A popular Indian juice made with mixed fruits, Cocktail Juice is perfect with a hint of rock salt. It comes together in a couple of minutes and is always delicious and refreshing!
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Warm weather calls for cooling drinks and this juice is PERFECT! Made with a mix of fruits and seasoned with a pinch of rock salt, this juice is popular in Mumbai at all the street side juice stalls.
Mumbai tends to get pretty warm and humid through summers and a glass of chilled cocktail juice does so much good!
If you have seen the street vendors who sell juices, you would have come across cocktail; a magenta colored juice that is slightly thicker than the other fruit juices and tastes delicious!
What is Cocktail juice?
To start with, cocktail juice is pretty different from the alcoholic cocktails. This juice has no alcohol and is actually a mix of fruits with sugar and rock salt.
Every vendor will have their own mix of fruits that they use to make this. However, one common fruit is black grapes. When blended, the grapes give a brilliant magenta color, which is signature to the drink.
Quite often there are jokes that making cocktail juice is the best way for the vendor to use up fruits that are lying around the stall. But the way they make it; it is ALWAYS delicious!
This recipe is based on the different versions of cocktail juice I have had in Mumbai. From street vendors to popular restaurants like Amar Juice Centre, Sukh Sagar and Shiv Sagar sell this cocktail juice. This version is based on these.
Ingredients
Fruits: As I mentioned, this juice has a mix of fruits. I have used black grapes, apple and pineapple to make this.
Adding some other fruits like orange, sweet lime, pears or watermelon works too. The fruits can all be fresh, canned or frozen.
I added fresh grapes and apple along with canned pineapple to the recipe.
Sugar: Depending on the tartness or sweetness of the fruits, add sugar if required. I added a little as the grapes were not the sweetest.
Rock Salt: A pinch of rock salt gives the juice a great taste. It balances the sweetness from sugar and fruits along with the tartness of grapes and pineapple.
I would strongly recommend adding this. It is a signature of the juice. If you absolutely cannot find it, add a pinch of chaat masala. The taste will not be the same though.
Ice and Water: A little water will be required to blend the fruits. Add ice if you prefer the drink chilled.
Video Recipe
Tips and Notes
- Clean the grapes well and remove all the stems before making the juice.
- Adjust sugar based on the tartness of the fruits.
- Add just enough water to blend the fruits. Adding too much water will dilute the juice a lot.
- Consume the cocktail juice immediately to avoid it from getting oxidized.
Frequently asked questions
What other fruits can be added to the recipe?
Adding fruits like sweet lime (mosambi), green grapes, watermelon, pears and oranges works well in the recipe. Just ensure they do not being all tart ones else a LOT of sugar will be required.
Can rock salt be skipped in the recipe?
I would totally recommend using it. Rock salt adds the perfect saltiness to balance the sweet and tart tastes in this cocktail juice.
It is easily available in Indian stores, on Amazon and at other stores too. Called rock salt, kala namak or Himalayan pink salt, this salt is a MUST-HAVE for the recipe for the flavor.
If you absolutely cannot find it, replace with some chaat masala or regular salt. The flavors will definitely vary but might work to some extend.
Step by Step Instructions to make Cocktail Juice
1- Wash the fruits that are fresh.
2- Remove the stems from the grapes. Core the apple and cut into chunks. Clean the pineapple and cut into chunks. If using canned, drain the liquids and set aside.
3- In a blender jar add the fruits, water, sugar and rock salt.
4- Blend till smooth. Add more water if required.
5- Strain using a mesh strainer and discard the skins.
6- Transfer the cocktail juice to glasses and add ice if desired.
7- Serve immediately topped with some rock salt.
Indian Cocktail Juice
Ingredients
- Black Grapes 1 ½ cup
- Apple 1 medium
- Pineapple ¼ medium or 10 oz canned
- Sugar 2 tbsp
- Rock Salt ⅛ tsp
- Chilled Water 1 cup
- Ice as needed
Instructions
- Wash the fruits that are fresh.
- Remove the stems from the grapes. Core the apple and cut into chunks. Clean the pineapple and cut into chunks. If using canned, drain the liquids and set aside.
- In a blender jar add the fruits, water, sugar and rock salt.
- Blend till smooth. Add more water if required.
- Strain using a mesh strainer and discard the skins.
- Transfer to glasses and add ice if desired.
- Serve immediately topped with some rock salt.
Yield: 4
Indian Cocktail Juice
A popular Indian juice made with mixed fruits, Cocktail is perfect with a hint of rock salt. It comes together in a couple of minutes and is always delicious and refreshing!
Prep time: 7 MinTotal time: 7 Min
Ingredients
- Black Grapes 1 ½ cup
- Apple 1 medium
- Pineapple ¼ medium or 10 oz canned
- Sugar 2 tbsp
- Rock Salt ⅛ tsp
- Chilled Water 1 cup
- Ice as needed
Instructions
- Wash the fruits that are fresh.
- Remove the stems from the grapes. Core the apple and cut into chunks. Clean the pineapple and cut into chunks. If using canned, drain the liquids and set aside.
- In a blender jar add the fruits, water, sugar and rock salt.
- Blend till smooth. Add more water if required.
- Strain using a mesh strainer and discard the skins.
- Transfer to glasses and add ice if desired.
- Serve immediately topped with some rock salt.
Notes:
- Clean the grapes well and remove all the stems before making the juice.
- Adjust sugar based on the tartness of the fruits.
- Add just enough water to blend the fruits. Adding too much water will dilute the juice a lot.
- Consume the juice immediately to avoid it from getting oxidized.
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