Nam Manglak Spritzer

Nam manglak can be as simple as water, crushed ice, basil seed, and some sweetener. This is ever so slightly more gussied up: flavored with rose, lime, and honey, made effervescent by rosewater. It's an unbeatably refreshing combination for the hot sticky days to come.

Natural Cola Soda

With its herbal citrus notes, this Natural Cola is far more nuanced and delicate than today's Coke, and it lacks that certain tooth-aching sugariness.

Basil Lime Cooler

A fresh and sparkling vodka cocktail for warm-weather sipping.

Homemade Ginger-Cardamom Soda With Lime

Although this recipe for Ginger Soda makes a fine quaff, I'd like to urge you to think of it as a template for creating other non-alcoholic drinks for party guests. The basic idea is simple: you create a flavored syrup,...

Indian Mango Cooler (Panha)

A sweet and tart refreshing spiced drink concentrate made with fresh mangoes.

Neer More (South Indian-Style Spiced Buttermilk)

A slightly spicy, grassy palate cleanser popular in South India for its cooling properties, this drink is just the thing to get you back on your feet after a heavy meal.

Salted Mint Lassi (Borhani)

This herbaceous, savory lassi is the perfect accompaniment to any Indian meal. Just a pinch of chaat masala adds funky and tangy flavor, while black pepper and Kashmiri red chile powder bring the heat.

Mango Lassi

Canned Kesar mango purée is the key to making this bright and floral drink year-round. This lassi is sweetened with a touch of nutty palm sugar syrup and finished with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

DIY Tonic Water

If you're unhappy with the flavor of commercial tonics and like to geek out in the kitchen, DIY tonic is a lot of fun. This basic recipe goes well with gin and is a great starting point for playing with your own unique herb and spice combinations.

Cucumber Gin Fizz

This drink balances soothing, cool flavors with just enough bright notes.