🍅 Masala Red Snapper

Gin, tomato juice, curry masala, lemon & kala namak — India's Bloody Mary

Gin
5 min
Built (rolling)
Highball Glass
~10%
Ingredients
  • 60ml (2 oz) London Dry gin
  • 120ml (4 oz) cold tomato juice
  • ½ tsp curry masala (jeera, coriander, turmeric, chilli powder blend)
  • 15ml (½ oz) fresh lemon juice
  • Dash of Worcestershire sauce
  • Dash of Tabasco (or green chilli sauce)
  • Kala namak (black salt) — for rim
  • Celery stick, lemon wedge & curry leaf to garnish
Method
  1. 1
    RimWet the rim of a highball glass with lemon. Dip in kala namak (black salt).
  2. 2
    BuildAdd gin and tomato juice to a mixing glass with ice.
  3. 3
    SeasonAdd curry masala, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and Tabasco. Stir.
  4. 4
    RollRoll the drink between the mixing glass and a second glass 2–3 times to mix without over-aeration.
  5. 5
    ServePour into the prepared highball over fresh ice. Garnish with celery, lemon wedge, and a fresh curry leaf.

About This Cocktail

The Red Snapper is the correct name for a Bloody Mary made with gin rather than vodka — the gin base was actually the original, before vodka took over in the 1950s. In the Indian context, gin's botanical complexity interacts beautifully with curry spices in a way vodka cannot. The horseradish that defines a Western Bloody Mary is replaced here with curry masala and ginger, and the celery salt rim becomes a kala namak (black salt) rim. It is the brunch cocktail that Indian restaurants should be serving everywhere.

Variations

Vodka Masala MarySwap gin for vodka for a more neutral base that puts the curry spices front and centre
Spicy Green Masala MaryUse green tomato juice (or add tomatillo) and green chilli sauce instead of Tabasco — a completely different colour and flavour
Masala MicheladaReplace gin with lager beer — add lime, Worcestershire, curry salt rim, and ice. India's answer to the Mexican beer cocktail
Bartender Tips

Kala namak (black salt / Indian black salt) has a distinct sulphurous, egg-like quality that comes from its volcanic mineral content. Its flavour is unmistakably Indian and transforms the rim completely. Curry masala blend: ½ tsp ground cumin + ¼ tsp coriander + ¼ tsp turmeric + pinch of chilli. The rolling technique (pouring between two containers) mixes the drink without breaking down the tomato juice texture. A fresh curry leaf as garnish perfumes the nose before every sip.

The Specs
Spirit Base
Gin
Method
Built (rolling)
Glass
Highball Glass
ABV
~10%
Where to Find It
Restaurants
Brunch menus at Indian restaurants; featured at Gymkhana (London) and Indian brunch venues across the US and UK
More from Indian Cocktails
Gin Guide All 12 Indian Cocktails Cocktails A–Z Indian Mocktails