🌿 Paan Sour

Vodka, paan chutney, fresh lemon, kewra water & dehydrated rose petal dust

Vodka
10 min
Dry Shake + Shake
Coupe
~17%
Bungalow
Ingredients
  • 50ml vodka
  • 20ml fresh lemon juice
  • 15ml paan chutney (see tips — or use 1 tbsp meetha paan syrup)
  • 10ml kewra (kewda) water — screwpine flower essence, available at Indian grocery stores
  • 1 egg white (or 20ml aquafaba)
  • ½ tsp dehydrated rose petals, ground fine — for garnish
Method
  1. 1
    Make paan chutneyBlend 4 betel leaves + 1 tsp fennel seeds + 1 tbsp desiccated coconut + 1 tsp gulkand (rose petal preserve) + 1 tbsp water into a smooth paste. Or use 1 tbsp meetha paan syrup (available at Indian stores) as a shortcut.
  2. 2
    Dry shakeCombine vodka, lemon juice, paan chutney/syrup, kewra water, and egg white in a shaker WITHOUT ice. Shake vigorously 15 seconds.
  3. 3
    ShakeAdd ice and shake hard 15 seconds more.
  4. 4
    StrainDouble-strain through a Hawthorne + mesh strainer into a chilled coupe.
  5. 5
    GarnishDust dehydrated rose petal powder over the foam in a pattern.

About This Cocktail

Paan — a preparation of betel leaf with various fillings including areca nut, lime paste, coconut, fennel, and sometimes tobacco — is offered as a digestive after meals across the Indian subcontinent. The paan wallah (seller) is an iconic street figure from Mumbai to Kolkata. Bungalow's Paan Sour translates the non-tobacco paan experience into a cocktail: the chutney base (betel leaf, fennel, coconut, rose) is the foundation, and kewra water (screwpine blossom essence) adds the floral note that defines the meetha (sweet) paan experience.

Variations

Paan GimletReplace vodka with gin — the botanical base of gin enhances the herbal paan flavours dramatically
Non-AlcoholicReplace vodka with double the kewra water + 30ml coconut water — becomes an extraordinary zero-proof paan experience
Paan NegroniReplace the dry-shake approach entirely: stir betel-leaf-infused gin + Campari + sweet vermouth — this is GupShup's "Regal Cinema Negroni" approach
Bartender Tips

Kewra water (also called kewda water) is the essence of screwpine (Pandanus) flowers — used in Mughal biryanis, kheer, and sweets. It is available at every Indian grocery store and has a floral, slightly grassy character unlike anything else. Meetha paan syrup (the ready-made sweet paan flavour) is an excellent shortcut available at Indian stores. Betel leaf (paan leaves) are available fresh at Indian grocery stores.

Source Restaurant
Restaurant
Bungalow, East Village, New York City
Spirit
Vodka
Method
Dry Shake + Shake
ABV
~17%
Vodka Guide All Indian Cocktails Indian Mocktails Cocktails A–Z
Where to drink this
Restaurant
Bungalow
Address
98 3rd Ave, East Village, New York City, NY 10003
Style
Modern Indian cocktail bar & restaurant
Accolades
East Village favourite · standout Indian cocktail programme

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.

Visit bungalownyc.com