Dedicated To Mrunal Thakur, Chef Vikas Khanna’s New Drink Celebrates Jamun

Close your eyes and imagine a deep, jewel-like purple. The color of a ripe jamun, the Indian blackberry that stains your tongue and brings back memories of hot summer afternoons. That is the color Chef Vikas Khanna has bottled into his newest creation. Not a dish, but a drink. And he has dedicated it to Bollywood actress Mrunal Thakur.

The announcement came through NDTV Food, and it has already got food lovers and Bollywood fans talking. The Vikas Khanna jamun drink Mrunal Thakur is a celebration of jamun, a fruit that is beloved across India but often overlooked in fancy restaurants. Khanna, known for his modern take on Indian cuisine, has given this humble fruit a glamorous makeover.

But this is not just any fruit juice. The chef has layered flavors from around the world. He has mixed fresh jamun puree with yuzu lemon, a citrus fruit from Japan. He has added kewra, which is the essence of screwpine flowers, for a floral touch. A pinch of black salt brings out the sweet and sour notes. And to finish, the glass gets a rim of chili masala. It is a drink that tells a story with every sip.

Let us break down what makes this drink so special. And why it has everyone asking: where can I get one?

A Toast to the Indian Blackberry: The Star Ingredient

Jamun is not your average fruit. It is small, dark purple, and almost black when fully ripe. It grows on trees across India, especially in the summer months. Bite into one, and your mouth fills with a sweet-tart juice that leaves a deep purple stain on your lips and tongue. For many Indians, jamun is a taste of childhood. It is the fruit you pick from trees in the backyard or buy from a roadside vendor on a hot day.

But jamun has a personality that goes beyond nostalgia. It has a unique flavor. It is sweet, but not too sweet. It is tangy, but not sour like a lemon. There is a slight astringency, a dryness that makes your mouth pucker just a little. This complexity is what makes jamun so exciting for chefs like Vikas Khanna. It is a fruit that can hold its own against bold flavors.

In traditional Indian cooking, jamun is often eaten fresh or used in chutneys and sherbets. But Khanna has taken it a step further. He has turned it into a modern cocktail-style drink. By using fresh jamun puree, he captures the fruit at its peak. The puree is the base of the drink, giving it a rich, velvety texture and that stunning purple color.

For those who have never tried jamun, think of a cross between a blueberry and a plum, but with a wilder, more earthy taste. It is a fruit that demands attention. And in this drink, it gets exactly that.

The Culinary Canvas: Yuzu, Kewra, and Black Salt

Jamun is the star, but it does not perform alone. Vikas Khanna has surrounded it with a supporting cast of ingredients that are just as interesting. Each one brings something different to the glass.

First, there is yuzu lemon. Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit that looks a bit like a small, bumpy lemon. Its flavor is unlike any other citrus you have tried. It is tart, yes, but also floral and slightly herbal. Some people say it smells like a mix of grapefruit, mandarin, and lime, with a hint of pine. Yuzu is prized in Japanese cooking for its ability to brighten dishes without overwhelming them. In this drink, it cuts through the sweetness of the jamun and adds a zesty lift. It is like a splash of sunshine in a purple sea.

Then there is kewra. If you have ever walked past a screwpine flower in bloom, you know its scent. It is sweet, heady, and unmistakably floral. Kewra water, distilled from these flowers, is used in many Indian desserts and rice dishes. It adds a perfume that is both delicate and intoxicating. In this drink, kewra brings a layer of fragrance that makes each sip feel like a garden in bloom. It is the kind of ingredient that makes you close your eyes and just breathe.

Black salt, or kala namak, is the wild card. This is not the white salt you sprinkle on your fries. Black salt is a volcanic rock salt from the Himalayas. It has a strong, sulfurous smell that some people find off-putting at first. But in small amounts, it works magic. It amplifies the savory notes in food and drink. In this jamun concoction, black salt balances the sweetness of the fruit and the tartness of the yuzu. It adds depth. It makes the drink feel complete.

Together, these ingredients create a flavor profile that is both familiar and surprising. It is Indian at its heart, but with a Japanese accent and a floral whisper. It is the kind of drink that makes you think: why has no one done this before?

A Spicy Finish: The Chili Masala Rim

Now, let us talk about the rim. Because in this drink, the rim is not just decoration. It is a statement.

The glass is finished with a chili masala rim. This means the edge of the glass is dipped in a mixture of ground red chili and spices. When you take a sip, your lips touch the spicy rim first. Then the cool, sweet-tart drink follows. The contrast is electric.

Chili masala is a common spice blend in Indian households. It usually contains red chili powder, cumin, coriander, and sometimes a pinch of salt and dried mango powder. The exact mix varies from kitchen to kitchen. But the result is always the same: a warm, tingling heat that wakes up your taste buds.

By rimming the glass with chili masala, Khanna adds a kick that plays off the sweetness of the jamun. It is a classic Indian trick. Think of how we eat raw mango with chili powder, or how we sprinkle chaat masala on fruit. The heat makes the sweetness taste sweeter. It also makes the drink more refreshing. Because after the spice hits your tongue, the cool liquid feels even more soothing.

This rim also adds texture. As you drink, tiny bits of spice stick to your lips. It is a reminder that this is not a quiet, polite drink. It is bold. It is playful. It has attitude.

For anyone who has ever had a spicy margarita, the chili masala rim will feel familiar. But the combination of jamun, yuzu, and kewra makes this something entirely new. It is a drink that respects tradition while having fun with it.

Why Mrunal Thakur? The Dedication Explained

Drinks are often named after people. But a dedication like this one usually means there is a personal connection. So why did Vikas Khanna choose to dedicate this jamun creation to Mrunal Thakur?

The actress, known for her work in Bollywood and Telugu cinema, has a certain charm that fits the drink. She is vibrant, fresh, and not afraid to be bold. Much like the jamun itself. But the available sources do not give a specific reason for the dedication. That has left fans guessing.

Some speculate that Khanna and Thakur share a friendship. Others think it could be a mutual appreciation for Indian flavors and culture. Mrunal Thakur has spoken in interviews about her love for traditional Indian food. She has also shown support for Indian chefs and culinary innovation. It is possible that Khanna simply wanted to honor an actress who represents the modern Indian woman: confident, rooted in tradition, but always looking forward.

Or maybe it is simpler than that. Maybe Khanna tasted the drink and thought of Mrunal Thakur. Maybe the drink’s personality reminded him of her energy. In the world of food and drink, inspiration can come from anywhere. A face, a memory, a song. For Khanna, this drink seems to be a tribute to a person he admires.

Whatever the reason, the dedication adds a layer of intrigue. It makes the drink more than just a recipe. It becomes a story. And in the age of social media, a story is what gets people talking.

Fans of Mrunal Thakur are already curious about the drink. Foodies who follow Vikas Khanna are eager to try it. The dedication has turned a simple beverage into a cultural moment.

Vikas Khanna: The Chef Behind the Drink

To understand why this drink matters, you need to know a little about the man who created it. Vikas Khanna is not just any chef. He is a Michelin-starred chef, a restaurateur, a cookbook author, and a humanitarian. He has cooked for world leaders and appeared on television shows like MasterChef India. But at his core, he is someone who loves Indian ingredients.

Khanna was born in Amritsar, a city known for its rich food culture. He grew up watching his grandmother cook. Those early experiences shaped his approach to food. He believes that the best dishes come from simple, honest ingredients. And he has spent his career proving that Indian food can be both traditional and modern.

Over the years, Khanna has created many dishes that celebrate Indian fruits and vegetables. He has made desserts with mango and saffron. He has made curries with jackfruit and drumsticks. He has even made a roti so artistic that people said it was too good to eat. (That roti, shared on social media, went viral.)

But this jamun drink feels different. It is not a dish you eat with a fork. It is a drink you hold in your hand, sip slowly, and share with friends. It is casual yet sophisticated. It is the kind of creation that could become a signature item, if it ever hits a menu.

Khanna’s style is about blending cultures without losing the soul of the ingredient. That is exactly what he has done here. He has taken a fruit that is deeply Indian, added Japanese yuzu, and finished it with Indian spices. The result is a drink that belongs to no single cuisine. It belongs to the moment.

Where Can You Try It? The Missing Details

Here is the part where we wish we had more information. The announcement of the drink did not include details about where it is available. Is it being served at one of Vikas Khanna’s restaurants? Is it a one-off creation for a private event? Or is it a recipe that fans can make at home?

As of now, the sources do not say. That leaves a lot of room for speculation. It is possible that the drink was created for a special occasion, perhaps a party or a launch event. It could also be a test run for a future menu item. Many chefs experiment with new flavors before adding them to their restaurants.

Vikas Khanna has restaurants in several cities, including New York, Dubai, and Mumbai. His flagship restaurant, Junoon, is known for its modern Indian cuisine. If the jamun drink were to appear anywhere, Junoon would be a natural home. But there has been no official confirmation.

Another possibility is that the drink is a recipe meant for home cooks. Khanna often shares recipes on social media and in his cookbooks. If that is the case, fans may soon see a video or a post showing how to make it step by step.

For now, the drink exists mostly in the imagination. But that has not stopped people from dreaming about it. Food bloggers are already trying to recreate it. Home cooks are experimenting with jamun and yuzu. The drink has sparked a conversation about Indian fruits and how they can be used in modern mixology.

This is a trend that has been growing for a while. Bartenders across India are moving away from imported ingredients and looking at local produce. They are using fruits like jamun, kokum, and aamla in cocktails and mocktails. They are using spices like cardamom, black pepper, and chili in new ways. This drink fits perfectly into that movement.

Could it become a seasonal staple? Absolutely. Jamun is a summer fruit. If the drink is a hit, it could return every year when the fruit is in season. That would make it something to look forward to, like mango lassi or aam panna.

But for now, we wait. And while we wait, we can imagine that first sip. The chili masala tingling on your lips. The cool jamun puree sliding over your tongue. The floral whisper of kewra. The bright pop of yuzu. The earthy hint of black salt. It is a drink that celebrates a fruit, a chef, and an actress. And it is a reminder that sometimes, the best things come in the deepest purple.