Behind Tamarind Tribeca’s Pain Puri Cocktail

With Diwali less than a month away, one New York City restaurant is turning to Indian street food for inspiration.

Chaat, a vibrant category of savory Indian snacks, is known for its bold, tangy, sweet, and spicy flavors, paired with a playful mix of textures. At Tamarind Tribeca, those same flavors and textures aren’t just on the plate—they’re in the glass.

Just in time for Diwali, Tamarind is launching the Tamarind Pani Puri Cocktail, a tasting flight of four inventive drinks inspired by chaat. The base is a frozen Mumbai Cosmopolitan (Belvedere vodka, lime juice, orange liqueur, rooh afza), while the other three are served inside actual pani puri spheres.

Presented on a tiered shelf, the inventive pours include

Pani Puri: Jaisalmer Indian gin, tamarind, mint, cucumber, jaljeera
Sour Masala: Indri Indian Single Malt, ginger liqueur, masala sour
Pani Masala: Watermelon, apple liqueur, Midori, Aperol, chaat masala

Tamarind Pani Puri Cocktail

Build the Mumbai Cosmo base first, then assemble the three pani puris—Pani Puri, Sour Masala, and Pani Masala—to rest atop the frozen Cosmo.

Mumbai Cosmo

Ingredients:

1 oz. Belvedere Vodka
½ oz. Orange Liqueur
¼ oz. Lime Juice
Dash of rooh afza

Preparation: Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into a chilled martini glass, and freeze overnight.

Pani Puri

Ingredients:

1 oz. Jaisalmer Indian Gin
½ oz. Elderflower Liqueur
Fresh Cucumber and Mint, to taste
Dash Tamarind Sauce
Sprinkle Jaljeera Powder

Preparation: Muddle mint and cucumber in a shaker. Add remaining ingredients with ice, shake, and pour into a puri shell.

Sour Masala

Ingredients:

1 oz. Indri Trini Single Malt Indian Whisky
½ oz. Ginger Liqueur
Sour Masala, to taste

Preparation: Shake all ingredients with ice and pour into a puri shell.

Pani Masala

Ingredients:

½ oz. Apple Liqueur
½ oz. Midori
½ oz. Aperol
Fresh Watermelon and Chaat Masala, to taste

Preparation: Muddle the watermelon in a shaker. Add remaining ingredients, shake, and pour into a puri shell.

The post Behind Tamarind Tribeca’s Pain Puri Cocktail appeared first on Chilled Magazine.