Close your eyes… Well, maybe finish reading this first, then close your eyes! You are riding in a tuk-tuk down a bustling street somewhere in India. You see an elephant and a man dressed in a fancy suit riding a horse. He’s surrounded by people dancing – is that a wedding celebration? You hear car horns honking. There’s a cow blocking traffic, but she sure isn’t fazed by any honking horns. You can feel the humid air tickle your cheeks and flick your hair, but THAT SMELL! Even in all of the chaos, it is all you can focus on. So your driver takes you there. He drops you in front of a clay oven, a tandoor, where a man is cooking the fragrant spicy chicken that you had sniffed from down the street. This is where your adventure really begins.
Tandoori chicken is probably not a dish that you would instinctively pair with red wine, or any wine really. It is white meat and spicy, but with everything in this world, there are always exceptions to the rules. So, throw the “rules” out the window for a moment and give your taste buds something to savour by pairing this Tandoori Chicken recipe with a fruity Pinot Noir. Serve your chicken with a yoghurt raita or green chutney. We promise: that rules are meant to be broken.
Want to continue to challenge wine tasting norms and explore the world of spice and wine pairing? Join us as we continue our journey down the spicy road, next stop: is South Korea. Try out this red hot jjamppong recipe next!
If you are feeling spicy, join WineCollective today. You’ll get a selection of curated wines that are only available to WineCollective members delivered to your door each month, accompanied by wine pairing suggestions so that you can continue to explore new and exciting flavour experiences.