Ingredients
Spirit
- 700 mlhorilka or vodka, 40%
Flavouring
- 2to 3 small dried red chillies
- 2 tbsphoney
- 4black peppercorns
- 1 tspcoriander seed, lightly crushed
- a strip of orange or lemon peel, no pith, optional
To serve
- salo on black bread
- pickled cucumber
Directions
- Wipe the chillies clean and leave them whole with the stems on. Whole, they give warmth and aroma; split or deseeded into the bottle they turn the whole thing brutally hot within a day.
- Warm the honey slightly with two tablespoons of the horilka and stir until it dissolves, then pour it back into the bottle. Cold honey sinks and sits in a lump at the bottom.
- Add the chillies, peppercorns, coriander seed and peel to the bottle and seal it.
- Keep in a dark cupboard for three to five days, turning it over once a day.
- Taste from day three. This is the whole discipline of the drink — the heat builds fast and unevenly, and a bottle left a fortnight is undrinkable.
- When it is warm on the throat but not fierce, strain out the chillies and spices.
- Leave the peel and one chilli in the bottle if you like the look of it, but only if you have already decided it is hot enough — it keeps working.
- Rest it a week before drinking so the honey and pepper settle together.
- Serve very cold in small glasses, with salo on black bread and a pickled cucumber. Frozen in the bottle it goes syrupy, which is how it is usually poured.
Technique
- Whole chillies, never split.
- Taste daily from day three and strain the moment it is right.
- Dissolve the honey in a little spirit first.
Substitutions
- Fresh chillies, which are milder and give a greener taste.
- Paprika for colour with less heat.
- A little ginger or clove added, both of which are common.
Variations
- The Nemiroff commercial pepper vodka is the best-known bottled version.
- Poured hot with honey and lemon as a cold remedy.
History
Chilli and honey are steeped in horilka; the pepper vodka is a household and bar standard, drunk with salo and black bread.
Frequently asked questions
What is Horilka z pertsem?
Horilka z pertsem is a wine & spirit from Ukraine: vodka infused with chilli and honey, drunk as a warming shot. Chilli and honey are steeped in horilka; the pepper vodka is a household and bar standard, drunk with salo and black bread.
How long does Horilka z pertsem take to make?
Horilka z pertsem takes 15 min plus 3 to 5 days steeping of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes makes 700 ml. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Horilka z pertsem?
Yes, within limits. Fresh chillies, which are milder and give a greener taste. Paprika for colour with less heat. A little ginger or clove added, both of which are common.
What is the most important thing to get right in Horilka z pertsem?
Wipe the chillies clean and leave them whole with the stems on. Whole, they give warmth and aroma; split or deseeded into the bottle they turn the whole thing brutally hot within a day.
