Bengaluru mixologist Madhumita Maltesh, APEC Sustainable Sips Rising Star Championship 2024 winner, shares her signature recipe of Chizume

With the festive season upon us and a line-up of celebrations that follow, ditch the usual party fare by bringing these flavour bombs to the table! Whether it be an intimate dinner with your significant other or a potluck with the fam, up your gastronomy game with these indulgent food and cocktail pairings that blend desi flavours with tantilising Japanese ingredients.

Serving a dash of culinary fusion, Madhumita Maltesh, Trainee Executive at UNO Izakaya, JW Marriott Hotel Bengaluru and India-level winner of Marriott Bonvoy’s APEC Sustainable Sips Rising Star Championship 2024, who has been crowned India’s Most Sustainable Bartender shares with Indulge, the recipe of her signature Indo-Japanese cocktail Chizume.

Chizume is a bold gin-based cocktail that artfully blends the botanical notes of gin with the tangy sweetness of plum syrup and a smooth, creamy goat cheese infusion. The richness of the goat cheese adds a luxurious texture, complementing the vibrant flavors of the gin. Paired with Ume Butaniku Kushiyaki, a savoury pork dish featuring tangy umeboshi, this cocktail balances the intense, savoury flavors with its sweet, tart and creamy profile.

Ingredients

Gin (of your choice) - 45 ml

Plum syrup - 75 ml 

Lime juice - 15 ml

Goat cheese - 25 g

Castor sugar - 100 g

Plums - 200 g

Water - 100 ml

Plum slice (for garnish)

Method

Boil and make a simple syrup using castor sugar and water.

Add the plums into it, boil the mixture.

Let it cool, then strain and bottle it. 

Add all the above ingredients in a container mix well, keep goat cheese in a different container.

Pour the mixture onto the goat cheese at one speed. Freeze it for one hour and clarify over filter paper.

Once done, stir 100 ml on ice and serve in a Japanese low ball glass with slice of plum.