This recipe was first published as part of our trend feature on Fermentation.
Not-so-simple stirred, but oh-so-delicious recipe from the bar manager at Origin bar at the Singapore Shangri-La, thanks to a tropical banana fermentation and chocolate bitters pairing, laid over a tequila base.
65ml Reposado tequila
25ml Fermented banana and gula melaka*
2ml Chocolate bitters
Stir all ingredients with ice and strain over an ice block into a coupette glass. Garnish with a dehydrated banana slice and candied palm seed.
*Fermented banana and gula melaka: 500g of ripened bananas; 700g of gula melaka (palm sugar) crushed into powder and dissolved into 1l of water. Wash bananas and cut into small pieces. Put in a plastic container with skin still intact, crush slightly, then pour in 400ml of the gula melaka solution and cover with cheese cloth. Leave at room temperature (around 20-22 degrees Celsius) for 5 to 7 days and strain. If you can, use a fermentation barrel as it allows you to strain the liquid from the bottom without mixing it with top of the mash. Add the remaining 600ml of gula melaka into the fermented banana to stop the fermentation process.