Indian Food and Wine

I've found bubbly is best with Indian food.

Regards
Steve

Wines from Alsace are supposed to be the best combination.

Always prefer beer or lassi meself.

Gewurtztramminer (aplogies for the spelling)from Alsace is OK, but like Richard S I prefer beer or Lassi (salty).

I wouldn't have wine with Indian food. I would have a bottle of Grenache-shiraz before, or maybe a Zinfadel, then onto a beer with the food.

Derek,

Surely it depends a bit what the Indian food is? Its a bit like asking what's the best wine to have with French food, although Indian wine is supposed to go with it a treat.

Alex

Alex

I have left the question wide open to gather opinions - if you find a specific wine goes very well with a specific dish or combo of dishes - I would be pleased to hear your opinions

Derek

<<Have you checked your PTs today>>

Specifics? I find Champagne goes rather well with my usual take-away mixed Pakora starter and vegetable Dansak main course.

Regards
Steve

Mango lassi with a hot Vindaloo helps mitigate the ankle-gripping session next morning after coffee

Any recommendations for great Indian restaurants in the UK? When I lived in London early 80's, I used to go to Khan's and Standard Tandoori (both in Westbourne Grove Road), but I suppose they've gone the way of all flesh. Seattle (where I live) has finally got a fair assortment of Indian places now that we have a large influx of people from the former Raj, a couple of cracking restaurants but no chicken Tikka Masala like what I remember from my glory days in a bedsit in Lexham Gardens W8.

[This message was edited by bhazen on Fri 13 August 2004 at 7:37.]

I find that a Kiwi or Aussie Riesling is the ticket to go with spicy food of any description, or possibly an ice-cold Hardy's Stamps Grenache/Shiraz rosé

(I fancy a curry now..........)

Kevin

Mr Ed tells me the Curry Club in London is rather worthwhile, I expect there's
info on line somewhere ?


Our lager,
Which art in barrels,
Hallowed be thy drink.
Thy will be drunk,
(I will be drunk),
At home as in the tavern.
Give us this day our foamy head,
And forgive us our spillages,
As we forgive those who spill against us.
And lead us not to incarceration,
But deliver us from hangovers.
For thine is the beer,
The bitter and the lager.
Forever and ever,
Barmen


Fritz Von Burnybum²

P.S. I've always liked a banglassi along with my windalloo innit:

quote:

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Any recommendations for great Indian restaurants in the UK? When I lived in London early 80's, I used to go to Khan's and Standard Tandoori (both in Westbourne Grove Road), but I suppose they've gone the way of all flesh. Seattle (where I live) has finally got a fair assortment of Indian places now that we have a large influx of people from the former Raj, a couple of cracking restaurants but no chicken Tikka Masala like what I remember from my glory days in a bedsit in Lexham Gardens W8.

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bhazen,

The best I have found is in the borough of Southall. There is a place there called TKC, short for Tandoori Kabab Centre. Ask anybody on the street there, it's the one that does Indian and Chinese. I know that this sounds strange, but I asked the owner and he explained. It is actually a Pakistani restaurant. According to him, Chinese food is extremely popular in Pakistan, so they do both. He also explained that most Indians are vegans, and therefore cannot know what the meat dishes they cook and serve actually taste like. Pakistanis eat meat, and therefore their meat dises are superior to those found in traditional Indian restaurants. The food in this place is stonking good, especially any of the lamb dishes. It is also very inexpensive compared to the put-on-the-posh places in greater London. Worth a trip. Take the Central or District line to the end at Ealing Broadway, then take any bus to Southall Boadway and ask anybody. They are right across the street from a place called Babu Tandoori. I would venture a guess that all of the restaurants in that area are good as most of the patrons are east Indian.

Southall Website

In Seattle? You are just a 2 hour drive from (arguably) the best Indian food in North America, in Vancouver BC. If you are coming this way, send me a message and I can recommend some places.

[This message was edited by undertone on Fri 13 August 2004 at 18:07.]

bhazen and ghunter

If you like Indian cuisine you might also get down with Malaysian tastes available at a restaurant on 45th in Wallingford whose name I forget (diagonally across from that cheap sushi joint w/ odd hours and long lines; Citysearch would bring it up).

PS- Agreed that RTC has some fine Indian in proximity. I wonder if Dubya downed some earlier today? Mmmmm making me hungry- now I'll need to grab some over the weekend!

Undertone - You are correct sir, some years ago I had the pleasure of being in East Van (I think), a sort of Little India area not dissimilar from the one in Toronto...had an amazing meal! I'd like to visit Vancouver some weekend and do hifi places in the day and curry palaces at night!

Ghunter - You also are correct, IMHO the eastside has the best Indian places in the area. I would be remiss if I didn't mention Taj Palace, just south of Bridle Trails (approx. NE 24th and 140th NE, just east of the Saturn dealer); Mr. Gill is the friendly owner, and they have a killer lunch buffet. Chutney's Grille on 14th(?) in Seattle (near Group Health, Capitol Hill) is worth a try as well. Kanishka in Redmond...oh, I gotta stop.

Ludwig - The Curry House? I've driven by there a million times, perhaps your nudge will get me in there at last. If Rasa Malaysia (north side of Green Lake) is still there, check that out. The Mee Goreng is... Killah.

I seem to remember us all being here before, innit ?

Fritz Von Whatacurryon

Putting on my M.W. hat, the perceived wisdom about food (curry) and wine is this:

1) It really doesn't matter - if you like to eat something and drink something then you will probably enjoy the combination.

2) Wine (ex Champagne, as someone mentioned) does not really serve the purpose of quenching thirst. Because very spicy food makes the body crave liquid, drinking only wine with curry is likely simply to be an expensive way of getting very pissed (lager similarly is not a great choice). Therefore for refreshment, drink water. Drink wine for flavour accompaniment.

3) The only wines that can join in a flavour battle with the stronger spice / chilli flavours in curry are similarly spicy red wines from the varieties Syrah (Shiraz) and Grenache. And then the best examples will have been aged in oak. New World wines with their hint of jammy sweetness will also better accompany any fruit/cream flavours in the food.

4) As with many cultures in Europe the cuisine and drink have grown up together. Lassi is probably the best accompaniment as it neutralises the "hot" effects of chilli without destroying the flavour - cold things, like lager, crisp white wine and Champagne only temporarily relieve the former.

5) If Chilli ever does for your stomach, then so will fizzy stuff. Hence Cobra being "less gassy". Ideally avoid lager.

As someone mentioned, describing it as "Indian food" is not really particularly helpful. India is a continent sized country with a population to match, much exported "Indian food" is far from authentic, and both chillies and tomatoes are (relatively) recent introductions outside the Americas. All of which means that there isn't really such a thing as "Indian food", but the above wine advice also works for slow-cooked spicy food of other origins.

For flash cooked SE Asian cuisine (Thai, Malay, Singaporean etc) then spicy white wines such as Alsace Gewurztraminer work well.

If anyone is in or near Clapham South in London, then visit "Tabaq" (opposite the tube). This is an authentic Lahore restaurant - dry cooked with little of the yogurt / cream gunk - and one of the best in the UK.

Cheers

Rod

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Originally posted by bhazen:
Ludwig - The Curry House? I've driven by there a million times, perhaps your nudge will get me in there at last.

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I drove by this afternoon- Mandalay Cafe. It's the restaurant in a little bungalow style house on the south side of 45th. I remembered it incorrectly- looking at the menu they seem to cover a lot of Asia (also- specials here).

Ludwig
Eating chile rellenos soon...

As I vaguely recall saying on last years similar thread, Indian food (Asian if you like) has probably saved the British Nation by becoming its National dish in place of much stodge filled nutrition free rubbish that the majority of the lesser well off population regularly shoved down their gullets (including myself).

Fritz Von Freshfdruitisaswearword²

P.S. And no I'm am/wasn't talking about wonderful traditionalö British food before somebody jumps on that bandwagon (as afore, innit)

Picking the right wine is not easy, hence I stick to familiar choices. With takeaway/delivery we go for a white by the Wine Society "The Society's Vin de Pay's de Cotes de Gascogne" slightly off dry but with ripeness and fresh clean fruit(£4.25), and for a red, d'Arenburg d'Arry's original blend Shiraz/Grenache(£8.25).
If I am in London I like Vama in the King's Road, Tandoori specialists, but in Bromley (sadly)Cafe East sells a nice wheat beer called Sunny beaches which works well.

Max

quote:

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Originally posted by alexgerrard:
I washed down tonights Madras with Dr Pepper.

Not recommended.

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For the taste or what followed later?

I'm teetotal as well for all practical purposes (I'll have a Coffee Nudge or two in winter, and a short glass of a Really Good wine from time to time), so my experimentation has included lemonade (if they've got it) and ginger ale (good with Vindaloo or other dishes with 'tude). I generally only do lassi if I'm going for it, hot-wise. Raita is usually provided at the better places, so I'm free to indulge in the formers.

Gallons of ice cold cider as we seem only to be talking about liquids now, don't forget the BangLassi (check it out if you dare ?)


Fritz Von Goodnessgraciousme

hi derek,

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Originally posted by Derek Wright:
A comment in the "supper" thread mentioned wine and Indian food (and other spicy food actually) - I would be interested in seeing some recomendations for the wine. I admit to being a bit reactionary regarding wine and spicy food - so suggestions would be appreciated.

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the title of your thread was somewhat confusing, as I originally thought you were going to tell us about some interesting indian wines and foods
which wine with indian food?
try whites made from the gewürztraminer grape, particularly those from the alsace region of france.
the floral, and slightly sweet taste of those wines seems to perfectly complement the spicy nature of indian food.
well in my opinion it does!
also try dry sparkling wines, such as prosecco.
they seem to work quite well.
as for reds, you need something flavourful, full-bodied and rich, like most good australian reds, or those from south america.
the spices in indian food will probably swamp anything that’s lighter in flavour.
incidentally, chilled beer or water is probably the worst of all, as they just intensify the heat!!
most indian people I know drink cardamom tea with their meals.
but I don't think that's what you're looking for.

TN

Trevor

All the comments are valid answers and have answered my question - what surprises me is how the thread has emerged from the depths

So thanks for the suggestions

Derek

<< >>

Whilst we Brits are often accused of serving duff nosh in Blighty;we should be given medals for spreading other peoples' food throughout the world.Back in the late 1960s my dad was an officer in the Abu Dhabi navy.Each Thursday their chef (an ex RN cook from Goa) created a curry fit for the gods.Before long ,any who was anyone,was doing their utmost to get an invite to the meal.A lot of finance was talked and many UK firms did very well.As far as I know Chief Vegas did not get a cut but he sure deserved it.Cheers Tony

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Originally posted by General Allenby:
It is a vile slur, mostly propagated by the Americans, that we British cannot cook. Army food is, however, of a piece bland and off-putting (although my batman makes a good breakfast tea).

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Not by this American...I remember no bad meals in London (or elsewhere), save for once at a place called Garfunkel's(?)...greasy cold chicken...however, breakfasts were always good: hot, with good, hot coffee & tea, and a good buffet of eggs, sausage, stewed tomato, toast and cereal all laid on. Dinners were almost always at...Indian places!

The British Berlin Officers Club laid on a brilliantly popular Curry Lunch every first Sunday of the month, it was legendary.

Fritz Von Popadoms