Wines That Work With Indian Meals

The distinctive and flavorful components of Indian delicacies encourage an unique journey for the palette. Due to the various spices, herbs, and dimensions of these flavors, it’s a typical fantasy that pairing wine with the standard fare from Indian tradition could be troublesome.

However Chef Ajay Walia, proprietor of Saffron eating places in California, says that’s not the case. Saffron, with places in Burlingame, CA, and San Carlos, CA, boasts a powerful wine listing, and Walia likes to show that pairing wine with Indian meals is lots easier than individuals might imagine.

Walia takes the complicated flavors of heritage Indian delicacies and balances them with the proper wine. Listed here are a few of the well-liked dishes at Saffron, and Walia’s pairing ideas and strategies for them.

Butter Hen with prosecco

When unsure, Walia says to stay with the bubbles. Prosecco is low in alcohol content material and lends itself to Indian dishes by serving as a palette cleanser. It goes nicely with wealthy, creamy recipes, he notes, so naturally, prosecco is the right pairing for Saffron’s fashionable twist on Butter Hen.

Lahsooni Saag Paneer with riesling

A useful rule to contemplate when matching wine to an Indian recipe is: the spicier the dish, the sweeter the wine needs to be to counterbalance the warmth. Walia recommends a riesling along with his Lasooni Saag Paneer. The wine enhances the warmth and the delicate cubes of paneer cheese however gained’t overpower the creamy spinach gravy.

Black Pepper Hen Tikka Kabob with merlot

A fruit-forward wine helps convey out the refined spices in tandoor cooking. Saffron’s Black Pepper Hen Tikka Kabobs go completely with a glass of merlot or related wine constructed from riper fruit. Wine made with ripened fruit and decrease tannins is extremely most popular to accompany dishes with numerous spices.

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Cocktail pairing strategies

Along with its intensive wine listing, Saffron additionally affords a number of specialty cocktails ranging in worth from $17 to $19. They’re made with herbs, spices and infusions present in menu objects and could be blended and matched.

These embody the Rasa, with ghee-infused bourbon, Allesio vermouth bianco, Cynar, orgeat, mint and chocolate bitters, and Thyme Me Up, with vodka, basil, elderflower, thyme and Angostura bitters.

The brighter cocktails go finest with seafood, says Walia. For instance, the For Your Eyes Solely (recipe beneath) works nicely with the Chutney Shrimp, Shrimp Masala, or any seafood dish.