🍶 Chutney Trio

Three shots: tamarind-dark rum / mango-serrano tequila / onion-dry gin — Adda NYC

Dark Rum + Tequila + Gin
15 min
Three separate builds
Three shot glasses
~30% each
Adda Indian Canteen
Ingredients
  • Shot 1 — Tamarind: 30ml Old Monk dark rum + 20ml tamarind concentrate + 5ml jaggery syrup + squeeze lime (shake, strain)
  • Shot 2 — Mango-Serrano: 30ml blanco tequila + 20ml Alphonso mango purée + 1 thin slice serrano chili + 10ml agave + 15ml lime (muddle chili, shake hard, double-strain)
  • Shot 3 — Caramelised Onion: 30ml London Dry gin + 15ml caramelised onion syrup (see tips) + 10ml dry vermouth + 5ml apple cider vinegar (stir, strain)
Method
  1. 1
    Make onion syrupCaramelise 2 large onions in butter until deep golden-brown (30–40 min). Add 200ml water + 3 tbsp sugar. Simmer 10 min. Strain through muslin. Cool.
  2. 2
    Build tamarind shotShake Old Monk, tamarind concentrate, jaggery syrup, and lime with ice. Fine-strain into a shot glass. Should taste: sour-sweet-earthy.
  3. 3
    Build mango shotMuddle serrano in shaker. Add tequila, mango, agave, lime, ice. Shake hard. Double-strain into shot glass. Should taste: tropical-hot-tart.
  4. 4
    Build onion shotStir gin, onion syrup, dry vermouth, and apple cider vinegar over ice. Strain into shot glass. Should taste: savory-sweet-botanical-acidic.
  5. 5
    ServePresent all three shots on a small board or wooden platter. Drink: tamarind first (sour), then mango (tropical-spicy), then onion (savoury-complex).

About This Cocktail

Adda (Hindi for a casual gathering place, a local hangout — the corner chai stall, the friend's terrace) in Long Island City opened as a no-frills, deeply authentic North Indian restaurant that became famous for its dal makhani, chicken tikka, and the kitchen's refusal to compromise for any audience. The Chutney Trio is Adda's most playful contribution to the cocktail world: three Indian chutneys — each representing a different flavour tradition — translated into a shot format that asks you to eat-drink sequentially, the way a thali presents multiple flavours for simultaneous experience.

Variations

Two-Shot VersionServe only tamarind + mango for a simpler introduction to the concept
Green Chutney SubstituteReplace the mango shot with a green chutney shot: gin + cilantro + mint + green chili + lime — the coriander-lime gin shot
Extended TrioAdd a fourth shot: coconut chutney (coconut rum + fresh coconut + lime + green chili) for a South Indian chutney extension
Bartender Tips

The sequence matters: sweet-sour tamarind first resets the palate, mango-chili second elevates heat, savoury onion-gin third provides the most complex, sustained finish. Caramelised onion syrup takes patience but is one of the most interesting cocktail syrups you can make — the Maillard reaction creates a nutty, sweet, umami-rich liquid that transforms any cocktail it enters. Make a large batch and refrigerate for 2 weeks.

Source Restaurant
Restaurant
Adda Indian Canteen, Long Island City, New York City
Spirit
Dark Rum + Tequila + Gin
Method
Three separate builds
ABV
~30% each
Gin Guide All 69 Indian Cocktails Indian Mocktails (87) Cocktails A–Z
Where to drink this
Restaurant
Adda Indian Canteen
Address
31-31 Thomson Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101
Style
Indian canteen — bold regional Indian cooking
Accolades
James Beard nominated · New York Times critic's pick · beloved NYC institution

Adda ('hangout' in Hindi) by chef Chintan Pandya and restaurateur Roni Mazumdar is the kind of restaurant that reminds you why Indian cooking is endlessly varied and exciting. Long Island City's go-to for honest, unapologetically flavourful Indian cooking — spicy, funky, and deeply satisfying. The drinks list is inventive and unpretentious, matching the kitchen's ethos perfectly.

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