Thanks to bar manager Jon Christiansen, the cocktails at both Monsoon and Ba Bar, in Seattle, tend to have an evocative bent. This drink is named for 13th-century Vietnamese military commander Tran Hung Ðao, and uses lime, fresh herbs, pineapple, and fragrant tea–all as popular in Vietnam as the hero himself.
Make the oolong tea syrup: Bring 1/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan and add tea. Cover and steep 5 minutes. Strain into a cup and then pour in sugar. Stir until it dissolves. Let cool.
Fill two cocktail glasses with ice. Fill a cocktail shaker one-third full of ice, then add 6 to 8 leaves mint and, if available, 3 to 4 shiso leaves. Pour in 2 tbsp. cooled oolong syrup, litchi purée, lime juice, rum, and pineapple juice. Shake vigorously.
Strain into the glasses, tuck a few herb leaves into ice, and serve.
Note: Nutritional analysis is per cocktail.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.