Indian Food and Wine??? [moved from San Diego board]

[andreasomething]

Okay chowhounders - I have a dilemma and I think I trust you all the most to help me solve it! I'm invited to a dear friends home this weekend for dinner. My friend and his fiancee are preparing authentic northern Indian cuisine (both are from northern India). I know one course will be some sort of vegetarian curry dish. Any wine suggestions? Or in the alternative, can you direct me to a place to purchase? I'd like to show up with more than flowers... If it helps, I live in La Jolla, work in Little Italy and will be going to dinner in Mission Beach - any place near those places would be ideal.

Thanks in advance!

[ROCKLES]

I realize this is an old post, but I saw an advertisement for some Indian wines. Anyone tried them? I understand that wines match best when they are from the same regions as the food. Any thoughts? maybe I can make this a new post

[KraTToR]

Viognier is the classic pairing. There are several good examples, both new and old world. Keep away from the oaked versions and you'll have a beautifully aromatic, slightly off-dry, medium bodied match for any curry.

[huiray]

Why do you even NEED wine? Or Alcohol? For Indian food? Or Chinese, etc, for that matter?

Bring some fruits.

[Fake Name]

Why do you even NEED food?

Bring wine. Or beer.

<the preceeding snark was made in the kindest and gentlest of nature, with well-wishing and good humor to be conveyed. It shall not, in any shape or form, be construed, interpreted, spun, decoded, transformed, decrypted, translated,unscrambled nor solved to be anything different. Some Chowhounds believe the best food is usually, typically, often, or always enjoyed with a modicum of adult libation. Such adult libation frequently enhances the culinary experience and, while said libations may, in fact, or in imagination, improve and enhance the dining experience. Some diners acknowledge such libations are not NEED(ed), nor is salt, pepper, Anise,Basil,Cardamom,Chile Powder, Dill,Fenugreek,Garam Masala,Garlic, Juniper Berries,Lemon Grass, Mint, Nutmeg, Oregano,Parsley,Rosemary,Saffron, Thyme,Vanilla Bean or White Pepper. But people like them, too, and for those who enjoy these flavors, value is added to the meal. Your mileage may vary.>

[huiray]

My dear Sir, you fail to convey any sense of thoughtful musing upon the subject other than your insistence that adult libations necessarily mean alcohol.

Food is necessary for life. Alcohol is not.

[Fake Name]

Food is necessary, yes.

Spices and flavorings, however, are not.
And neither are libitations containing alcohol.

But, as I enjoy my food with spices and flavoring, I also enjoy the not-necessarily alcoholic beverage.

Agreed?

[huiray]

Then how about some kind of spirits instead? Scotch or vodka is often drunk by Indians before (and even with) their meals… Or some toddy or something similar? Sake?

My initial post was more in relation to the pairing of Western-type wine with Indian (or other non-Western food). Western-type wine is not native (duh) to Indian or Chinese or [insert relevant cuisine here] even if lots of folks like to drink Western-type wine with non-Western/spicy food. Also, there are other forms of alcoholic beverages that had been developed by the originators of the cuisine (appropriately spiced and seasoned and all). I do understand that folks in the Western tradition are accustomed to (and have been conditioned to expect) Western-type wine and Western-type alcohol as the adult beverage to accompany meals especially when they wish to feel it is a "special occasion". Yes, even many native practitioners of these cuisines nowadays like to try Western-type wines with their food too. But it seems to me it is frequently a situation akin to trying to shoehorn a square peg into a round hole - hence the extensive and interminable discussions, questions, arguments, etc etc all over the literature about what Western wine to pair with this or that non-Western food. Still, here’s one article (out of many) that may be of interest to those who continue to seek out Western wine pairings with Indian food: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article...

Oh, I like my alcohol – but when I eat “Indian” or “Chinese” food (ignoring for the moment all the vast regional differences in each cuisine, hence the “ ” marks) I myself avoid drinking Western wine with said food.

Dear OP, how about asking your hosts (who you say are both Indian) if they would like Western-type wine with the food they are preparing, or something else?

[Fake Name]

Well, NOW you're talking.

I'd enjoy reading more about the more authentic accompaniments for Indian food. I know very little, and always want to learn.

[Josh]

I like it when cultures mix. I like it in music, in art, and in food. Beer is a natural complement to the flavors in Chinese food and Indian food, and they've even unearthed pots containing an ancient form of beer brewed in China, which Dogfish Head has brewed a version of.

[foodiechick]

Took me awhile to find this. Head on desk.

[Josh]

Normally beer is a better pairing for Indian food, look for light lagers like Full Sail Session Lager, Trumer Pils, or Victory Prima Pils.

If you decide that you really must have wine, then the best pairing for Indian food will be German riesling (note: GERMAN, not Californian). German wines are labeled by their sweetness level - for an Indian meal, I'd suggest going with a kabinett. A good bottle should cost you around $20.

The sweet/acid balance of German white wine makes it well-suited to foods like Indian food, the acid component being particularly key. This is why California riesling isn't a good substitute, they get much too sweet, and the acid component is lacking. Washington State rieslings can be good, but they're not as good as German - they are much less expensive though. Chateau Ste. Michelle is usually less than $10 a bottle.

I'm not sure where the lore about robust red wine for spiciness came from, but I'd ignore it.

[Fake Name]

Josh=CorkDork

[littlestevie]

I guess Josh is of the opinion that the rieslings are better in Berlin. I might suggest a Clayborne and Churchills Dry Riesling. Note this wine is from the Central Coast of California and it is not overly sweet and it stands up well to thai food and it should translate over to Indian food as well. I am in their wine club but I have seen it around in wines stores in San Diego. I hate to admit it but I do agree with Josh on the reds.

[Josh]

Good to know there are some California vintners producing drier rieslings. How's the acidity?

[PolarBear]

That would be Clairborne Churchill
http://www.claibornechurchill.com/

and yes, I find their Dry Riesling to be a great food wine. OR also has some excellent example of the varietal.

[Josh]

Screw-tops are OK, too.

[andreasomething]

Thank you! I don't know why I focused on wine. We're all beer drinkers and with this weather I think that would be a refreshing option.

Also, thank you for the tip about the German riesling. I think I've only ever had California riesling and it's always been much too sweet for my taste so I've stayed away. Will definitely give it a shot.

[Josh]

If you're beer drinkers, I'd go that route for sure.

Another one that'd probably work quite well is a witbier, like Unibroue's Blanche de Chambly, or Avery White Rascal (which is now in cans).

Riesling is sweet, there's no getting around that, but because of Germany's climate, the grapes are fairly acidic, which helps balance the sweetness with acidity. Kabinett is the dry German riesling, but it's still going to have perceptible sweetness.

Another white I just thought of that might work is Albariño - a Spanish white that also walks that acidic/fruity line.

[PolarBear]

>>> Riesling is sweet.... <<<<

Excuse me, it CAN be but it can also be quite dry.

[Josh]

I know that, but I didn't want to bog the OP down with too much detail. The odds of finding a dry riesling at the average supermarket or liquor store are really low.

[oerdin]

My choice would be a robust red so that it stands up to the spiciness.