Pear, yellow tea, lime & green chili — Indian Accent NYC
The name borrows from the iconic Southeast Asian medicinal balm — warming, mentholated, instantly recognizable. Indian Accent's Tiger Balm delivers a similar experience in a glass: a drink that seems gentle on first approach but builds heat as it lingers. Yellow tea (a rare Chinese tea that sits between green and white in oxidation level) provides a soft, barely-there tannin structure and a clean, hay-like aroma. Ripe pear juice is the sweet fruit base. Lime gives acidity. The green chili is the closer: muddled with restraint, it delivers a slow heat on the back palate that builds gradually, like the warming sensation of the balm itself.
Yellow tea is available at specialty tea shops and online. Gyokuro (Japanese green) or a light white tea are the closest substitutes. Pear juice oxidises quickly — juice immediately before serving and add a drop of lime to preserve colour. Start with ¼ of a chili if heat-sensitive; taste the drink after straining and add a touch more if needed.
Manish Mehrotra's Indian Accent is one of the most important Indian restaurants in the world — a place where classical Indian cooking traditions are reinterpreted through modern technique, international ingredients, and impeccable plating. The NYC location brings the same philosophy to Manhattan, with a cocktail programme that matches the kitchen's ambition: Indian botanicals in conversation with global spirits, presented with precision.
Visit indianaccent.com