Sundrift

01

What you’ll need

• 1 fresh lemongrass stalk: use 15 g of the trimmed pale lower section, washed, bruised and cut into 3 cm lengths
• 180 mL water, for infusing, plus cold drinking water as needed to measure 100 mL finished infusion
• 300 g ripe orange-fleshed papaya, weighed after peeling and removing the seeds; reserve 30 g for two garnish crescents
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 4 teaspoons (20 mL; about 27 g) 100% pure maple syrup, with no honey or added flavourings
• 0.1 g fine salt, a very tiny pinch
• 200 g clean ice cubes, small enough for your blender

02

Mix the drink

1. Place the bruised lemongrass and 180 mL water in a small saucepan. Bring just to a simmer, cover and simmer gently for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes to infuse.
2. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof measuring jug, discarding all the woody lemongrass. Measure exactly 100 mL infusion for the drinks, adding cold drinking water if necessary. Set the jug in a shallow cold-water bath for 5 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes until cold. Do not blend hot liquid with ice.
3. During the infusion time, cut two small thin crescents totalling 30 g from the papaya and make a shallow notch in each for the glass rim. Dice the remaining 270 g. Refrigerate the diced fruit and garnishes while the infusion chills. Chill two 350 to 400 mL hurricane glasses as well.
4. Put the 100 mL cold infusion, 270 g diced papaya, lemon juice, maple syrup and salt into an ice-capable blender. Blend on low for 10 seconds until the fruit is smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides only with the motor off.
5. Add the measured 200 g ice. Secure the lid, pulse three times, then blend on high for 15 to 20 seconds, just until the ice forms a fine, spoonable slush. Stop promptly rather than blending until the ice melts. If your blender needs help, stop it and loosen the mixture with a spatula before another short pulse.
6. Divide the frozen cooler evenly between the chilled glasses, approximately 300 mL per drink depending on aeration. Add the papaya garnishes and serve immediately. Use only the listed fresh produce, water, ice, salt and pure maple syrup; no bitters, fermented mixers, honey, liqueurs or alcohol-based extracts are needed.