7 Indian Foods That Will Complement Your Next Mai Tai Glass For A Tropical Taste
Mai Tai is a typically tropical drink that is made of lime juice, orgeat syrup, orange liqueur and rum.
The orgeat syrup is essentially composed of almonds blended with sugar or other essences like rose water or orange extract, which lends a nutty, smoky flavour to the cocktail.
This sweet and tangy drink would thus pair very well with Indian dishes (known for showcasing bold, robust flavours). Pairing the Mai Tai with Indian dishes can not only boost the flavour profile of the cocktail, but also give newer dimensions to the dish itself.
Read on below to know about the Indian foods you can pair with this cocktail:
Tandoori Chicken
Arguably one of the most popular Indian dishes, the Tandoori Chicken would function as a perfect template for the Mai Tai to shine.
The smoky, spicy undertone of the Tandoori will complement the sweet and zesty notes of the cocktail and essentially cover a large spectrum of flavours when tasted one after the other. In fact, the combination will also boost the savoury depth of the chicken dish, creating the perfect experience for your guests.
Paneer Tikka
You could say the Paneer Tikka is the quintessential one-biter snack that most vegetarians opt for.
The marinated cottage cheese is grilled to perfection, blending seamlessly with a glass of Mai Tai. The cocktail’s inherent sweetness will undercut the spicy, richness of the marinade. On the other hand, the paneer acts as a counterbalance to the richness of rum present in the cocktail.
Moreover, alternating between digging into Paneer Tikkas and sipping glasses of Mai Tai, your guests are bound to have a well-rounded culinary experience.
Fish Amritsari
Fish Amritsari is a Punjabi delight that involves heavily marinating fish fillets, then coating them in a spicy gram flour mix and deep frying them.
The crunchy outer layer of the fish, with the embedded spicy and flaky fish meat, blends perfectly with the sweet, citrusy notes of the Mai Tai.
In fact, this combination is a popular one on the menus of various restaurants. The edginess of the fish also bolsters the traditional nutty and earthy notes of the cocktail.
Prawn Malai Curry
This one is a tropical feast on a table.
The Prawn Malai Curry, a Bengali delicacy, essentially involves cooking raw prawns in a coconut milk sauce. The Mai Tai’s almond-y goodness marries well with the creamy, spicy curry, creating the perfect mouthfeel. The dish and the cocktail align effortlessly.
The sweet profile of the Mai Tai shines through when consumed between bites of the hot Prawn Malai Curry.
Lamb Rogan Josh
Lamb Rogan Josh is characterised by a spiced tomato base that is blended for hours with Kashmiri bhuna (ground) masalas. The rich, full-bodied dish creates a fabulous contrast to the zesty and acidic Mai Tai.
In fact, the sweetness of the cocktail blends seamlessly with the star of traditional Wazwan cuisine. The Rogan Josh may sometimes become too much for people who prefer less spicy options.
But the Mai Tai also helps numb out the peppery heat of the lamb dish, making it a more balanced culinary experience.
Chicken Korma
Yet another Indian favourite, the Chicken Korma, is a creamy dish that essentially highlights the tangy yet nutty combination that is due to the presence of yoghurt, ground nuts and aromatic spices in the dish.
These complex flavours are counterbalanced by the crisp and acidic punch provided by a glass of Mai Tai. Moreover, the sweet notes of the cocktail considerably undercut the Chicken Korma’s heat.
Vegetable Biryani
This may sound sacrilegious, but this combination is worth it. Vegetable Biryani might be considered a culinary pariah by many (oh, come on, you have to admit this is the case) but when you pair it with the Mai Tai, it becomes a holistic meal in itself.
The wonderfully fragrant rice perfectly complements the mild elegance of the cocktail, highlighting its tropical notes.
