Mumbai Margarita

Born in the foothills of the Himalayas in India, Junoon's head mixologist, Hemant Pathak, looks to bring out the profiles of the Indian eatery’s Michelin fare in his cocktail creations. With his Mumbai Margarita, Pathak wanted to tell the story of his journey from the Himalayas to Mumbai and New York. Freshly pureed mango is at the core of the cocktail, and rose syrup serves as sweetener to balance the acidity from the lime juice. At the restaurant, a green chili salt rim adds a herbaceous kick to this cocktail, which Pathak says makes it “a full package in the mouth, when all five senses come together.” For the home bartender, however, rose petals and a simple lime wedge make for an appealing garnish.

Creating the spicy rose syrup is more of a challenge, but this ingredient is one that’s important to perfect since it’s the backbone to the drink. “You want raw chilies, sliced in half,” recommends Pathak, since the goal of the syrup is to extract the flavors out of the chilies, hibiscus tea, and rose. “It’s really all of India in a glass." –– Lane Nieset