| FOOD PAIRINGS |

BY MELISSA DOWLING

The unique and flavorful ingredients of Indian cuisine inspire an exotic journey for the palette . Because of the many spices , herbs , and dimensions of those flavors , it ’ s a common myth that pairing wine with the traditional fare from Indian culture can be difficult .

But Chef Ajay Walia , owner of Saffron restaurants in California , says that ’ s not the case . Saffron , with locations in Burlingame , CA , and San Carlos , CA , boasts an impressive wine list , and Walia likes to prove that pairing wine with Indian food is a lot simpler than people may think .

Walia takes the complex flavors of heritage Indian cuisine and balances them with the right wine . Here are some of the popular dishes at Saffron , and Walia ’ s pairing suggestions for them .

BUTTER CHICKEN WITH PROSECCO When in doubt , Walia says to stick with the bubbles . Prosecco is low in alcohol content and lends itself to Indian dishes by serving as a palette cleanser . It goes well with rich , creamy recipes , he notes , so naturally , prosecco is the perfect pairing for Saffron ’ s modern twist on Butter Chicken .

LAHSOONI SAAG PANEER WITH RIESLING A helpful rule to consider when matching wine to an Indian recipe is : the spicier the dish , the sweeter the wine should be to counterbalance the heat . Walia recommends a riesling with his Lasooni Saag Paneer . The wine complements the heat and the mild cubes of paneer cheese but won ’ t overpower the creamy spinach gravy .

BLACK PEPPER CHICKEN TIKKA KABOB WITH MERLOT A fruit-forward wine helps bring out the subtle spices in tandoor cooking . Saffron ’ s Black Pepper Chicken Tikka Kabobs go perfectly with a glass of merlot or similar wine made from riper fruit . Wine made with ripened fruit and lower tannins is highly preferred to accompany dishes with lots of spices , Walia says .

In addition to an extensive wine list , Saffron Indian restaurants offer several cocktails created to complement the food . They ’ re made with herbs , spices and infusions found in menu items and can be mixed and matched . The brighter cocktails go best with seafood , says Saffron chef / owner Ajay Walia . For example , the For Your Eyes Only cocktail works well with the Chutney Shrimp , Shrimp Masala or any seafood dish .

For Your Eyes Only

1 oz . Vodka 1 oz . Gin 1 oz . Lillet Rose aperitif ½ oz . Champagne syrup ( simple syrup made with Champagne vs . water ) Absinthe Lemon peel garnish

Rinse a Nick and Nora glass with absinthe . Stir together the gin , vodka and Champagne syrup . Add to the absinthe-rinsed glass . Twist the lemon peel top of the cocktail . ( credit : Kristen Loken )

8 | SUMMER 2023 • CHEERS @ HOME WWW . CHEERSONLINEATHOME . COM