Let this weekend be about creating a splendid Mango Cocktail that marries the sweet, juiciness of ripe mangoes with the khatta of lime, the woody flavour of cinnamon and spicy notes of ginger ale.

Chef Pawan Kumar's refreshing gin-based drink is garnished with chunks of raw mango and served in a mule mug and may be the loveliest thing you might imbibe this weekend, so cheers!

It uses mango puree as a sweetener and is a happy addition to a Saturday/Sunday evening get-together.

Ranchi-raised Chef Kumar, has worked in the food industry for 19 years, in international cruise liner kitchens too. His long cool mango cocktail is, in fact, just the thing for a la-di-da day at the beach or sailing on a yacht.

Mango Cocktail

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 45 ml gin
• 20 ml sweet mango puree
• 10 ml neebu or lime juice
• Pinch dalcheeni or cinnamon powder
• Ginger ale, add as per your taste preference
• Raw mango pieces, to garnish
• Ice
• Dehydrated slice lime
  
• Cocktail shaker
• IceMule mug or any kind of metal mug

Method

• In a shaker, combine the gin with the mango puree, lime juice, cinnamon powder and shake.
  If you don't have a shaker, you can always add the ingredients to a large glass or plastic tumbler or sipper with a lid and shake until well combined.
  Pour into a mule mug and top up with ginger ale.
  Add the raw mango pieces and ice on top.
  Garnish with a dehydrated slice of lime.
  Serve.

Editor's Note: To make your own dehydrated lime, cut a neebu into very thin slices using a very sharp knife (carefully). Place the slices, spread out, on a plate and sprinkle sugar on the slices. Microwave till the lemon slices get coated with dark melted sugar and dry up.

Chef Pawan Kumar is the executive chef at The Park, Navi Mumbai.

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