Having one of Steve's "meetings with myself" I thought I'd try and compile some ideas for matching drinks with Indian recipes. So before putting pen to paper (or rather fingers to keyboard) I thought I'd start by asking you good folks what you like to drink with Mamta's recipes. For instance:

Cold non-alcoholic

Do you have a favourite fruit or vegetable juice or prefer a lassi or soda? Does it vary according to the style of recipe you've cooked? Is it something on Mamta's suggestions for

cold drinks

Beer

Is it a cold beer that hits the spot for you? Any preferred brand, Indian or otherwise, full bodied, low or no alcohol? A particular beer that is not too gassy to go with Indian food?

Wine

Difficult but not impossible to match wine with Indian food? Do you take any notice of wine buffs advice such as you can 'only' drink a Gew?rztraminer or perhaps a Viognier or Merlot (mind you they seem to assume all Indian food is mind-numbingly hot and highly spiced. Any particular wine you feel can stand up to a dish that is highly spiced?

Looking forward to all your comments - will get back with the fruits of my research, hic! As it unbiased and balanced research I'm sure you can be specific on names & brands as I have no connection with the drinks industry (expect my Mother used to make home made wine!

Winton

interesting subject: Once, I would have pointed to Camelia Punjabi's book '50 Great Curries', (first edition, at least), which had a list of 50 'wines' to go with the 50 great curries, even if some of the recommendations were the same, and others were fortified (sherries). I did start to see if the recommendations were any good, back in the old days when I experimented a lot (well, a lot more than I do now), when I used to cook two versions of the same recipe (from different sources), and see if CP had the better recommendation. I remember for one dish (I think it was for a fish dish macher jhol?) I managed to get one of the wines, and another one recommended for another dish, I'm sure one was a Gew?rztraminer. The one recommended for the PC dish was a much better foil than for the nonPC dish, thus seeming to agree with PC.

I've since almost given up alcohol (it doesn't go well with my medication) so I don't drink with meals any more, but I remember reading about some tests done at a University, where people were asked to eat cheese and wine, and comment. The conclusion was that the cheese made the wine taste funny, and the wine made the cheese do the same. I would tend to agree.

Infact, it is not often (if ever) commented, how, what we have eaten (or drunk) in the previous few mouthfuls affects what we are eating next. People choose starters, main courses and sweets according to their personal likes and dislikes, regardless of whether their palate has been affected by previous courses. Of course, gone are the days when we had palate cleansers, now we have amuse bouches or intermezzi. Beware the person who sticks a garlic swamped concoction into my mouth just prior to my simple lobster dish!

What we eat makes a big difference on the perception of what we are going t eat. Maybe an alcoholic drink is used as a mouth wash, maybe that's the best that can be said for it.

For Indian dishes I like unsugared fruit squashes (not juices), lemon and lime being the best.

I don't like wine or beer with Indian food generally.

Iced water is best. When in India, I often have Lime Soda with my meal, especially when eating in a restaurant. This is just lime juice added to soda water, with either salt or sugar. it is served with a lot of ice.

Nimbu Paani or Shikanjvee is also excellent. Lassi is good with stuffed parathas.

With hot snacks, any iced and spiced Fruit Juice is good.

In spring, Kanji is nice.

In hot summer months Mango Panna is great, especially before a meal.

When coming in from HOT outside temperatures in summer, a Rose Cooler is great. You can buy it as a ready made Rooh Afza Syrup at Indian/Pakistani shops, to be diluted in iced water.

Mamta

A lot depends on how, why and where I'm eating...

Mostly if I'm going to town making a good meal I like a glass of wine or a cold beer with it... However I'm just as happy with a cup of coffee (decaf) or a glass of lemonade.

Steve

I adore wine with most foods, including Indian food.

There are some waxy cheeses with which certain red wines go really well, like a marriage made in heaven.

Some Brits believe that Indian food goes well only with beer. Nonsense! There are delicious whites (especially those based on sauvignon blanc and chardonnay) which go wonderfully well with certain Indian dishes.

Phil

I drink whatever is to hand with my indian meals but I white wine with chicken and then red for lamb dishes but that is if I eat out.

At home it's either water, tea of milk if I was heavy handed with the chillies.

I found that I can't drink beer with Indian food, the rice and beer fills you up. But then again I don't like rice with my curries either!

Jeez so many mistakes in that last post, my apologies have swopped to a laptop so trying to get use to my itty bitty keyboard.

I like a Chilean Merlot with a a nice spicy Indian dish, but then I like Chilean Merlot with most savoury foods. If I am not drinking alchohol I like tonic water with a slice of lemon.

My husband likes to drink lager with his curry.

I certainly do not take any notice of what the so called wine experts tell me I must drink. To me it is a matter of individual taste. What one person enjoys doesn't apply to everyone.

I must admit I get annoyed with the TV food and drink experts who tell you that things don't match or how well you should cook your meat and imply that you are some sort of unsophisticated barbarian if you don't agree. I hate rare meat, and if that makes me unsophisticated so be it.

alicean, I agree with that totally ! If I find I like one particular red wine and I don't like white wines, why would I try to drink a white wine with a fish/chicken meal because someone else says I should !

Steve

I don't like alcohol so I just drink water, lassi, or fruit juice. :-)

Re wines and lamb: it depends on the dish. There's a fantastic, very spicy, Southern Indian lamb dish that goes really well with a good Sauvignon Blanc. Other lamb dishes (Indian and other) would go well with various reds.

But yes, drink what you like with what you eat.

Phil

Drink with meal in Indian homes in India is invariably water. One doesn't even think of sweet drinks/lassi/wine/bear and so on with meal, unless there is a specific dish (like stuffed parathas cry outs for Lassi or Chaach). It is customary to have a glass on each place setting and a jug of water on the table.