Surprising pairing⁉ What is the compatibility between ethnic food and wine?
I currently live in Thailand, Southeast Asia. For Japanese people, when they think of Thailand, many images come to mind, such as popular tourist spots such as Bangkok and Chiang Mai, elephants, and tropical fruits.
Thai food is one of them, and there are many people who travel to Thailand looking forward to eating local Thai food. Ethnic cuisine such as Thai cuisine is now popular in Japan, especially among women, and there are many restaurants where you can enjoy authentic cuisine while in Japan.
When it comes to alcohol that is often drunk in Thailand, I think beer is the most popular. Locally, many people drink ice-cold beer with their Thai food. Unfortunately, I rarely see people pairing local Thai food with wine on the streets of Thailand.
However, what is not well known is that "ethnic cuisine," including Thai cuisine, and wine go very well together.
If you are tired of the standard combinations of pizza, pasta, steak, etc., why not try combining ethnic food and wine, such as Thai food?
What kind of food is ethnic food?
Ethnic cuisine is already becoming familiar in Japan. There are more and more opportunities to see ethnic food specialty restaurants around town.
Ethnic cuisine refers to cuisines from Southeast Asia such as Thailand and Vietnam, or from regions such as India and Africa. It has a unique and exotic flavor that is different from Japanese, Western, or Chinese food.
Typical ethnic dishes
Ethnic dishes served at Japanese ethnic restaurants have less spiciness and unique flavors to suit the Japanese palate, and are often easy to eat even for beginners to ethnic cuisine.
Japanese people may be familiar with the typical ethnic dishes of Southeast Asia, such as tom yum kung, green curry, pad thai, khao man gai, fresh spring rolls (goi kung), and nasi goreng.
Reasons why we recommend ethnic food and wine
The deciding factor in the taste of ethnic cuisine is its characteristic seasonings and ingredients.
``Nan pla'' is a seasoning made by fermenting fish and shrimp, ``chili'' adds spiciness to accentuate ethnic dishes, ``coconut milk'' brings out a unique sweetness, ``cilantro'' and ``lemongrass.'' Ethnic cuisine is food that is made using plenty of ingredients such as herbs and spices that are not often used in Japanese or Western cuisine.
The characteristics of the taste of ethnic dishes prepared using plenty of such seasonings and ingredients include ``sourness,'' ``sweetness,'' and ``spicyness.''
The elements of ethnic cuisine, such as acidity, sweetness, and spiciness, have something in common with the taste elements of wine, so it is easy to match the flavors.
What kind of wine goes well with ethnic cuisine?
Not all wines go well with ethnic cuisine. Let's take a look at what types of wine can go well with ethnic cuisine.
A mellow red wine
If you want to pair red wine with ethnic cuisine, we recommend a mellow, fruity type of red wine with juicy fruit flavors and gentle tannins, rather than a strong type of red wine with strong tannins.
Varieties such as ``Merlot'' and ``Tempranillo'' produced in warm regions often have a rich fruity flavor, so they mellow out the ``spicy'' flavor that is one of the characteristics of ethnic cuisine. Masu.
Red wine recommended for ethnic cuisine
Artiga Fustel/ Mas Delmera Tempranillo [2017 Vintage] 750ml/Red Artiga Fustel/ Mas Delmera Tempranillo Wine
[blogcard url=https://www.winenation.jp/view/item/000000003821]
A juicy red wine made from Tempranillo grapes that have been soaked in the Spanish sun. It has a medium body with just the right amount of tannins and a fruity and approachable flavor packed with red fruits. Try pairing it with dishes such as gapao rice, which has a distinctive spiciness, or pad thai, a slightly sweet noodle dish.
A gorgeous type of white wine
For white wine, we recommend wines made from grape varieties with bright aromas, called aromatic varieties.
A refreshing type of white wine with a light taste will overwhelm the exciting taste of ethnic cuisine. Therefore, a type that is assertive, rich, and gorgeous is more compatible.
For example, choose ``Riesling'' for dishes with a slight sweetness, and ``Sauvignon Blanc'' for dishes that use citrus fruits such as lemon and lime, or herbs such as cilantro or lemongrass. How about pairing it with ``Som Tam'', a papaya salad that has both sour and sweet taste, or ``Fresh Spring Rolls'', which are full of vegetables and seafood?
White wine recommended for ethnic cuisine
Cono Sur/Variety Series/ Gewurztraminer Bicicleta 750ml/White Cono Sur/ Gewurztraminer Bicicleta Wine
[blogcard url=https://www.winenation.jp/view/item/000000004114]
Gewurztraminer white wine is recommended for spicy ethnic dishes. Gewurztraminer is a white wine with a gorgeous aroma of rose and lychee, and a slightly spicy flavor. It has a strong flavor that rivals ethnic dishes with a strong spicy taste, such as the spicy "green curry" made with coconut milk.
Any type of rosé wine is OK.
A versatile wine that combines the characteristics of both white and red wines, rosé wine pairs perfectly with ethnic cuisine. If you can't decide between red wine and white wine, choose rosé wine.
Rosé wine also goes well with seafood such as shrimp and crab, which are commonly used in ethnic cuisine. Also, sweet dishes that use a lot of sugar can be enjoyed with a sweet rosé wine. It is also perfect for sweet chili sauce, one of the typical seasonings used in Thai cuisine.
Rosé wine recommended for ethnic cuisine
Michel Torino/ Cuma "Organic" Malbec Rose 750ml・Rosé Michel Torino/ Cuma Organic Malbec Rose Wine
[blogcard url=https://www.winenation.jp/view/item/000000000039]
A rosé wine made in Argentina that is characterized by its powerful flavor. A fruity rosé wine made from 100% Malbec that goes well with ethnic dishes with a strong flavor.
Rosé wine is characterized by its ability to pair well with a variety of dishes. If you want to pair it with typical ethnic dishes, we recommend ``Tom Yum Kung,'' which is made with plenty of shrimp and lemongrass, and ``Khao Man Gai,'' which is steamed chicken served on rice.
summary
Recently, kits, seasonings, and ingredients that allow you to easily make ethnic dishes at home have become readily available not only at ethnic restaurants, but also at supermarkets. However, I think very few people have the experience of pairing ethnic food with wine. Why not try pairing ethnic food and wine at home this weekend?
Survive the upcoming hot season with a strong appetite with slightly sweet and stimulating "ethnic food and wine"!
