Indian-inspired beverages are becoming increasingly popular across restaurants, cafés, and modern bars across the world, especially among guests looking for refreshing, flavourful, and non-alcoholic options. Combining traditional Indian ingredients like rose syrup, basil seeds, fresh fruits, spices, and aromatic herbs with modern presentation styles, Indian mocktails offer a perfect blend of culture and creativity.
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Indian-inspired mocktails
Prateek Chaudhary, director of beverages at Kiran’s, Houston, shared the quick recipes of Indian-inspired mocktails you can try at home. From the royal flavours of Mughal-inspired drinks to refreshing summer coolers, these beverages are gaining attention for their vibrant colours, unique taste profiles, and Instagram-worthy appeal. Mocktails such as Anarkali, Raja and Rani, and Mohabbat-E-Sharbat beautifully represent India’s rich culinary heritage while catering to global tastes. Here’s the breakdown of the recipes.
Anarkali
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients required to make an Anarkali mocktail at home:
60 ml pomegranate juice
30 ml rose syrup
20 ml lemon juice
Soda water
Ice cubes
Rose petals and mint leaves for garnish
Method
Here’s the step-by-step process to make this mocktail at home:
Step 1: Fill a tall glass with ice cubes.
Step 2: Add pomegranate juice, rose syrup, and lemon juice.
Step 3: Stir gently and top with soda water.
Step 4: Garnish with rose petals and fresh mint leaves.
Presentation
Serve in a royal-style glass with a rose petal rim for a Mughal-inspired touch.
Raja and Rani
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients required to make Raja and Rani mocktail at home:
60 ml mango juice
40 ml orange juice
20 ml pineapple juice
10 ml ginger syrup
Sparkling water
Ice cubes
Orange slice and cherry for garnish
Method
Here’s the step-by-step process to make this mocktail at home:
Step 1: Add ice cubes to a cocktail shaker.
Step 2: Pour mango, orange, pineapple juice, and ginger syrup.
Step 3: Shake well and strain into a fancy goblet.
Step 4: Top with sparkling water.
Step 5: Garnish with orange slices and cherries.
Presentation
Serve in a golden-rimmed glass to reflect the royal “Raja and Rani” theme.
Mohabbat-e-Sharbat
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients required to make Mohabbat-e-sharbat at home:
50 ml rose syrup
150 ml chilled milk
2 tbsp watermelon cubes
1 tbsp basil seeds (sabja), soaked
Ice cubes
Dry rose petals for garnish
Method
Here’s the step-by-step process to make this at home:
Step 1: Add soaked basil seeds and watermelon cubes into a serving glass.
Step 2: Fill the glass with ice cubes.
Step 3: Pour chilled milk and rose syrup.
Step 4: Stir lightly until beautifully blended.
Step 5: Garnish with dry rose petals.
Presentation
Serve chilled in a traditional kulhad or crystal glass for an authentic Delhi-style experience.
