Many restaurants have added low-alcohol and- no alcohol drinks to their bar menus, incorporating healthier ingredients. ROOH, an urban Indian restaurant and bar in San Francisco, takes it a step further with its Ayurvedic cocktail menu.
“Taste, or Rasa, has a special significance in Ayurveda, as it is not only a potent instrument that governs how we experience our food, but the overall flavor of our existence. According to ancient Ayurvedic wisdom, the six rasas – sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent – help achieve a balance of body, mind and spirit,” says Joseph Mayton, ROOH’s former Beverage Director.
One example is the Hyderbad Tonic which includes turmeric. A member of the ginger family, turmeric contains the active compound curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits, which are known to help improve blood circulation, reduce arthritis soreness, prevent heart disease, and aid gut inflammation and skin diseases.
“Turmeric is part of the Ayurvedic concept of balance. At Rooh, we believe that this cocktail creates the balance of rasa or flavor,” notes Mayton, ROOH’s Beverage Director.
Hyderabad Tonic (Gin, Turmeric, Orange and Thyme, Grapefruit Tonic)
Courtesy of ROOH Lead Bartender Roger Gomes
Makes: 1 cocktail
Ingredients
2 oz turmeric-infused gin*
*add 3 small pieces of fresh turmeric to a bottle of gin; allow to sit and infuse for 24 hours
.75 oz. orange syrup
.75 oz. lime juice
2 oz. grapefruit tonic
Directions
Combine first three ingredients, shake, and top with grapefruit tonic. Serve and enjoy!
Melanie Young co-hosts the national weekly radio show, The Connected Table LIVE! Wednesdays 2 pm EST on W4CY Radio and podcast permanently to iHeart.com and the free iHeart App.
