Kala Khatta Vodka cocktail in a rocks glass

Cocktail · Vodka Cocktails Indian Twist

Kala Khatta Vodka Recipe

Name: Kala Khatta Vodka
Prep time: 4 min
Total time: 4 min
Yield: 1 drink
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 45 ml Vodka; 30 ml Kala khatta syrup; 15 ml Fresh lime juice; 60 ml Soda water; 1 pinch Chaat masala

Gola-stall kala khatta syrup, lime and vodka over ice.

Vodka

Base Spirit

~9%

Approx ABV

Easy

Difficulty

4 min

Prep Time

🥂 Rocks glass 🧊 Crushed Sweet, tangy, spiced

Kala khatta is the sweet and tangy black plum flavour of street gola. This drink turns that childhood taste into a short, sharp vodka cooler.

Ingredients

Makes

45 ml Vodka
30 ml Kala khatta syrup
15 ml Fresh lime juice
60 ml Soda water To top up
1 pinch Chaat masala For the rim

Garnish: Lime wheel, chaat masala rim

How to Make a Kala Khatta Vodka

Rim a rocks glass with chaat masala.
Fill with crushed ice.
Add vodka, kala khatta syrup and lime juice.
Top with soda and stir briefly.
Garnish with a lime wheel.

Best Bottles for a Kala Khatta Vodka in India

Budget

Smirnoff No. 21

★ 9.2/10
Neutral base

Alternative

Smirnoff Minty Jamun

★ 9.0/10
Jamun flavoured vodka to push the plum notes

Prices are the lowest listed India price and vary by state. Check each spirit page for the full state-wise table.

Tips for a Better Kala Khatta Vodka

Kala khatta syrup is sold in most Indian grocery stores and online.
If the syrup is very sweet, cut the amount and add more lime.

About the Kala Khatta Vodka

Kala khatta means "black and sour". It is the dark purple syrup poured over shaved-ice golas at street stalls in Mumbai, most famously at Chowpatty beach. The flavour comes from jamun, the Indian blackberry or Java plum, sharpened with black salt, lemon and spices.

The sweet, sour and salty balance of the syrup is the same balance bartenders build into a sour, so it needs only vodka, lime and soda to become a cocktail. The chaat masala rim repeats the way a gola is finished with a sprinkle of masala.

This is a modern Indian bar and home recipe. Bottled kala khatta syrup from brands such as Mapro and Mala's is easy to find in Indian grocery shops in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia.

Kala Khatta Vodka Variations

Kala Khatta Margarita: tequila blanco and 15ml triple sec with a chaat masala and salt rim.
Kala Khatta Gin Fizz: gin in place of vodka, with extra soda water.
Jamun Vodka Kala Khatta: use Smirnoff Minty Jamun and cut the syrup to 20ml.
Frozen Kala Khatta: blend everything with a cup of ice for a gola-style slush.
Virgin Kala Khatta: leave out the vodka.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is in a Kala Khatta Vodka?

A Kala Khatta Vodka is made with 45ml (1.5 oz) vodka, 30ml (1 oz) kala khatta syrup, 15ml (0.5 oz) fresh lime juice and 60ml (2 oz) soda water. It is served in a rocks glass.

How strong is a Kala Khatta Vodka?

Made to this recipe, a Kala Khatta Vodka is about 9% ABV and contains roughly 14 g of pure alcohol. That is about 1.0 US standard drinks, 1.4 Australian standard drinks or 1.8 UK units. It has around 180 calories per serving.

What is kala khatta?

Kala khatta is a sweet, sour and salty Indian syrup flavoured with jamun (Java plum), black salt and spices. It is best known as a topping for shaved-ice golas in Mumbai.

What does kala khatta taste like?

Sweet, sour and salty, with a dark berry flavour similar to blackcurrant or plum and a savoury note from black salt.

Where can you buy kala khatta syrup?

Indian grocery shops and online marketplaces stock it. As a substitute, mix blackcurrant cordial with a pinch of black salt and a squeeze of lime.

Which vodka works best?

A plain vodka such as Smirnoff No. 21 or Absolut. A jamun-flavoured vodka doubles the fruit note, so reduce the syrup slightly.

Drink responsibly. The legal drinking age in India varies by state, from 18 to 25. Alcohol content shown is an estimate and changes with ice, dilution and the strength of the bottle you use. We do not sell alcohol.

About the Author

Shivam Sharma

I am the founder and editor of The Spirit Atlas. With a deep appreciation for fine spirits, I built this platform to be the most helpful and honest spirits guide for Indian readers — covering everything from Scotch and Indian single malts to rum, gin and tequila, along with prices across every major Indian state. My goal is simple: to make the world of spirits a little more approachable for everyone.

Last updated: October 2026