Gilan Green
Sour plum, verjuice and fresh herbs, Gilan's love of sour in a long glass.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | ml | oz |
|---|---|---|
| Gin | 45 ml | 1½ oz |
| Sour plum cordial · homemade, P22 | 15 ml | ½ oz |
| Unsalted verjuice (ab-ghooreh) | 20 ml | ⅔ oz |
| Fresh mint and tarragon and basil leaves | about 6 leaves | |
| Soda water | 60 ml | 2 oz |
Ounces are rounded; measure in ml for accuracy. Homemade items link to their own page.
highball
fresh cubes
a sprig of mint or tarragon, and in spring a slice of green plum
The story
Gilan is Iran’s green province: rice paddies, tea hills, misty forests and the stepped village of Masuleh. Its cooking loves sourness, from sour plums and verjuice to herbs by the armful. In spring, vendors sell goje sabz, hard green plums, to dip in salt. This highball gathers those flavors: sour plum, unripe-grape verjuice and fresh herbs, with gin and soda.
Method
- Add the gin, sour plum cordial, verjuice and herbs to a shaker with ice.
- Shake briefly, about 8 seconds.
- Double-strain into a highball over fresh ice.
- Top with soda water and stir once.
- Garnish with a herb sprig, and a slice of fresh green plum in spring.
How it tastes
Bright and green. Tart plum and grape, fresh herbs and bubbles, with a clean gin backbone.
Persian taste: torsh (sour)
Pair it with
- Food: Sabzi khordan, a plate of fresh herbs with feta, walnuts and radishes.
- Sweet: Koloocheh Fuman, Gilan’s soft walnut cookie.
- Snack: Torshi-ye sir, pickled garlic
Variations
Spring green
In spring, muddle two halved fresh green plums in the shaker.
Vodka green
Use vodka instead of gin.
Alcohol-free
25 ml sour plum cordial, 20 ml verjuice, fresh herbs and soda water.
Balancing tips
- Many Iranian verjuice brands are salted; use an unsalted one.
- If it’s too sour, add 5 ml plain syrup.
Allergens
- No common allergens.
- Contains alcohol. Please drink responsibly.
Development notes
- Status: draft recipe, not yet taste-tested.
- Confirm sweetness; verjuice brands vary in acidity.
- Inspiration: Original house recipe.
Watch it mixed
Follow along
Steps light up as the animation plays. Tap a step to jump to it.
Heads-up: this animation was rendered from an earlier draft, so the amounts on screen differ slightly. Follow the ingredient table above.
Gilan, imagined
