Nim Nam {Ginger-Vodka Cordial with Vanilla, Lemon, and Honey}
I think of Nim Nam as a wintertime drink, suitable for holiday and New Year's parties, but it also refreshes on a warm summer day. It makes a lovely gift funnelled into pretty jars, and I find it to be the perfect after-dinner tipple.
Prep Time: 20 minutesminutes
Resting time: 1 dayday
Total: 20 minutesminutes
Servings: 5cups.
Ingredients
750mLvodka
1/3cupgrated fresh ginger and its juice
zest and juice of 1 lemon (preferably meyer)
1vanilla bean, split and scraped
1/2cupmild honey
1/2cupboiling water
Instructions
In a large jar (1 quart or larger), combine the vodka, ginger, lemon zest and juice, and the vanilla pod and scrapings. Let sit for 24 hours, giving the jar a shake when you think of it.
Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl.
Stir together the honey and boiling water in a measuring pitcher until the honey is liquified. Stir the honey syrup into the vodka. Pour the Nim Nam into bottles and chill.
Serve the Nim Nam over ice topped with fizzy water. It will keep refrigerated, for at least a month and probably longer.
Notes
Adapted from Fiona Livingstone.This spicy cordial is made with vodka; Fiona says to use the cheap stuff since the honey, ginger, and vanilla smooth away any rough edges. I went slightly upscale with Reyka; Hangar One is another one I like the taste of on its own.This stuff only gets better as it hangs out in the fridge the first few days after straining.Serve it over ice with an equal amount of fizzy water. And watch out – it goes down a little too easy.Nutritional values are based on one of five cups.