How city bartenders are using amchur in cocktails to add that extra zing

A desi restaurant in Los Angeles has put amchur in a tangy spotlight. We speak to city bartenders about what souring agents stir their shakers

The sharp sourness in a cocktail comes from citric acid. It mimics the flavour of lemon juice but also acts as a preservative in cordials and pre-batches mixes. When we read about an LA-based Indian restaurant called Pijja Palace using amchur instead of citric acid to sour their drinks, we were intrigued and took the conversation to city bartenders.

Vishal Tawde of Lower Parel cocktail bar, PCO, recalls whipping up a “killer” highball cocktail during a trial. “It had tequila, a punch of kokum syrup, zesty lime juice, a hint of chillies, a sprinkle of coriander, and just a smidge of amchur for that extra zing. I topped it off with soda for some fizz and added a rim of amchur powder to finish it off,” he says, adding how the dehydrated raw mango powder lends a punchy, tangy, and slightly zesty flavour to a drink.

He describes the taste as a delightful sourness with a savoury twist. “When it comes to cocktails, amchur plays the role of a perfect balancer, especially if your drink has a hint of sweetness, thus adding character to the cocktail. It’s that unique element that you can taste but can’t quite identify immediately, almost like a nostalgic taste that takes you down memory lane,” reveals Tawde.

This versatile spice pairs well with ingredients like charred pineapple, cucumber, mint, sweetcorn, coriander, watermelon, guava, and both ripe and raw mangoes. “But it all comes down to how you handle it. If you’re going ahead with the whole amchur, it can be steeped and infused in spirits. However, if you’ve got the amchur powder, it can really help in adding zing to syrups, whipping up cordials, and creating some awesome shrubs and mixers too. I tend to use it more for rimming the cocktail glass rather than incorporating it directly into the cocktail,” he explains.

Arijit Bose, expert beverage and bar consultant, believes that Indian restaurants and pop-ups that focus on desi cuisine love it when amchur makes the jump into cocktails. “I have used it to augment mango and raw flavours with a bite of zest but never really used it as a replacement for citrus,” says Bose, who has created programmes for PCO in Delhi, 28 Hong Kong Street and Bar Tesouro.

Arijit Bose

Amchur is pretty intense and can pair well with tropical flavours like passion fruit, and banana. It is ideal for white spirits like rum, gin tequila, mezcal or feni.  The best way to use it, he suggests, is as a syrup, by mixing the powder with sugar and water or even honey or agave syrups and adding to them some warm water and amchur. “Use it like a citrus syrup or cordial, which can be mixed with tequila and fresh lime, to make sour and spicy style drinks,” he adds.

Bartenders or home cocktail enthusiasts could even make chilli and amchur salt for using to rim glasses or adding a pinch to a Bloody Mary or pina coladas. However, it can be a messy affair, so listen up. “Amchur, first of all, cannot replace lime juice and citric acid. It is difficult to control its balance if you do not use it regularly. In the past, I have done versions of Tommy’s margarita with roasted green mango. I used it to create an amchur salt which wasn’t bad but was not the tastiest drink either.

The drink can get murky and one needs to limit the use to just a pinch or so. Techniques like clarification to get the flavour and retain the aesthetics of the cocktail would work.

Nostalgic summer

Ingredients
>> 60 ml tequila
>> 30 ml raw mango cordial (steep fruit, sugar, water and citric acid for a day; it can be stored for a week)
>> 15 ml lime acid
>> Pinch of amchur powder
>> Soda to top up

Method
First, rim the glass, and add a solid cube of ice (Collins Spears) and then build up the drink, which means adding all the ingredients to the glass. Finish the garnish by dressing the glass with a slice of raw mango.

PRO TIP: With the October heat upon us in Mumbai, cool off with a fruit punch spiced with amchur. The zesty kick is a perfect cool and tangy way to beat a hot day. If you’re feeling bubbly, throw in some soda, Sprite, or ginger ale for a good fizz.

Recipe courtesy: Vishal Tawde of Lower Parel cocktail bar, PCO

Amchur is dehydrated raw mango powder. In a cocktail, it is very important to balance the sweetness with savoury, sour or bitter flavour profiles. Amchur gives a nice sourness. Rim a glass with a mix of amchur salt mix and it gives a perfect savoury sour jump.”

Ami Shroff, flair bartender, mixologist and performing artiste

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