Mangoes shake up the cocktail scene
murabba for a refreshing Murabba Mule. The fruit—be it ripe and juicy or raw and tart—has layers of flavour, and bartenders are harnessing it to make a range of cocktails. The unique tartness of mangoes comes from a combination of citric and malic acids, wrote Krish Ashok in Lounge in 2021 in a piece titled What is the science of mangoes? The pronounced sweetness in the fruit limits the need for the use of sugar, making a cocktail more appealing.
When an ingredient is so rich in taste and complexity and is a crowd-favourite, bartenders have to do little in terms of technique for a good cocktail. Alphonso emerged as the clear winner as the bartenders’ favourite for cocktail-making. Ashish Tamta, a bartender at JW Marriott in Bengaluru, explains why Alphonso works for him.
Dusheri has nectar-like sweetness, chausa has less pulp, whereas Alphonso has a rich sweet notes with undertones of tartness. He makes a drink with rum, Alphonso mango pulp, tamarind puree and a splash of grenadine stirred with ice to beat the summer heat. Pankaj Bera of Shangrila Bengaluru is partial to Alphonso for its pulpy creamy texture.
He makes a rum-based cocktail with Alphonso and pineapple topped with refreshing coconut water. Delhi-based bartender Harish Chimmwal loves mangoes and swears by murabba. He heads the beverage programme of the hospitality Olive Bar & Kitchen that runs Monkey Bar, Toast and Tonic, Fatty Bao, among others.
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