Bloody Mali

Xuexing Mali (血腥玛丽)

Savory and delicious, this unique twist on the classic Bloody Mary is infused with Sichuan fragrant-spicy flavors augmented with bright pops of citrus and seafood.

‘Mali’ is the Chinese transliteration of the name Mary, making this Chinese and Sichuan inspired cocktail a Bloody Mali. Don’t let the cute name fool you. This savory cocktail punches you in the mouth. It’s not overly spicy as some other Bloody Mary’s but it is bursting with bold Sichuan flavors. The Fragrant-Spicy Sauce infuses perfectly with the Tomato Juice and liquor, making it a new but familiar Bloody Mary experience. Unlike the traditional cocktail, this Bloody ‘Mali’ replaces vodka with Chinese White Liquor – a change that is subtle but welcome. You can even infuse the Chinese White Liquor for 5 days before preparing the cocktail with a Star Anise, Cinnamon Stick, a teaspoon of Fennel Seeds, a whole Clove, a Bay Leaf, and a teaspoon of Sichuan Peppercorns for even more incredible flavor.

The key to any good Bloody Mary is making it cold, and this variation is no exception. The cold temperature keeps the cocktail emulsified and the color bright and beautiful. The icy cold temperature is extremely satisfying especially paired with the spicy heat of both the Fragrant-Spicy Sauce and the Chinese White Liquor. A stick or two of Celery is always a welcome addition as it not only looks good, but gives the drinker a cooling snack to offset some of the spiciness and booze.

Seafood and Bloody Mary’s go hand-in-hand. For this cocktail, I highly recommend pairing it with Shrimp, turning it literally into a “shrimp cocktail”. The Shrimp should obviously be peeled and deveined but tails are optional. To cook the Shrimp, you can simply poach them or pan-sear them before adding them to a skewer. Another more creative seafood option would be Crawfish (aka Crayfish). These “little lobsters” are a popular Sichuan staple and work really well with fragrant-spicy flavors. Like the Shrimp, they can be cooked rather simply, peeled, and then skewered.

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 0 min

Total Time: 5 min

Serving: 2 people

Ingredients

Fragrant-Spicy Sauce (Per Drink)
1 Pickled Red Chili
2 tsp. Light Soy Sauce
1 tsp. Sichuan Chili Bean Paste
1 tsp. Garlic Slurry
1 tsp. Ginger Slurry
1/4 tsp. Spicy Chili Powder
1/4 tsp. Ground Sichuan Pepper
1/4 tsp. Ground White Pepper
1/4 tsp. Chinese Five-Spice Powder OR Chinese Thirteen Spice Powder

Salt OR Celery Salt

1 Lemon

1 small bunch of Cilantro

2 thin stalks of Chinese Celery

4 oz (120 ml) Tomato Juice (Per Drink)

2 oz (60 ml) Chinese White Liquor (Baijiu 白酒; Per Drink)

3 peeled, deveined cooked Shrimp OR 5 Crawfish Tails (Per Drink)

1/4 tsp. Chinkiang Black Vinegar (Per Drink)

Directions

1.) Prepare the Fragrant-Spicy Sauce by combining all of the ingredients in a blender and blending them into a smooth paste. Pour this Sauce into a bowl and set aside for later.

2.) Pour plenty of Salt onto a small saucer. Quarter the Lemon and set aside 2 of the nicer wedges to be used as a garnish. Use one of the remaining Lemon wedges to run along the rim of each glass. Dip the rim of each glass in the salt.

3.) Set aside one sprig of Cilantro and the upper leafy stalk of a piece of Celery for each drink. Place half of the remaining Cilantro and Celery in the tumbler.

4.) Squeeze the juice from one quarter of the Lemon into the tumbler and add a splash of the Tomato Juice. Muddle the Celery and Cilantro to bring out their flavors.

5.) Add 1 Tbsp. of the Fragrant-Spicy Sauce to the Tumbler followed by the Vodka and Tomato Juice.

6.) Fill the lid of the Tumbler with ice, close the Tumbler, and shake it gently about 10 – 12 times. Take off the lid and pour the cocktail into the awaiting glass.

7.) Drizzle the Chinkiang Vinegar around the glass. Then, add a sprig of Cilantro, the stalk of Celery, and the three Shrimp on a skewer. Serve the Bloody Mali immediately and enjoy.

 

Contribute to Sichuan Soul

Sichuan Soul is funded in part thanks to generous contributions by fans like you! Your donations supply Sichuan Soul with the funding needed to provide quality recipes and photos. All donations are processed safely and securely through PayPal. You can donate any amount using the 'Donate' button below. Thank you for your support.

Privacy Policy