Drink for This Week: The Patiala Peg – How to Make It
Folklore has it that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was set that his cricket team would win over a visiting English team. To secure an advantage, he threw a splendid party the night before the match, where he presented his guests the legendary Patiala pegs. These are famously large four-finger whisky pours, traditionally gauged from little finger to forefinger. Predictably, the English players drank too much, resulting in them being very hungover and, consequently, beaten the next day. In this way, the legend of the Patiala peg originated.
This Punjabi variation of Old Fashioned cocktail is inspired by the Maharaja's beverage. In our establishment, we present it from a custom-made five-litre bottle, but we've modified the recipe to make it easier for a household kitchen.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 drinks.
Ingredients
- 725g blended scotch whisky
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura bitters (about 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (about ⅕ tsp)
- A small pinch of salt
- 2g xanthan gum
Instructions
Combine everything in a big container. Include 130g water, mix to combine, then transfer it in the fridge. It can be stored for about a few weeks.
When ready to drink, dispense approximately 90ml of the prepared cocktail into a short glass containing ice (traditionally one large cube). Serve immediately. For a traditional touch, you could pour it using your fingers as they did.
