Bartender, there is crab and shrimp in my cocktail

A handful of bars in India now have non-vegetarian ingredients like crab, chicken and meat in their cocktails. What gives?

- Priyanko Sarkar

It's called Bad Boy Martini. The cocktail at the restobar For The Record (FTR) in Goa was born last year when its founder and chef, Buland Shukla, had paan cravings and sought to create a Betel Leaf Margarita. Shukla took betel leaves, cardamom, fennel, and rose petals—and, in the spirit of adventure, mixed in some prawns. He blended them together and let them ferment for half a year to create a garum, a fermented fish sauce that was eventually used in a Martini. The first sip feels light on the palate, but the umami burst quickly takes over, balanced with vermouth that leaves faint traces of the sea as the drink washes down your throat.

Across Goa, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata, a select bars are experimenting with cocktails using non-vegetarian ingredients that are sure to make you sit up and take notice. While bartenders use seafood in their recipes to stand out during cocktail competitions or for the occasional takeovers, these experimental drinks have gradually entered bar menus. At Bumipura in Mumbai, founder Ming Yang Chai offers options like crab in a drink called Gloves and Bibs, chicken in another cocktail named Old Hen and a mutton libation Fat in Between. Bumipura's concept is to bring Malaysian and Singaporean flavours to India, and Chai wanted to introduce a taste of Malaysia's nasi lemak, Singapore's chilli crab, and chicken rice in a glass.