FOOD: Indian Cuisine And Wine Pairings-- A Delicious Relationship

by Sanjana Chowhan (@Sanjanachowhan), Student at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism

Traditional Indian food never warranted a drink with it.

Who would imagine pairing anything other than chai with a samosa? But as Indian chefs all over the world are stripping the stereotypical 'hot and spicy' notion of the country's cuisine, diners' palates have also evolved. A February blog post in the New York Times' 'India Ink' section reveals that Indian restaurants from Vancouver to New York are investing in wine pairings.

"Fruit-forward and slightly sweet picks, as well as moderately acidic grapes like the white chenin blanc from France, are also good matches. And since Indian cuisine is an amalgamation of different spices, a wine with a blend of grapes can stand up to the myriad of flavors in the dishes..." according to the blog post.

"Wine and Indian food aren’t a natural fit, because wine drinking has historically never been a part of Indian culture, said Vikram Vij, who owns Indian restaurants in Seattle and Vancouver, including Vij’s. 'If you look at countries like Italy and France, the practice of enjoying food and wine together has existed for centuries, which is not the case with India,' he said. 'The drink of choice with the meal was always and continues to be water because it’s the most neutralizing, or beer.'"

Sam Bhatia, principal and founder of Sufi Wines is attempting to complement Indian chefs' endeavors, and introduced a groundbreaking concept of launching wines specifically for Indian cuisine.

"I traveled a lot when I worked with United Airlines and I was constantly asked one thing, 'What wine goes best with Indian food?' And it always left me wondering," Bhatia said.

 

photo by Sanjana Chowhan

The love for wine and fine Indian cuisine led Bhatia to launch Sufi Wines at Manhattan's Devi Restaurant, last week. The first trio presented at the 'Mirza Ghalib' event was a selection of red and white wines. "You must start with the white," insists Bhatia, it goes well with appetizers he said.

The white wine rolls down smoothly, the after taste throwing off just a tinge of smokiness before it hits your belly. While the white was sweeter than usual, it hit the spot--complimenting the kebabs and vegetarian appetizers that were served and not detracting from their spice or flavor. The red wine went well with the succulent meat kebabs.

 

"I am trying hard to break away from the idea that Indian food is spicy and oily. Our food has robust spices, and these wines accentuate the flavor and aroma, not take away from it," said Bhatia.