Indian Flavors Are Finally Making Their Way Into Cocktails At Bungalow, the new Manhattan hotspot from celebrity chef Vikas Khanna, you can sip a Paan Sour with paan chutney, a Gin and Tonic with amchur (an Indian spice made from dried green mangos) and the Lucky Cheng, made with green curry-infused gin, kewar and crispy green curry leaf. Without leaving Bungalow’s East Village neighborhood, you can pop into Jazba, where you’ll find a cocktail featuring Fernet-Branca infused with the Indian fruit kokum. In the last decade, Indian dining has evolved in the United States as Americans develop a better understanding of the cuisine’s vast and varied flavors. But until very recently, the same expansive range of flavors and ingredients that brought food menus to life didn’t translate to the drinks menu. Even the richest, most authentic Indian menus were under-served by beverages that didn’t reflect Indian flavors and ingredients. This is changing now, leading to more cohesive and exciting menus and new intriguing options for American imbibers to explore. |