Singer-songwriter is best known for her Grammy-winning music, but she also happens to be a major foodie. Whether she's cooking up a storm on her or sharing dinner party tips via the platform's newsletter, the singer's good taste won't come as a surprise to fans.
Last year, she even made headlines when she told Radio 1 she likes to add olive oil and sea salt to vanilla ice cream. "So many people that I've shown it to, I've brought to the dark side," Dua joked. Her latest recipe recommendation hasn't received quite the same welcome, though.
Over the weekend, Dua shocked fans when she mixed pickle juice and jalapeño sauce into a Diet Coke, creating a drink that's divided the internet. But having tested the concoction, I think she's onto something — despite being the fussiest person I know.
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For a little context, I'm one of those people who always favours plain flavours. My go-to order is a cheese and tomato pizza; if I go to Nando's, you can bet I'm steering clear of the Peri-Peri sauce; and I'd rather have a glass of water than a Diet Coke. Sorry, I know. I'm trying to be more adventurous.
But my point is that anyone placing bets ought to have guessed I'd hate Dua's latest creation, and yet I was pleasantly surprised. Before recreating the drink, I was firmly on #teamno, who would suggest Diet Coke should be served as it comes in the can.
Certainly, lots of Coke fans struggled to wrap their heads around Dua's drink when she showed off her recipe on TikTok. While many said they'd love to try the concoction, others asked: "Dua are you OK hun?" One of the more strongly opposed commenters added: "Dua, is this a prank!?" Meanwhile, another disbeliever, one of my colleagues, said: "The sound of it makes me gag!"
Thankfully, I didn't gag when I tried the drink, mixed with a generous drizzle of the extra ingredients. I found the smell quite overpowering, but the unexpected flavour combination worked. The 'hot' Old El Paso Jalapeños I used masked any vinegar taste, and I didn't mind the kick.
Sceptical that I liked the drink too much, I went back to add more jalapeño sauce, and while I opted not to finish the drink in the end — as my throat was tingling by this point — and there was a strong aftertaste, I'm certain fans of the spicy stuff could have easily finished it off and enjoyed the experience.
There's a mixed reaction on TikTok among social media users who have tasted the drink, but I've seen plenty of positive reactions. @logagm, for instance, seemingly loved the drink. "I feel like this is going to be so refreshing. I love pickles, and I love spicy food," the creator shared before trying the drink. "Oh, wow, that's good. It's actually so much better than I expected," they added after giving it a go.
What's more, there are all sorts of health benefits to be gained from drinking pickle juice, though I'm not suggesting you down a load of spicy Diet Cokes to increase your intake. But it is worth mentioning drinking pickle juice can improve your gut health, aid post-workout recovery, and help hangovers, according to .
So, there's something you could tell your mates if you're trying to convince them to test out the drink with you. It's one I'd definitely recommend to spice fans and Diet Coke lovers. It might just be your new go-to drink.
