By now you’re probably familiar with our unofficial quest to discover as many extraordinary variations on the Moscow Mule as we can. So far our journey has taken us to most of the United States for things like the Kentucky Mule and the Hawaiian Mule, as well as to China for the Shanghai Mule, south of the border for the Mexican Mule and across the Atlantic for the Irish Mule. Today, we’re breaking out our passports and heading back overseas for an exciting variation on the classic mule from our friends in India: we’re talking of course about the Mumbai Mule.

Giving it that Subcontinental Twist

Each variation on the Moscow Mule embraces some element of the local culture to provide a startling, and hopefully delicious, twist to the venerable cocktail. With a Kentucky Mule we use Bourbon, with a Hawaiian Mule we break out the pineapples and so it is with the Mumbai variant for which we’re going to make a special, spicy syrup that we’ll introduce into the drink to evoke the heavenly airs of the subcontinent’s spice houses.

Making the Syrup

That spicy syrup we’re going to add to the Mule to bring it home to Mumbai is a spicy ginger syrup. We’re going to be using it instead of the standard ginger beer that is such an integral part of the Moscow Mule. By making our own deluxe syrup we’ll give the drink added body and imbue it with the distinctively Indian essence we’re after. There are actually a couple of different variations of this syrup we’ve become aware of. For the purposes of this post we’re just going to stick with the one we like best.

Ingredients

First of all, before you can make the syrup you’re going to need ingredients. The quantities listed here will be enough to make 8 Mumbai Mules:

• 2 tsp coriander seed.
• Cumin seeds from 5 cardamom pods.
• 2 pinches of saffron threads.
• 3/4 cup blonde cane sugar.
• 1/2 cup of boiling water.
• 1/2 cup of chopped ginger root (fresh of course).

Now that we’ve got the raw materials let’s perform a bit of cocktail alchemy and turn them into the magical spicy ginger syrup we want for our drink.

Combine the coriander, cardamom seed and saffron in a smallish heavy duty skillet. Heat the combination over a medium flame to toast the spices. After about 30 seconds they should become fragrant and begin to pop. When they do, remove them from the heat.

Pour the sugar into a bowl and add the boiling water. Stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Pour the dissolved sugar, the toasted spices and the ginger into a blender and blend until the whole mix is nice and smooth. When the concoction is smooth pour it through a fine mesh strainer into a clean jar. Cover the jar and put it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before using. Any leftover will last for several days.

Making the Mumbai Mule

Now that you’ve got the secret ingredient all mixed and chilled in the fridge it’s time for the Mumbai Mule recipe. Here are the ingredients we’ll want to use to make each delightfully aromatic cocktail:

• 2 ounces of Vodka.
• 1 ounce of the spiced ginger syrup we just made.
• 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice.
• Sparkling water.
• Slice of lime.
• Mint sprig.
• Ice.

Place the ice into a chilled copper Moscow Mule mug from Paykoc. Add the vodka, special spicy ginger syrup and lemon juice. Toss in a bit of sparkling water and stir gently. Garnish with the mint sprig and lime slice and there you have it. A cocktail even the great Khans of old would love.

A Drink for the Ages

Indian culture goes back many thousands of years. When the Macedonian general Alexander the Great was on his last legs he invaded what is now India where he found a thriving and sophisticated civilization at a time when Rome was just a muddy little malarial swamp on the banks of the Tiber. Throughout its rich and varied history India has been renowned for its spices. In the first century AD camels regularly left what are present-day Calicut and Goa to deliver spices to far flung kitchens in Alexandria and Carthage.

As such any Indian variation on the Moscow Mule needed to embrace this rich cultural legacy and the Mumbai Mule with its special spicy ginger syrup does just that.

Āyurārogy Labho!

That’s Marathi for “Cheers!” (Marathi is one of the official languages of India and is the predominant language of Mumbai and the surrounding area.) It’s what you’ll be saying more and more often once you taste this exotic take on the Moscow Mule. This Mule variant is the perfect drink for barbecues on hot summer days or for spicing up your holiday celebrations and giving them more of an international flavor.

Whatever you do don’t forget to have plenty of copper Moscow Mule mugs from Paykoc on hand to serve your new favorite drink in. We have a wide array of Mule mugs to choose from including lined and unlined and every type of design from classic tankard (both standard and hammered) to steins (both engraved and not) to hammered barrel style mugs and sleek contemporary designs with silky smooth finishes. Pick up a 4 pack, 24 pack or 25 pack or check out one of our incredible gift packs complete with mugs and ginger beer.

The Mumbai Mule will raise the bar for your next party or barbecue by opening up the taste buds and olfactory receptors of your guests to something truly new while at the same time broadening your culinary horizons. When they receive their Mumbai Mule served up in one of our stunning copper Mule mugs your guests will have so many things to talk about you may need to schedule a follow up party just for the Mule-related conversation. We hope you enjoy this recipe and pass it on to your friends!

Explore our additional content to learn how to make other popular variations of the traditional Moscow Mule recipe.

• The Hawaiian Mule
• The Jamaican Mule
• The Kentucky Mule
• The Mexican Mule
• The Shanghai Mule
• The Sicilian Mule