A little about this dish
This cocktail takes a fresh, savory route inspired by Thai flavors without leaning on the usual tropes. Crisp green beans are quickly blanched and muddled with Thai basil to bring a vivid garden note, while gin, lime, coconut water, and a touch of lemongrass syrup keep it bright, cooling, and perfectly suited to a mild summer evening. A tiny pinch of salt and a flicker of chile make the flavors pop, and the color stays elegantly pale green for a striking, modern look.
Ingredients (for 4)
- Green beans — 4.2 oz — trimmed
- Thai basil leaves — 20 leaves — plus extra for garnish
- Gin — 1 cup
- Coconut water — 3/4 cup — chilled
- Fresh lime juice — 1/2 cup
- Lemongrass syrup — 6 tbsp — chilled
- Dry vermouth — 1/4 cup
- Fresh ginger — 0.7 oz — thinly sliced
- Bird's eye chile — 1 small — thinly sliced with seeds removed
- Lime — 1 — thinly sliced into 4 wheels for garnish
- Ice — 4 cups
- Fine sea salt — 1 pinch
- Sugar — 1 tsp — for adjusting syrup if needed
Preparation
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Step 1 — 🫛💧🔥Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the trimmed green beans and cook for 90 seconds until bright green and tender-crisp. Transfer them right away to ice water, then drain and pat dry.
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Step 2 — 🔪🫛✨Set aside 4 very thin ribbons or diagonal slices of green bean to use later as garnish.
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Step 3 — 🌿🫚🌶️Put the remaining green beans, Thai basil leaves, sliced ginger, sliced bird’s eye chile, and a pinch of fine sea salt into a cocktail shaker. Gently muddle to release the flavors without crushing everything into pulp.
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Step 4 — 🍸🥥🧊Pour in the gin, chilled coconut water, fresh lime juice, chilled lemongrass syrup, and dry vermouth. Add plenty of ice to the shaker.
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Step 5 — 🤲🍹❄️Shake well for 15 to 20 seconds until the mixture is very cold.
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Step 6 — 🥂🔍🍸Double-strain the cocktail through a fine-mesh strainer into 4 chilled coupe glasses.
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Step 7 — 🍋🍬👅Taste any extra mixture. If the lime tastes too sharp, add up to 1 teaspoon sugar to the lemongrass syrup for future rounds.
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Step 8 — 🍈🌿🎀Garnish each glass with 1 lime wheel, a small Thai basil sprig from the extra basil leaves, and 1 curled green bean ribbon or slice.
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Step 9 — ❄️🍹🙌Serve immediately while the cocktail is icy cold and aromatic.
A final fox tip
For an even more dramatic presentation, chill the glasses beforehand and lightly mist the basil garnish with water right before serving so it looks extra fresh in photos. If you want a lower-ABV version, replace half the gin with extra coconut water. A nonalcoholic version works beautifully too: swap the gin and vermouth for cooled jasmine tea and a splash of tonic.