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Wine and Indian Food

It is no surprise to say that when one thinks of drinking alcohol with a‘curry’, beer or lager seems to spring to mind. This I find somewhat>odd as Indians in India generally don’t tend to drink anything with their food, and for the choice of beverage to be beer in this country is even stranger as the slight bitterness seems to impair or numb the flavours of the dishes.

However, things are now changing in the UK as more and more Indian fine dining restaurants emerge. There is no doubt that there are some flavour elements in spices (cardamom, cumin, coriander and garam >masala) commonly used in curries that do not work well with flavour >elements sometime present in wine such as the high tannin content. So blending and pairing for sommeliers is occasionally a minefield. Nevertheless, there are no rigid rules when it comes to matching food and wine. The issue is down to the dominant flavours of the dish. The principle is to try to balance the food and the wine so that neither overpowers the other. A rich tasting dish with lots of flavours needs a full-bodied wine. Reds such as Chianti and Merlot work well with strong powerful dishes. Fruity and aromatic wines such as a Riesling or Gewurztraminer are also complimentary to Indian food.

But at the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter if a wine is a spot on perfect match with every dish. What matters is making the whole experience more pleasurable and enjoyable and above all what you want to drink.

Below are suggestions which will hopefully tantalise your taste budswithout tarnishing the spice.

Chicken Tikka Masala

The proverbial favourite which contains spicy smoked chicken in rich tomato and cream sauce laced with paprika and garam masala.
Wine recommendations: The high acidity and crisp elements will compliment but cut through the creaminess of the dish.
Alsace, Chardonnay, Rosé

Prawns with Coconut

A delicious Southern Indian king prawn curry flavoured with tamarind, green, chilli and rich coconut cream.
Wine recommendations: The sweetness of the wines will match the fire of the dish.
Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc

Green Beans with Ginger and Mustard

Fresh French beans sautéed with Mustard seeds, cumin and root ginger.Wine recommendations: Agreeable with many vegetables and particularly greens, the fruitiness and softness of the tannins compliment the earthy yet subtle flavours present in the dish.
Pinot Noire, Shiraz, Merlot

Indian Cardamom Ice Cream – Kulfi

The rich dessert from the North of India infused with green cardamomsand saffron.
Wine recommendations: Dessert wines fit for the equal sweetness and hintof spice offered by the kulfi.
Spanish Moscatel or sherry, Shiraz, sweet Italian Marsala

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Wash hands thoroughly before and immediately after handling raw meat.
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Recipe Pick

Homemade Karahi Curry Sauce

Time and time again, I am often asked whether there is a difference between a curry sauce and a curry paste and the short answer is yes. In essence curry pastes are more concentrated so one would use less. They are different blends of spices and herbs which are preserved in vegetable oil.

A curry sauce is made from frying onions, garlic, chilli and ginger with spices and then often mixed with tomatoes. Homemade curry sauces can be adapted to suit one’s needs by adding more or less spices. The Karahi Curry Sauce is a tangy medium to hot spiced sauce.

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