Mango, strawberry, guava or passion fruit — Veeraswamy, Regent Street London
Veeraswamy offers their Virgin Mojito (£13) in four Indian and tropical fruit varieties — mango, strawberry, guava, and passion fruit — each fruit carrying a distinct resonance with the subcontinent. Mango (the national fruit of India, Pakistan, and the Philippines) needs no introduction. Strawberries were introduced to Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra's Western Ghats by the British and are now grown locally, celebrated in the hill-station markets. Guava (peru in several Indian languages) grows wild across India and is sold on every street corner, dusted with chilli and salt. Passion fruit is beloved across South India and Sri Lanka. At Veeraswamy, the mojito format is the vehicle — the Indian fruit is the destination.
The four variants are quite different in character: mango is the sweetest and most crowd-pleasing; passion fruit is the most complex and aromatic; guava is the most authentically Indian and slightly musky; strawberry is the lightest and most familiar to British palates. For guava, use fully ripe guavas (soft, fragrant) not unripe ones which are hard and astringent. Crush mint by pressing, not tearing — torn mint turns black and bitter.
The first and oldest Indian restaurant in the UK, Veeraswamy has been serving authentic regional Indian cuisine on Regent Street since 1926. A true London institution — every dish and drink traces a line back to a specific corner of the subcontinent.
Visit veeraswamy.com