Lights, Cardamom, Action: how to cocktail your way through Diwali

Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is a vibrant celebration that brings families and communities together, with food and drink playing a central role in the festivities. For South Asian families, preparing food is far more than a culinary task—it’s a profound expression of love, care, and cultural connection. In many households, Diwali preparations begin days in advance, with kitchens bustling with activity. Generations gather to prepare traditional sweets, savory snacks, and elaborate meals. Each dish carries a story, each recipe a memory passed down through family lines. The labor of love is evident in every carefully crafted samosa, every precisely spiced curry, and every lovingly prepared mithai.

Drinks and Celebrations

Diwali celebrations often include a wide array of beverages, from traditional non-alcoholic drinks to more spirited options. Families and friends come together to share drinks that complement the festive mood, creating moments of warmth and connection. In the evolving landscape of beverages, Maharaja Drinks emerges as a pioneering retailer bringing world-class Indian drinks to a global audience. Their approach goes beyond simple retail—it’s a carefully curated journey through India’s rich beverage culture.

Insights from a Cocktail Expert

Soral Chavda, Cocktail Guru for Maharaja Drinks, offers fascinating insights into Diwali-inspired drinks. “Developing cocktail menus for Diwali is always a fun and creative project because it’s a chance to showcase and experiment with traditional/exotic flavours and warming spices as we creep into those cold Autumn evenings.”

According to Chavda, some key ingredients include saffron and cardamom, especially as these spices are traditionally used in a lot of Indian sweets. In liquid form, they create subtle sweet, floral and earthy flavour notes with a slight bitterness to create the perfect balanced cocktail.

“Saffron always being a favourite at this time of year because it’s opulent, has the most incredible aroma and turns everything it touches to gold,” Chavda added.

Another increasingly popular ingredient at the moment is the humble pistachio. Sweet, earthy and creamy, it’s extremely versatile and pairs perfectly with Indian desserts and sweets (mithai)! Chavda personally uses crushed pistachios on the rim of a glass to add some texture or opt for a good quality pistachio paste to give a luxurious creamy dessert cocktail. 

Festive Drink Recipes

Traditional options include lassi which is a a spiced yogurt drink that can be sweet, salty or come in mango flavour. Another alcoholic option is falooda which is a sweet milk-based beverage with rose, basil seeds, and vanilla ice cream.

For those seeking an adult twist, Chavda suggests incorporating spirits like Hapusa Gin or Smoke Lab Classic Vodka.  Here are the recipes she has meticulously engineered for this festive season.

Elaichi Lemon Gin Sour

This take on a gin sour recipe pairs Malhar Citrus Indian Craft Gin with a homemade honey and elaichi (cardamom) syrup. According to Chavda, she recommends using whole spices when making the syrup because with powdered spices, the syrup will have a cloudy appearance unless you strain through a muslin cloth.

For the honey and cardamom syrup:

  • 75g Sugar
  • 50g Water
  • 3tbsp Clear Runny Honey
  • 1/2 tsp Crushed Green Cardamom Seeds

To make the syrup:

  • In a pan over medium heat dissolve the sugar in water
  • Remove from the heat & add the honey & cardamom
  • Allow to sit & infuse overnight
  • Strain into a sterilised jar or bottle
  • Can be kept in the fridge for up to 2months

For the cocktail:

  • 45ml Malhar Citrus Gin
  • 10ml Triple sec 
  • 5ml Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 15ml Honey & Cardamom Syrup 
  • 2 drops of Angostura Bitters
  • 1/3 of a pipette of Ms Betters Bitters Miraculous Foamer (or 1 egg white)
  • 3-4 drops Angostura Bitters to garnish

To make the cocktail:

  • Add all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice & shake vigorously for 20 seconds
  • Fine strain into a coupette glass 
  • Garnish with a couple of extra drops of Angostura bitters
  • Run a toothpick through the drops of Angostura bitters to create a heart shaped pattern on the top of the foam
Cardamom and honey take center stage in this infused gin cocktail

Kesar Pista Vodka Martini

This rich cocktail blends kesar (saffron) syrup with pistachio liqueur and vodka to create a dessert drink that is sure to remind you of a kulfi. Chavda notes that the Smoke Lab Classic Vodka that she used here is distilled from Basmati rice and uses Himalayan spring water. “It has a clean finish, allowing the pistachio and saffron flavours to really come through in this recipe,” she shares.

For the saffron syrup:

  • 100g Sugar
  • 50g Water
  • Pinch of Saffron

To make the syrup:

  • In a pan over medium heat dissolve the sugar in water
  • Remove from the heat & add the saffron
  • Allow to sit & infuse overnight
  • Strain into a sterilised jar or bottle 
  • Can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 months

For the cocktail:

  • 40ml Smoke Lab Vodka
  • 30ml Pistachio Liqueur 
  • 25ml Fresh Orange Juice
  • 20ml Saffron Syrup
  • Sparkling/Soda Water
  • Saffron Strands

To make the cocktail:

  • Add all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice & shake vigorously for 20s
  • Strain into a tumbler glass over ice & top up with a small amount of sparkling/soda water
  • Garnish with some saffron strands 
Indulge in a Kesar Pista Vodka Martini this Diwali season.

Spiced Boozy Mango Lassi 

The classic Mango Lassi gets spiced and spiked in this recipe with the use of Maka Zai Tribute Edition. This is a gold rum that is perfect in a sweeter drink like this one.  Serve as a welcome drink or with dessert at your Diwali shindig to give guests a twist on a much-loved drink. 

Diwali represents more than just a festival—it’s a celebration of good triumphing over evil, of light dispelling darkness. In the culinary world, it’s an opportunity to showcase traditional flavors and bring people together through shared experiences. As we embrace the festival, let’s remember that every shared meal, every raised glass, is a testament to the enduring power of cultural traditions and familial love.

Pooja Shah

Pooja Shah is a freelance writer and lawyer from NYC now based in London.

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