Drink for This Week: The Patiala Peg – Recipe
Legend suggests that in 1920, Bhupinder Singh, was determined that his team would triumph over a visiting English side. To secure an advantage, he threw a splendid party the night before the match, where he presented his guests the notorious Patiala pegs. These are notoriously generous four-finger whisky pours, customarily gauged from pinky to forefinger. Unsurprisingly, the English players partook excessively, leaving them terribly hungover and, inevitably, defeated the next day. And so, the story of the Patiala peg was born.
This Punjabi kind-of Old Fashioned cocktail draws inspiration from Singh's drink. At the restaurant, we offer it from a custom-made five-litre bottle, but we've adapted the instructions to make it better suited for a home setting.
The Patiala Peg Recipe
Yields 1 litre, to serve 10-12 drinks.
What's Required
- 725g blended Scotch
- 130g simple syrup
- 6g Angostura aromatic bitters (approximately 1⅓ tsp)
- 1g orange bitters (approximately ⅕ tsp)
- A dash of salt
- 2g xanthan gum powder
Method
Place everything in a big container. Pour in 130g water, stir to combine, then put it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for about three weeks.
For serving, pour approximately 90ml of the Patiala peg mixture into a short glass containing ice (ideally one large cube). Drink immediately. For a traditional touch, you could use the four-finger measure for authenticity.
