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Prep time
5 minutes
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Cook time
10 minutes
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makes
1 cocktail
Test Kitchen Notes
Working in bars in Manhattan, Masahiro Urushido—an award-winning mixologist and owner of Katana Kitten in New York City—noticed that one cocktail was particularly popular among bar-goers: the spicy margarita. This Shio Kosho Margarita—“shio” and “kosho” meaning “salt” and “pepper” in Japanese—is his take on the drink. Starring Patrón Silver Tequila, a lemongrass syrup spiced with ginger and yuzu kosho (a Japanese condiment made from yuzu zest, chiles, and salt), and fresh grapefruit juice, this margarita hits sweet, spicy, and bright citrusy notes. A rim of flaky Maldon salt, crushed white peppercorns, and fragrant grapefruit zest tie all of these elements together, teasing out flavors with each sip.
Want to shake up this margarita at home? Have all the ingredients delivered to your doorstep with our nifty Cocktail Courier kit.
This recipe is shared in partnership with Patrón Tequila. —The Editors
Watch This Recipe
Shio Kosho Margarita From Masahiro Urushido
Ingredients
- For the margarita:
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1 1/2 ounces
Patrón Silver Tequila
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3/4 ounce
spiced lemongrass syrup (see below)
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3/4 ounce
freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
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1/2 ounce
freshly squeezed lime juice
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1 pinch
kosher salt
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For the rim:
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1 tablespoon
Maldon salt
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1 tablespoon
crushed white peppercorns
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Zest of 1/2 grapefruit
- For the spiced lemongrass syrup:
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500 grams
sugar
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500 grams
water
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250 grams
fresh lemongrass, trimmed and finely chopped
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1
vanilla pod, sliced down the center and seeds scraped out
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1 teaspoon
yuzu kosho
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100 grams
fresh ginger juice
Directions
- For the margarita:
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Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, and shake to combine (about 30 to 40 seconds). Strain and serve in an ice-filled rocks glass rimmed with a mixture of Maldon salt, white peppercorn, and grapefruit zest.
- For the spiced lemongrass syrup:
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Add the sugar, water, and chopped lemongrass to a saucepan. Bring the mixture up to a boil, then let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the lemongrass is softened. Remove from the heat and let cool.
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To a blender, add the lemongrass syrup, vanilla seeds, and yuzu kosho, and blend to combine. Transfer to an airtight container and macerate in the fridge overnight.
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The next day, add the fresh ginger juice to the syrup and fine-strain over a cheese cloth. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container until you're ready to use.
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