (peeled and
roughly chopped)
15ml lemon juice
30ml strawberry syrup
1 can lemonade
Method
Mix chopped strawberries and kiwi in a glass.
Pour lemon juice and strawberry syrup. Muddle all ingredients well.
Add crushed ice, mix well, and top it up with lemonade.
Serve in a tall glass with fresh kiwi wheel and half a strawberry.
Get breezy with Beach House
Can’t stop thinking about that lazy summer evening you spent dining on summery Mediterranean food on the pristeen Saadiyat Island beach? These drinks recipes come with a gust of ocean breeze from the Arabian Gulf and fond memories of your Beach House visit. A big thank you to the Park Hyatt kitchen that also contributed some summer recipes from our previous issue. Might be an idea to enjoy the drink with the grub.
Berry Berry
Ingredients
5 raspberries
5 blueberries
5 strawberries
40ml cranberry juice
20ml lime juice
Method
Blend all ingredients together and pour into a nice large fancy glass.
The Beach House minty blend
Ingredients
1 lime
1 tsp brown sugar
12 mint leaves
30ml sugar syrup
40ml lychee syrup
5 strawberries
Method
Place mint leaves and a lime wedge into a sturdy glass, add the sugar and lychee syrups and use a muddler to crush the mint and lime to release the mint oils and lime juice.
Add two more lime wedges, the strawberries and the sugar, and muddle again to release the lime juice. Do not strain the mixture.
Fill the glass almost to the top with ice. Stir, taste, and add more sugar if desired.
Garnish with mint leaves and strawberry slices.
Beach House, Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Villas, Saadiyat Island (02 407 1234). Ushna, Souk Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi (02 558 1769).
