(continuation from blog  “ Food and Wine pairing”  dated 17th  June  2009)

INTRODUCTION:—–this blog and the many more following will examine the pleasurable and often complex relationship between good food and wine, with the ultimate aim to assist our many discerning customers evolve the convivial bonding of good food and wine.

FOOD BEING FEATURED:—–MEDIUM STYLE CURRIES, including  CHICKEN, LAMB, PRAWN and VEGETABLE.  ( Thai or Chinese curries with similar ingredients would also be a good alternative )

CHALLENGES:—–We all know that matching wines with Asian cooking can be a difficult challenge and matching wines with curries even more difficult. With mild and fragrant curries like Korma, Biryani or Kashmiri dishes and curries with fruit like pineapple or mango, these can be a little easier to match than with hot curries like Madras and Vindaloo or astringent sauces made from tamarind or too strong in fenugreek and ginger.

RECOMMENDATIONS:—–wines with strong and distinct flavours or wines with fruity acidity will provide the best matches for the above mentioned dishes. A good tip to help you enjoy wine during an asian meal, is to take a sip of water to refresh the palate each time before you take a sip of wine.

Red wines from the Loire made from the Cabernet Franc grape such as Saumur-Champigny have the ideal fruit and acidity balance for mild curries. With this combination you will enjoy both the meal and the wine.

A white wine renoun for matching Asian cooking is the wine named after its grape variety Gewurztraminer. Gewurztraminer’s from the New World such as Segu from Chile have a little more acidity and body over the Alsace versions of this grape and can even put up a good with some of the hotter curries.

Other white wines to be considered are those produced in the Languedoc region of France. Wines like a well chilled Picpoul de Pinet  are perfectly happy with spicy dishes, again it’s the fruit and high acidity that comes through and softens the impact of curries and strongly flavoured dishes.

MAIN DIRECTORY:—–click on The Marriage of Food and Wine to access our quick search facility to locate hundreds of other food/wine/food pairing options, including hors-d’oeuvres, starters, soups, main courses and desserts. Also Great Friends-Cheese and Wine for cheese and wine pairing.

NEXT ARTICLE:—–Pork dishes, including roast pork, grilled pork chops,  suckling pig, pork fillet and medallions of pork.
 

HAPPY  MEDIUM CURRY  AND WINE PAIRING DAYS

Graham D