🎵 Paan Pe Raag

Betel leaf-washed bourbon, ginger, citrus, aquafaba & gulkand rose preserve

Bourbon
4 hrs wash
Dry Shake
Coupe
~17%
GupShup
Ingredients
  • 50ml betel-leaf-washed bourbon (see tips)
  • 15ml gulkand (rose petal preserve) dissolved in 20ml warm water
  • 10ml fresh ginger juice (press through a fine sieve)
  • 20ml fresh lemon juice
  • 25ml aquafaba
  • 5ml rose water
  • Ice
  • Gulkand ball & dried rose petals to garnish
Method
  1. 1
    Wash bourbonBlend 5 fresh betel leaves with 3 tbsp coconut oil until smooth. Combine with 200ml bourbon, stir well, freeze 3 hours. Strain off solidified fat through muslin. Bourbon takes on a subtle peppery-herbal note.
  2. 2
    Prepare gulkandStir gulkand in warm water until dissolved (it does not dissolve completely; strain out any petal fragments if desired).
  3. 3
    Dry shakeCombine washed bourbon, gulkand water, ginger juice, lemon juice, aquafaba, and rose water in a shaker. Shake vigorously 15 seconds without ice.
  4. 4
    Wet shakeAdd ice. Shake hard 15 seconds more.
  5. 5
    StrainDouble-strain into a chilled coupe. The foam should hold for several minutes.
  6. 6
    GarnishRoll a small ball of gulkand in powdered sugar and place on the foam. Float a few dried rose petals.

About This Cocktail

Gulkand is a traditional Indian preparation made by layering fresh rose petals and sugar in alternate layers in a glass jar, left to macerate in sunlight for several weeks. The result is a deeply concentrated, mahogany-brown rose preserve that is used as a filling in sweet paan (meetha paan) and as a digestive tonic in Ayurvedic medicine. GupShup's Paan Pe Raag uses gulkand as one of the primary flavour elements in a bourbon sour — its rose-caramel-honey sweetness harmonises with bourbon's vanilla-oak in an unexpected and compelling way. The betel leaf fat wash adds the peppery-herbal note that ties all the paan-adjacent flavours together.

Variations

Rye Paan Pe RaagSubstitute rye whiskey for bourbon — the spicier, drier rye makes the gulkand sweetness shine more clearly
Mezcal VersionReplace bourbon with mezcal — the smokiness with rose and paan is a provocative and excellent combination
Paan Pe Raag SourAdd a yolk from a raw egg to the dry shake alongside the aquafaba — richer texture, more substantial foam
Bartender Tips

Gulkand is available at Indian grocery stores and online — look for it in the spice or Ayurvedic supplement section. Good gulkand has the consistency of thick jam, a deep brown-red colour, and an intense rose-caramel flavour. The betel leaf fat wash is the most time-consuming element; you can skip it by muddling 2 betel leaves in the shaker instead (less clean technique but similar flavour). Bourbon with high rye content (Four Roses, Bulleit) works better here than wheated bourbon.

Source Restaurant
Restaurant
GupShup, New York City
Spirit
Bourbon (Betel Leaf-Washed)
Method
Dry Shake + Shake
ABV
~17%
Gin Guide All 69 Indian Cocktails Indian Mocktails (87) Cocktails A–Z
Where to drink this
Restaurant
GupShup
Address
409 Park Ave South, New York, NY 10016
Style
Modern Indian cocktail bar & restaurant
Accolades
One of NYC's top Indian cocktail destinations

GupShup (meaning 'gossip' or 'chatter' in Hindi and Urdu) is a celebration of Indian social culture through food and drink. The cocktail menu draws from the full breadth of the subcontinent — paan-inspired drinks, lassi riffs, spiced old fashioneds — with an energy that matches the name. One of the most vibrant Indian drinking experiences in New York City.

Visit gupshup.nyc