Craving Kokum? Head to these Mumbai restaurants for kokum infused offerings

Just wing itUrvika KanoiUrvika Kanoi chef and owner of Cafe Duco has grown up with the puckery sourness of kokum flavouring dals prepared at home But at her restaurant the chef is using the ingredient to zing up spiced chicken wings with kokum dust signature hot sauce and paprika R325 onwards ldquoWe use it in our chicken wings salad dressings spice mixes homemade peri peri and also our family meals Kokum reminds me of sumac a very pleasing sourness that is not bitter or too sweet It can be made into an oil dried and pounded to a powder a paste a syrup and is literally malleable in every way possiblerdquo she notesAT Shop no 2 Kalpitam Apartments 16th Road Pali Village Bandra West 1130 am to 1130 pmCALL 9137076462Kokum ciderBeery good timeNothing like a chilled beer to beat the heat Two citybased restaurants are offering a kokum hit to beers While Drifters is brewing a kokum cider R575 onwards The Sassy Spoon has a Mumbai kokum beer R299 onwardsAT Drifters Bandra The Sassy SpoonNariman Point and Powai CALL 9322892243 Drifters 9920003500 The Sassy SpoonLettuce celebrateFor Niyati Rao head chef and partner Ekaa summer memories are laced with the ubiquitous sol kadhi ldquoMy mother never used dried kokum for this but a rich purple liquid called kokum agal which we would extract from fresh kokum in summers for the entire year What I find unique about agal is the slightly mild fermented fragrance combined with the teethrattling tartness of the fruit and the gorgeous deep purple colourrdquo she recalls adding that this makes the fruit versatile At the restaurant she uses kokum to make a sesame dressing for this dish in pic called lettuce Rs 600 onwards thatrsquos served with silken tofu and courgette or salmon sashimi ldquoIrsquom using kokum agal along with balsamic vinegar to create one of the condiments for a tapioca dish R450rdquo she adds Musing on the ways to add the fruit to onersquos daily diet beyond the usual fare Rao suggests using good quality kokum extract without sugar or the dried fruit peel ldquoYou can make it a base for a salad dressing instead of using fresh lemon for that fermented deep twist along with a few hot red chillies honey and oilrdquoAT Kitab Mahal 1st floor D Sukhadwala Road near Azad Maidan 1230 pm to 330 pm and 7 pm to 12 amCALL 9987657989Niyati RaoRaise a toastKokum splashKokum is synonymous with sherbets and sol kadhi but at Foo Vineeth Krishnan bar head Pebble Street Hospitality serves up kokum splash Rs 250 a medley of black tea kokum syrup and lime juice The mixologist explains that one can also sundry kokum and grate it to garnish drinks ldquoKokum can be muddled and used in a mojito for that sour and saline flavour Kokum liqueur can be added to a Manhattanrdquo he advisesAT Foo Andheri Bandra BKC Lower Parel and Churchgate 12 pm to 130 amCALL 9321346591Lightly grilled kokum shrimpShrimply amazingKokum meets seafood in this innovation by Toast amp Tonic The lightly grilled kokum shrimp R595 onwards is served with a kokum and coconut sauce prawn pickle and prawn crackersAT Unit 1 ground floor Godrej Building BKC 12 pm to 4 pm and 6 pm to 130 amCALL 7208871559Itrsquos sour goodCrab tortelliniSherbet kadhi bhaji and dal are great but kokum with tortellini Kharbased Mexican and Spanish joint Poco Loco Tapas and Bar has banked on the fruitrsquos characteristic sourness to balance a creamy sauce accompanying buttery crab tortellinis R610 in its new summer special menu Owner Megha Datwani shares that owing to its unique flavour profile kokum lends itself to a host of dishes ldquoWersquove used kokum due to its summer relevance for this dish We have made tortellini and a creamy richtextured sauce with kokum butter cream cheese and garlicrdquo she explains The restaurant also offers kokum gaseosa R575 a fizzy cocktail that muddles kokum with rum and fresh shrubsAT Poco Loco Tapas and Bar Khar 12 pm to 12 amCALL 9324191366Megha Datwani