Spicy Lychee Martini

An Exotic Spicy Cocktail To Get Your Blood Pumping

Servings: 1 | Prep Time: 15 mins

This is lychee martini on fire! A seductive recipe using sweet lychee, citron vodka, and spicy Thai chili pepper. Canned lychee in syrup gets muddled to get the most flavor out of it. Plus, how to make a stunning Thai pepper "flower" garnish. Use it as a lure for those who can handle the heat. Caution, this recipe may leave you hot and bothered, literally!

Canned lychee has more lychee fruit than lychee syrup, so you will need additional lychee juice if making multiple servings. Buy a pack of lychee juice boxes to supplement.

If regular vodka is what you have on hand instead of citron vodka, we would suggest adding a splash of fresh lemon juice for brightness.

• 1 ½ oz citron vodka
(try Hangar One Citron Vodka)
• 2 lychees, canned
• 2 oz syrup of canned lychee
(or lychee juice box)
• sliced red Thai chili pepper
• ice

Garnish
• 1 lychee, canned
• 1 red Thai chili pepper
• 1/2 cup very cold ice water

Make the Pepper Flower Garnish:
Prepare Thai pepper "flower" garnish ahead of time. Rinse pepper with stem. Cut pepper into quarters lengthwise keeping the base intact as the center of the "flower". Separate the skin from the membrane and seeds, keeping the seed clump as a "stamen". Do not detach and discard. Keep stem. Submerge the pepper entirely into ice water and chill for 15 mins or more. The "petals" will start to form as the pepper skin contracts and curls away from the center in very cold ice water. If serving a bunch of people, prep a bunch of pepper flowers ahead of time.
Make the Lychee Martini:
Meanwhile, muddle 2 lychees with Thai pepper slices (adjust amount for level of heat desired) in a shaker base. Add vodka, lychee syrup or juice and ice. Shake roughly 30 seconds. Strain into martini/cocktail glass.
Sink a single whole lychee into bottom of the martini glass. Garnish with chili pepper "flower". Serve lychee martini and watch them sweat. Enjoy!