Tequila Blanco, green cardamom, fresh mango shochu — clarified milk punch — Bungalow NYC
The clarified milk punch technique dates to 18th century Britain — spirits mixed with citrus and then hot milk, which curdles and then filters out through muslin, carrying astringent tannins and cloudiness while leaving behind pure, clear flavour. Applied to mango lassi — traditionally a cloudy, dairy-heavy drink — the result is remarkable: a crystal-clear cocktail that tastes unmistakably of mango and yoghurt and cardamom, with none of the heaviness of the original. Bungalow's version uses mango shochu (a Japanese-style distilled spirit made from mango) rather than mango purée, which gives the drink a cleaner, more focused mango flavour that survives the clarification process better than fresh fruit. The result is $23 on Bungalow's menu and worth every cent.
The clarification is the technique that defines this drink — without it, you just have a milky tequila cocktail. The key is not pressing the muslin: gravity alone produces maximum clarity. The curds you discard contain the cloudiness, astringency, and fat that would otherwise make the drink heavy. Mango shochu is available at Japanese liquor stores and online (Iichiko and Towari brands make fruit shochū). Mango vodka is the most accessible substitute. This cocktail can be made in large batches and keeps refrigerated for 2 weeks.
Bungalow in the East Village captures the warmth and chaos of an Indian party at home — the kind where the drinks are strong, the food comes in waves, and no one leaves early. The cocktail menu is adventurous and confident, featuring Indian-inspired creations built on solid bartending technique: clarified punches, house-infused spirits, and drinks that treat Indian ingredients with the same seriousness as any other craft bar.
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