Kokum, fresh mint & lime — Saffron Restaurant's alcohol-free mojito
Kokum (Garcinia indica) grows along the Konkan coast of Maharashtra, Goa, and Karnataka. The dried rind is used as a souring agent across Goan and Konkani cuisines in the same way tamarind is used in Tamil Nadu. Its flavour is unique — it combines tartness with a faint floral note and a slight astringency that turns lips slightly purple. Kokum agal (kokum extract) is the Goan cook's most essential pantry ingredient and one of the subcontinent's best-kept culinary secrets.
Kokum agal (concentrate) is available at Indian grocery stores, especially Goan and South Indian specialty stores. The concentrate should be deep purple-crimson — it stains. Dried kokum pieces work but require soaking. The drink should taste like a lime mojito with a more complex, deeper sourness. If kokum is unavailable, hibiscus extract is the closest flavour substitute — similar tartness with a floral note.
Saffron Modern Indian Dining in downtown Milwaukee is a genuine anomaly — a restaurant that brings the sophistication of a major-city Indian cocktail programme to the American Midwest. The bar team works with the kitchen to create drinks that draw on the same ingredients and traditions, making Saffron one of the most complete Indian dining experiences in the country.
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