Ingredients
-
4-5 large oranges (about 1kg), preferably organic
-
400g white sugar
-
400ml apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
-
2-3 star anise (optional)
-
6 cardamom pods, lightly crushed (optional)
Equipment:
-
Large glass or ceramic bowl
-
Fine-mesh strainer or muslin cloth
-
Clean glass bottles for storage
Directions
Wash oranges thoroughly. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest in wide strips, avoiding the white pith. Juice all the oranges - you should have about 500ml juice.
In your bowl, combine orange zest, juice, and sugar. Stir well to start dissolving the sugar. Add star anise and cardamom if using.
Cover and leave at room temperature for 24-48 hours, stirring occasionally. The sugar will fully dissolve and the zest will release its oils.
Strain mixture through fine mesh or muslin, pressing gently to extract all liquid. Discard solids.
Add vinegar to the strained citrus syrup and stir well to combine.
Pour into clean bottles and refrigerate.
To serve: Mix 1 part cordial with 4-5 parts still or sparkling water, adjusting to taste. For cocktails, add 30ml to gin or vodka with ice and top with soda.
Recipe Note
The cordial will mellow and develop over the first week. If it's too sharp initially, let it rest for a few days. The spices are entirely optional - the orange and vinegar are the stars here.
