Hawraman Rivas
Wild rhubarb, mint and honey, the first sour taste of a Kurdish spring.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | ml | oz |
|---|---|---|
| Gin | 45 ml | 1½ oz |
| Rhubarb cordial · homemade, P28 | 25 ml | 0.8 oz |
| Honey syrup · homemade, P12 | 5 ml | 1 tsp |
| Fresh mint leaves | 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
mint sprig and a thin rhubarb ribbon
The story
Hawraman is a land of stepped stone villages climbing the steep mountains of Kurdistan, recognized by UNESCO for its terraced cultural landscape. Every spring, people go up the slopes to gather rivas, wild rhubarb, and eat the young stalks raw with a pinch of salt, one of the first fresh, sour tastes after winter. Wild mint grows alongside. This bright highball is a spring morning in the mountains.
Method
- Add the gin, rhubarb cordial, honey syrup and mint 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 mint sprig and a thin ribbon of rhubarb.
How it tastes
Crisp and tart, with green rhubarb, cool mint and a soft wildflower sweetness from honey.
Persian taste: torsh (sour)
Pair it with
- Food: Kalaneh, Kurdish flatbread filled with wild leeks, or fresh herbs with cheese.
- Sweet: Walnuts and mountain honey with warm bread.
- Snack: Fresh rhubarb stalks with salt, the spring snack
Variations
Salted rivas
Add 2 drops plain saline (P29), the way rivas is eaten in the mountains.
Vodka rivas
Use vodka instead of gin.
Alcohol-free
30 ml rhubarb cordial, mint, honey and soda water.
Balancing tips
- If the drink is too sharp, increase honey syrup to 10 ml.
- Shake briefly so the mint stays bright, not bitter.
Allergens
- Honey
- Contains alcohol. Please drink responsibly.
Development notes
- Status: draft recipe, not yet taste-tested.
- Label garden rhubarb as an adaptation of wild rivas.
- 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.
Kurdistan (Hawraman), imagined
