Feni is an alcoholic beverage produced only in Goa, India. This drink is exported to several parts of the world, including the United States. Most Feni are made from coconut sap or cashew apple and the alcohol content in each bottle is 43-45%. There are various ways to enjoy this liquor, for example, added with ice, drunk pure, or mixed with soft drinks and cocktails. You can also enjoy Feni at various bars and restaurants in Goa, as well as several bars in Jakarta.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Drink Feni without Any Mixture
Step 1. Use a sip glass or highball glass to drink Feni in its pure form
Choose a sip glass with a volume of 44 ml or choose a highball glass if you want to sip the drink. Make sure the glass is at room temperature before you pour the Feni.
A sip of Feni is usually consumed to treat flu in Goa
Step 2. Drink Feni purely to enjoy its strong and bitter taste
Drinking Feni pure means consuming it without any mixture or ice. This drink is not refrigerated, but served at room temperature.
Feni has a strong taste and high alcohol content. So, drinking it without any mixture takes a little getting used to
Step 3. Mix Feni with ice to enjoy a cold drink
Put the ice cubes into a cocktail glass or highball glass. Pour Feni over ice cubes.
You can also chill the glass before pouring the Feni so that the temperature is much lower
Step 4. Pair Feni with South Indian specialties
Feni is commonly combined with South Indian food which is usually made of lentils, rice and stews. Some dishes that go well with Feni are dosa (crêpe made with lentils and rice), saaru (tomato, lentil and tamarind soup), and huli (spicy vegetable and lentil stew).
There are various South Indian recipes on the internet that you can experiment with at home. Most Indian restaurants also serve these delicious dishes
Method 2 of 3: Making Feni's Cocktails
Step 1. Use a highball or cocktail glass to drink the blended Feni
Choose a highball glass with a volume of 240-350 ml. The highball glass is large enough to hold Feni mixed with other drinks, such as Limca, lemon juice, or cola.
A long-stemmed cocktail glass with a triangular container on top is just the right size for enjoying Feni. Cocktail glasses are usually 120-350 ml in volume. This glass is suitable for holding Feni mixed with ice, lime juice, sugar, or chili
Step 2. Drink Feni mixed with Limca for a traditional Goa cocktail
Mix 44 ml Feni and 180 ml Limca in a highball glass. Add ice cubes and lemon wedges to the side of the glass.
- Limca is a lemon and lime flavored carbonated drink sold in India. If this drink is not sold in your country, use another lemon and lime flavored soft drink. This method will produce a similar taste.
- To make a lemon garnish, slice the fruit in half. After that, make a second slice about 1 cm from the edge of the first cut to make a closed lemon wedge. Cut the fruit pulp from the skin, then twist the skin until it curls.
Step 3. Mix Feni with a soft drink to make a simple refreshing drink
Mix Feni with cola, lemonade, or other fruit-flavored sodas. Try different combinations to find the one that tastes best.
Drinking Feni mixed with other drinks is a great way to get used to its strong taste
Step 4. Mix the green chilies in the Feni cocktail to make the Firefly Fire drink
Use a cocktail shaker to mix 60 ml of cashew-flavored Feni with 5 ml of lime juice and ice. Pour the mixture along with 1 green chili into a cocktail glass.
After pouring the cocktail, sprinkle 4 grams of brown sugar on top
Step 5. Mix Feni with coconut, lime juice and Brindao to make a Tambdé Rosa drink
Mix 60 ml of coconut flavored Feni with 10 ml of Brindao and 2 ml of lime juice. Pour this mixture into a cocktail glass, then add a garnish of mint leaves.
Brindao is an extract of Kokum, which is a type of fruit that grows in Goa
Step 6. Make a Cazulo Capitao for a classic Feni cocktail
Mix 60 ml Feni cashew or coconut flavor with 10 ml lime juice and 8.34 g white sugar in a cocktail shaker. Serve this cocktail with ice.
Method 3 of 3: Finding Feni
Step 1. Head to Goa for a traditional Feni drinking experience
There are many bars in Goa serving homemade Feni produced by the families there. Nerul, Assagao, Siolim and Panjim have bars that serve Feni to locals and tourists alike.
- Most of these bars and restaurants also serve South Indian dishes that go well with Feni.
- During April and May, there are many bars in Goa selling Urak. This drink is made from the first distillation of cashew apples, while Feni is made from the second distillation.
- Goa is the only place on earth that produces Feni.
Step 2. Find a cocktail bar in Jakarta to try Feni
This drink is still fairly difficult to find outside of Goa. However, some cocktail bars in Jakarta have started selling them to introduce Feni to the Indonesian market.
The bar concierge tries to explore various flavor combinations using Feni. This includes mixing Feni with rum, date syrup, rose syrup, and grapefruit syrup
Step 3. Purchase Feni online to try it yourself at home
Although Feni is hard to find outside of Goa, several websites sell this liquor online. Use the search engine to find the nearest Feni seller.
