Beer and food is a great match, but with the popularity of cool refreshing lagers in our part of the world, beer has been most commonly associated with casual eating and pre-dinner drinking. But … beer is a versatile drink.
With the almost endless variety of beers available today, it’s possible to find a beer to suit every occasion, every mood, and most importantly, every food. In fact, one of the most enjoyable aspects of beer is the pleasure to be found in pairing it with a great meal.
Cafés can implement some creative ideas, with less than six beers in their repertoire. Here is one example from the James Squires Brewery of how you can make this work in your café.
Puri Puffs with Chaat Masala and Tamarind Sauce
Ingredients
Panini:
• 100 g tamarind (imli)
• 250 g fresh mint (pudina)
• Pinch asafoetida (hing)
• 1 tsp roasted cumin powder (jeera)
• 1 tsp rock salt (kala namak)
• ½ tsp black pepper powder (kali mirch)
• 2 tsp jaljeera powder, plus extra to serve
• Salt to taste
Puri (golgappa)
• 2 cups semolina (suji)
• ½ tsp salt (namak)
• 100 g oil
Filling
• 4 potatoes (alu)
• ½ tsp salt (namak)
• 1 tsp red chilli powder (lal mirch)
METHOD
Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of water for 2 hours. Using your hands, mash and remove the seeds. Strain the pulp and set aside.
Grind the mint in a mixer. Place 5 cups of water in a container.
In a bowl, combine the mint, tamarind pulp, asafoetida, roasted cumin powder, rock salt, black pepper powder and jaljeera powder.
To make the puri, mix the salt and oil with the semolina. Using your hands, knead until a hard dough forms. Cover with a wet cloth and set aside for 2 hours.
Divide the dough into small balls. Roll out into small discs.
Heat oil in a frypan over high heat. Fry the puri on both sides for 3 minutes or until brown.
To prepare the filling, cook the potato in a saucepan of boiling water. Drain and mash. Mix in the salt and red chilli powder.
Make a hole in the centre of each puri. Fill with potato mixture and dip in extra jaljeera powder.
Beer Match
Stow Away India Pale Ale 5.6%ABV
Stow Away IPA is truly a unique drop. Full of character, this beer stands its ground with robust malty flavours and earthy floral aromas, from dry hopping with English Fuggles. Rich and golden in colour, it boasts a feisty bitterness with a lingering crisp finish.
Other food matching ideas: rich gamey dishes, duck, spicy Indian cuisine.
Recipe developed by Peter Kuruvita for sbs “spice trail”.
