HOUSTON – This summer in Houston has been a scorcher. If you’re looking for a refreshing way to beat the heat, we’ve got just the ticket. Musaafer Bar Manager, Himanshu Desai, is shaking up some top notch cocktails to help us cool off.
Desai, also known as “The Liquid Chef” first discovered his passion for mixology after watching videos of the late great British bartender, Gary Reagan. He began his bartending career in his hometown, Pune, India. He then spent four years in Dubai working alongside some of the top beverage professionals of the world. Desai was also the first to represent India in Remy Martin’s global cocktail competition in Cognac, France, where he competed against 13 other mixologists and placed second.
“I always wanted to do something which was completely different,” said Desai. “The idea of making people those delicious drinks really, really excited me. My journey has been really, really difficult, but now I’m extremely happy with where I am.”
Musaafer opened it’s extravagant doors at The Galleria in 2020, a difficult year for many restaurants. Despite the challenges, the restaurant made a huge splash on the food scene, earning recognition from Texas Monthly and Time Magazine.
Musaafer’s Adraki Sutra received an honorable mention in the Time Magazine write up. The drink includes turmeric and fresh ginger, both ingredients lauded for their health benefits.
“Adrak means ginger and Sutra means verse,” said Desai. “We call this an Indian Mule, which is a twist to everybody’s favorite Moscow Mule.”
According to Desai, turmeric helps boost immunity and has anti-inflammatory properties. Ginger helps aid in digestion and help whet the appetite.
See the recipes for both the Adraki Sutra and Bombay Velvet below. To connect with the team at Musaafer, click here.
ADRAKI SUTRA
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Turmeric sous vide simple vodka
- 0.70 oz ginger liqueur
- 0.85 oz fresh lemon juice
- Fresh ginger paste
- Orange bitters
- Splash of Fever Tree Ginger Beer
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in cocktail shaker; shake vigorously
- Optional: garnish with candied ginger
BOMBAY VELVET
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Hendrick’s Gin
- 1/2 oz Lillet blanc
- 0.85 oz fresh lime juice
- 1/3 oz Indian Kewra flower water
- Hint of simple syrup
- Fresh basil leaves
Directions:
- Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker; shake vigorously
- Pour into a teacup
- Optional: garnish with edible flower