Kala Khatta to Berries: Sip these seven gola-flavoured cocktails made with a twist to beat the summer heat

The summer season in Mumbai is synonymous with golas. The flavoured crushed ice street-side delight found on a wooden stick makes almost every person's mouth water. It is made by the ‘golawala', who at his cart instantly scoops crushed ice and puts it together on a stick, while drizzling it with lip-smacking liquids of different flavours that give people respite from the summer heat. While one of the most popular flavours may definitely be the deep purple kala khatta, the others like orange, mango and kacchi kairi are not far behind. It is impossible to imagine going through the summer season without relishing a gola or a chammach gola, with a spoon in a glass, anywhere in the city.

Over the years many flavours have been added to the ice treats, individually or together. While some prefer one flavour, there are others who prefer to enjoy mixed flavours to get the best of everything. Now, that seems like the perfect recipe if you want to elevate the simple delight into a boozy one by simply adding alcohol to it. While some may already be experimenting it, Mumbai bartenders say a lot more experiments can be done.

Mid-day Online spoke to mixologists who are innovating with the classic gola to create a unique experience in their Mumbai restaurants. They not only combine tequila with berries but also kala khatta. They also add vodka and rum to these cocktails inspired by golas in the city, to make refreshing cocktails. Since the sweltering heat doesn't look like it wants to go away any time soon, the alcohol-infused gola-flavoured cocktails will definitely come to the rescue, especially if you want to let your hair down at home or make something interesting for your next summer house party.

Berry Pop Cocktail by Yash Advani, founder, Maikada, Kemps Corner
Summer brings back all kinds of sweet and sour flavours on the streets. But if you want to enjoy the classic gola at home, then Maikada founder Yash Advani suggests a boozy gola. It is made by adding some tequila to it. He says, "When you sip on this delicious berry-flavoured cocktail, you'll be transported back to hot summer days when you would feast on sweet and juicy berry golas. The Berry Pop cocktail, which has tequila infused with berries, is inspired by the summer treat. "It even imitates a gola in a modern way, making not only the taste familiar but also the method of consuming it alike."

Ingredients
Tequila 30 ml
Handful of berries
Sprite 15 ml
Soda 15 ml
Edible glitter for garnish

Method
1. Freeze a mixture of tequila and crushed berries in the shape of a popsicle.
2. After it is fully frozen, take it out and place it in a glass and top it up with Sprite and soda.
3. Garnish with a punch of edible glitter.

Rum and Masala Coke Gola by Kapil Dubey, F & B manager, ITC Grand Central, Parel
A familiar yet unique take on the classic Rum and Coke mixture, Kapil Dubey, food and beverage manager at ITC Grand Central in Parel suggests turning it into a popsicle with a slight difference. Instead of the classic rum, using any spiced rum along with lemon juice, chaat masala and orange zest enhances the taste. Dubey says such creations in the beverage counter makes guest keener to experiment with the various cocktails at the five-star property. "And this one is my personal summer favourite gola cocktail," he adds. It is a good mix of sweet, citrus, spice and everything nice.

Ingredients
Old monk spiced rum 45 ml
Coke 30 ml
Orange zest
Lemon juice
Chaat masala
Garnish with a dehydrated orange slice

Method
1. Add rum to the crushed ice in a shaker.
2. Add lemon juice and orange zest.
3. Shake it.
4. Pour coke and masala in a kulfi mould and freeze.
5. De-mould and top it up with coke.
6. Serve it in an old gashioned glass.

Orange, Mint Gola Cocktail by Sheldon, bartender, The Bar, Grand Hyatt Mumbai
The uniqueness about golas is that any flavour is a familiar flavour and that not only limits it to the eternal favourite kala khatta, kaccha kairi or mango but also orange, which can be easily spotted on the cart. At ‘The Bar' in Grand Hyatt Mumbai, bartender Sheldon uses fresh orange juice to make a heady mixture with vodka. He combines it with honey reduction, lime juice and salt. Along with the refreshing citrus taste, this cocktail is a burst of flavours that also includes mint and honey.

Ingredients
Vodka 60 ml
Fresh orange juice and honey reduction 30 ml
Triple sec and mint syrup 20 ml
Lime juice 10 ml
Pinch of salt
Garnish with fresh oranges sliced and mint sprigs

Method
1. Put cubes of ice in a crusher.
2. Frame the crushed ice into the glass.
3. Pour the mixture of mint, vodka, lemon and orange and triple sec on the top of crushed ice.

Dr Strange by Avril Gonsalves, head mixologist, Butterfly High, BKC, Thane and Lower Parel
If berries are synonymous with the summer season, then kokum sherbet is not far behind. Sipping on the cooler is the perfect cure for the scorching heat. Giving a unique twist to the classic summer drink, Avril Gonsalves, head mixologist at Butterfly High suggests combining white rum with kokum syrup. Like many of us, Gonsalves says whenever she sips on this kokum-flavoured cocktail, it transports her back to the streets of India, where golas, or summertime treats are beloved. "Every taste of this cocktail, which has a trace of kokum, wonderfully captures the spirit of those unforgettable gola moments, bringing back fond memories and delight," she shares. The sweet and sourness of the kokum mixed with the white rum is a potent mix that is definitely worth a try.

Ingredients
Kokum syrup 20 ml
Mint leaves handful
White rum 60 ml
Sweet and sour mix 20 ml
Kitkat chocolate garnish

Method
1. Add white rum to a mule glass.
2. Then add mint leaves, kokum syrup, sweet and sour mix to it.
3. Shake well so that the flavours get mixed together completely.
4. Add a kitkat chocolate for garnish and serve.

Jamun by Varun Sudhakar, beverage consultant, Nksha, Churchgate
When talking about golas, it is impossible to miss out on kala khatta, and that's exactly what Varun Sudhakar, beverage consultant at newly-opened Nksha does. Using the syrup, Sudhakar creates a cocktail with tequila, lime juice and mint. While the cocktail seems simple, it will easily transport one to the gola carts on the street but not without taking the liberty of giving it a boozy twist. If you are someone who loves the kala khatta flavour, this is definitely worth a try. It can even feature on the drink's menu of your next summer party.

Ingredients
Kala khatta syrup 15 ml
Lime juice 15 ml
Tequila 50 ml
Kombucha 30 ml
Mint leaves 10 no's

Method
1. Muddle the mint leaves and add rest of the ingredients to the shaker.
2. Add ice and shake well. Double strain into a highball glass with a block of ice.
3. Top up with kombucha and mix well.
4. Garnish the glass with a rim of salt and ram fal powder

Alcoholic Gola Sharbet by Kuber Bhatt, senior bartender at Blue Bop Cafe, Khar West
If you love vodka and golas, then Kuber Bhatt, senior bartender at Blue Bop Cafe recommends you try making the alcoholic gola sherbet, on the menu at the Khar restaurant. It has vodka, pineapple juice, sugar syrup and lime juice that makes it a simple yet portent mix. Even though the gola has been around for decades, Bhatt says the concept of combining the childhood treat gola with alcohol has picked up in India only recently. "Frozen cocktail like a margarita or the daiquiri are classics that have been around for a long time. Ever since the strawberry daiquiri gained popularity, the trend of frozen cocktails has remained relevant. Along with the classic flavours like kala khatta, exotic flavours like passion fruit and elder flower are pretty popular," he adds.

Ingredients
Vodka 60 ml
Pineapple Juice 120 ml
Sugar Syrup 60 ml
Lime Juice 30 ml

Method
1. Form golas from crushed ice.
2. Squeeze lots of lime on the golas and pour a spoonful of sugar syrup on each of the goals.
3. Form a mixture made of vodka with a little bit of pineapple juice (preferably syrup).
4. Pour the mixture on the golas and serve.

Kala Khatta Bramble by Ricky Rana, bar manager at All Saints, Khar West
Taking inspiration from the streets of Mumbai, Ricky Rana, bar manager at All Saints says they've taken the liberty to not only add the classic kala khatta flavour but also strawberry syrup, kiwi syrup rosé syrup, lime juice with vodka to create a deliciously sweet-sour cocktail that is a burst of flavours on the palate. A sprinkle of jaljeera or chaat masala, adds a typical touch. He explains, "The sweet and fruity gola cocktail makes for a good cocktail variant. A kala khatta cocktail is the easiest way to remind us of childhood and some simple joys of life. And no, there is no sophisticated way of eating it."

Ingredients
Vodka 45 ml
Kalakhatta syrup 4 tbsp
Strawberry syrup 4 tbsp
Kiwi syrup 4 tbsp
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Rose syrup 4 tbsp
Jaljeera/Chaat masala for sprinkling

Method
1. Take crush Ice to prepare ice gola mould it into a round shape by cupping your hands or you can put it into moulds of different shapes.
2. Insert an ice cream stick in the ice gola and compress the ice around the head of the ice cream stick.
3. Now keep the gola in a bowl of similar size and pour the ingredients in two different shades or however you want.

Also Read: Ice Golas: Mumbai's Girgaon Chowpatty is a Gola paradise you cannot miss