Last Friday, some friends came over for our regular girls’ lunch. I wanted to spice things up and served an Indian curry lunch combined with a whisky pairing. Some research on the internet indicated that Indian food and whisky fit well together. Especially the more peaty whiskies, pair well with the spicy South Indian food.
I also found various combinations where the more floral and fruity Speyside whiskies were paired with Indian finger food and seafood. The matching of Indian food and whisky is a delicate balance between the spicy food and the whisky’s subtle flavours.
Pairing Whisky and Indian Food
The one should not overwhelm the other but bring out the best of each element. For starters. I choose a simple Indian aloo masala (potato curry). The potatoes are flavoured with chilli, mustard seeds and curry leaves, and it is a dry curry.
This dish is one of the main fillings for an Indian masala dosa, a fermented pancake made from rice and black lentils. At our lunch, this was served with some roti. I paired the aloo masala with The Black Grouse whisky.
I tried the Black Grouse earlier in the year and was amazed by the complexity. It is the peaty expression from the Famous Grouse and I rated this blended whisky excellent.
The Black Grouse has notes of peat, smoke and oak. What a great whisky and food pairing! The mildly peated Black Grouse paired wonderfully with the spicy potatoes and created an enticing combination.
Even the girls who didn’t like peated whiskies enjoyed this combination.
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The main course was an Indian chana masala (Chickpea Curry). I cooked the chickpeas in a sauce of onions, tomatoes, garlic and masala spices. This dish is a popular Punjabi dish and is also found in Pakistani cuisine. Basmati rice and a cucumber salad accompanied the dish.
I paired this chana masala with a Bain’s Whisky. I was hoping the spicy and nutty notes from the chickpeas will pair with the toffee, oak and floral notes in the Bain’s whisky. The pairing was not as successful as the first one, and we grabbed the Black Grouse again to see if that combination worked better.
And lo and behold, the Black Grouse whisky paired wonderfully with the different spices in the Chana Masala.
The Verdict: Black Grouse Whisky and Potato Curry
The peaty Black Grouse whisky paired amazingly well with the two different curries. The peat and smoky notes are mild enough to suit people who are not peat lovers but strong enough to enhance the spicy Indian Food.
The combination was smooth and satisfying, and the Black Grouse complemented the potatoes and chickpeas well. I give this pairing a RATING: EXCELLENT.
The Black Grouse will probably also pair well with samosas and most tomato-based curries. It is the one whisky that every Indian restaurant should have in their bar. The Black Grouse whisky is in the affordable price range and will enhance most dishes on the Indian menu.
And the Bain’s whisky? I am on a mission to find an interesting dish that will pair with this amazing whisky. So keep watching this space. In 4 months, the girls are coming for lunch again; perhaps by then, I would have found my Bain’s whisky dish.
Also Read: Bain’s Whisky Chicken Marinade Recipe