[Recipe] Filthy Gajus by Giovanni Magliaro (Kuala Lumpur)

Created by Giovanni Magliaro of Neo Bar in KL, the Filthy Gajus is a twist of the Gimlet, but using local flavors and recycled ingredients from their menu, turning what could have been discarded into something unexpected, playful, and full of flavor.

Ingredients:

30ml Tuaq

30ml Cashew distillate

10ml Kantan cordial

5ml Lacto-fermented Tomato

Tomato salt rim (garnish)

*Make the Cashew distillate: 

Add toasted cashews (20% ratio) into vodka, blend, and then strain (or use rotovap if you have one).

*Make the Kantan cordial: 

150ml Water

50g Bunga Kantan (thinly sliced)

50g Sugar

4g Acid Mix

1g Lactic Acid

Add all ingredients into a vacuum or ziploc bag and sous vide at 65ºC for 3 hrs, then strain.

*Make the Lacto Fermented Tomato: 

Cut tomatoes thinly and place in a vacuum bag. Add salt (2% of the weight of the tomatoes) and mix evenly. Vacuum seal the mixture and let it ferment for 2 days before straining.

Reserve the tomato skins for tomato salt.

*Make the Tomato salt: 

Spread the tomato skins on a silicone mat and place in a dehydrator at 55ºC until dry (or put in oven at lowest setting, keeping the door open). Grind the crisp, dried tomatoes using the fine grind setting of a high-powered blender, coffee grinder or food processor, and strain through a sieve to remove bigger pieces.

Method:

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing glass, stir with ice until chilled. Strain into a Nick & Nora glass that's been dusted with tomato salt.