Izakaya Beyond Sake: Pairing Delicious Dishes with the Perfect Drink
Have you ever struggled with choosing the perfect drink to complement your meal? Do you often need help determining which wine, beer, or cocktail to order with your dish? Worry no more! Get into the expert tips and tricks on pairing delicious dishes of Izakaya with the perfect drink, ensuring that you always have a good food and drink combination again.
Understanding the Basics of Food and Drink Pairing
Before we dive into the specifics of food and drink pairing, we must understand the basics. There are several factors to consider when pairing food and drink, including the weight, texture, and flavor of both the food and drink in Izakaya. For example, a light white wine pairs well with seafood and salads, while a full-bodied red wine complements red meat and hearty pasta dishes.
Matching the Intensity of Flavors
One of the most critical aspects of food and drink pairing is matching the intensity of flavors. The drink should not overpower the food, nor should the food overshadow the drink. For example, a bold red wine pairs well with a juicy steak because the wine’s intense flavors complement the meat’s richness. However, the same wine may overpower a light fish dish.
Pairing Wine with Food
Wine is a popular drink choice when dining out, but it can take time to choose the right one. Here are some tips for pairing wine with food:
White Wine
· Light-bodied white wines like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio pair well with seafood, salads, and light pasta dishes.
· Medium-bodied white wines like Chardonnay or Viognier pair well with chicken, pork, and cream-based pasta dishes.
· Full-bodied white wines like oaked Chardonnay pair well with rich seafood dishes and poultry dishes.
Red Wine
· Light-bodied red wines like Pinot Noir pair well with salmon and other fatty fish dishes, mushroom-based dishes, and mild cheeses.
· Medium-bodied red wines like Merlot or Sangiovese pair well with pizza, pasta dishes, and grilled meats like lamb or duck.
· Full-bodied red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah pair well with red meat dishes like steak and lamb.
Pairing Beer with Food
Beer is another popular drink choice when dining out, and it can be just as tricky to pair with food as wine. Here are some tips for pairing beer with food:
· Light beers like Pilsners pair well with seafood, salads, and light chicken dishes.
· Wheat beers like Hefeweizens pair well with spicy dishes and salads.
· Amber and brown ales pair well with burgers, grilled meats, and pizza.
· IPAs pair well with spicy foods, burgers, and fried foods.
· Stouts and porters pair well with chocolate desserts and rich, hearty dishes like stews and chili.
The Incredible birth of Butter Chicken
A dish that smells and tastes of authenticity is none other than the Butter Chicken. Made with roasted spices and a lot of love, this dish is most admired by the Indian community and all over the world. The universality of this dish is best explained in terms of its richness. While the recipe of the dish is simple, butter chicken is now served in every nook and corner of the streets as well as in five-star restaurants. The take on butter chicken has experimented several times. But no one can replace the buttery after taste for which this classic dish is known for.
If you are not aware of the butter chicken recipe, you can check them out in major cookbooks. They are also available in major food websites as well. You can easily cook butter chicken at home and surprise your guests anytime. It is best to serve butter chicken with naan, which is flatbread made in the tandoor oven!
The story behind the butter chicken recipe:
While various food critics, as well as historians, have different stories to tell regarding the recipe, some of the major facts about this dish are as follows:
- Butter chicken is actually very creamy in nature. Earlier the dish was made with warm milk and lots of butter so that the creaminess and the texture retained itself.
- The birth of this dish can be traced back to Delhi, India. Its name in Hindi is Murgh Makhani, where Murgh refers to chicken and makhani is the cream. The royals made the dish popular and demanded that the dish must be served every day in the courts.
- Butter chicken was yet again made famous by a man named Kundan Lal Gujral. He started a restaurant chain by the name of Moti Mahal. This dish was the signature it on in the menu. When people started to love the dish, he received quite a lot of appreciations. Therefore, he stumbled upon the fact to spread the dish internationally as well. As of today, Moti Mahal is known to have various national as well as international chains. It is widely known for its traditional butter chicken and other Mughlai Specialties.
When the Britishers came to India, they were mesmerized with the butter chicken and it’s after taste. They demanded that the butter chicken recipe must be handed to them. Although the original recipe was not disclosed butter chicken is known to be the national dish of Great Britain. Till today, there are several variations of this dish available all over the world!
In order to enjoy your butter chicken, you got to have patience. The dish is served hot and leaves an indelible smile upon your lips every time!