Thailand is well-known for its amazing selection of delicious tropical fruits. From chilled fresh coconuts to juicy yellow mangos and bright violet mangosteens to spiky red and green rambutans, there is something delightful for everyone to enjoy. During the recent passion fruit season our chef Ponti brought home a big bag of the purple wrinkly specimens. I was particularly excited, having never eaten the fresh fruit right out of the shell (only in the context of juice in a carton or as a frozen puree). I could not believe how divine they tasted; tangy, tart and sweet all at the same time. I spent the rest of the season adding them to all sorts of dishes and drinks but this twist on the classic mojito is definitely a winner!
Ingredients:
Serves 4
8 ripe passion fruits (skins should be slightly wrinkled)
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves (plus extra for garnish)
4 tablespoons simple syrup or granulated sugar
6 ounces light or amber rum
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice (or 4 small limes, quartered)
Club soda to fill
Ice cubes
Method:
Cut 6 of the passion fruits in half and scoop out the flesh and divide it into 4 glasses- reserve 4 halves for garnish. Add 1 tbsp each of simple syrup or sugar to the glasses along with 2 tbsp each of lime juice (or squeeze 4 quarters each of lime into each glass along with the rinds) and divide up the mint. Pour in 1.5oz of the rum into each glass and use a muddler or wooden spoon to smash together the ingredients. Now fill each glass about 3/4 with ice cubes and top with club soda. Stir to distribute the rum mixture throughout the glass. Cut a slit in each of the reserved passion fruit rinds and place on the rim of the glass. Sip and enjoy!