How to Make a Hojicha Sour by Chong Hau from The Nest (Penang)

https://youtu.be/hGMYFhKfbxU

For Chong Hau of The Nest Cocktail Bar in Penang, his signature Hojicha Sour is only half the experience. Inspired by a love of smoky hojicha, the cocktail balances roasted tea notes with bright yuzu, but it's served alongside a piece of grilled tatami iwashi (Japanese whitebait).

The savory bite transforms the drink, bringing out the smoky depth of the hojicha while making the citrus notes pop. It's a reminder that sometimes, the perfect cocktail pairing isn't another drink. It's a thoughtfully chosen snack.

Ingredients:

75ml Clarified Hojicha gin (infused gin with hojicha & lemon, washed with yogurt)

20ml Super syrup (1kg sugar, 100g gum arabic, 10g Cmc, 1g xanthan gum,

1000ml water)

1 barspoon Yuzu juice

1 piece Tatami Iwashi

Method:

First, prepare the cocktail by adding the hojicha gin, super syrup, and yuzu juice into a chilled shaker. Then grill the tatami iwashi over low/medium heat, turning it over multiple times to avoid charring. Once it's golden brown, it's done – set it aside.

Then add ice to the cocktail shaker and double reverse shake (first shake with ice, then without ice). Strain over a large block ice in a rocks glass, served alongside the portion of tatami iwashi (broken into bite sizes).