Cook With Rum: Here Are 5 Sweet And Savoury Dishes To Try
When you think of rum, caramelised flavours and cocktails like dark and stormy and mojitos are what come to mind. Yet, rum has so many more uses along with building drinks. In fact, rum carries a very deep and complex flavour which introduces a lot of intricate tasting notes into culinary preparations.
Curries and stews, tikkas and sliders, can all be infused with rum to either glaze them or to imbue such earthy flavours into them. As well, rum is an excellent addition to sweet treats. Chocolate rum balls are one of the more popular desserts which make use of this spirit. So too, rum-soaked raisins make a prominent appearance in plum cakes and festive desserts to lend them a slightly tart and sweet flavour depth.
Read on below to know more about some of the sweet and savoury dishes that can be prepared using rum, to infuse its caramelised, deep flavours into these culinary offerings:
Rum Glazed Pineapple Tikka Skewers
Pineapples placed in a tandoor or barbecue carry a smoky-sweet twist peppered with the savoury flavours of a marinade prepared with paprika, lime, a tablespoon of dark rum and some pink salt. Coupled with tender, juicy chunks of chicken tikka, the rum in the dish balances out the char with a slight caramelised and sweet flavour. Served with mint chutney or mint mayo, the skewers function as excellent appetisers at tropical-themed gatherings featuring rum cocktails like the mai tai.
Goan Rum Cake
One of the most popular dishes to emerge from this vibrant coastal cuisine, a Goan rum cake, is a sweet, nutty, buttery dessert complete with a touch of creamy coconut. This semolina and coconut cake is soaked for a long time in a rum syrup so that it absorbs all the flavours of the spirit, adding lots of earthy depth to the dish. Rum also provides a contrasting tart and slightly bitter note which undercuts some of the density of the coconut and butter present in the dessert, inspired by the traditional rum baath cake. This is a sweet that can be served with masala chai or with vanilla ice cream.
Also Read: Savoury Cocktails Is A Trend I Simply Cannot Hype Up, Here’s Why!
Sticky Tamarind And Rum Chicken Wings
A delicious and tender culinary recipe, chicken wings complete with a rum glaze take this simple dish up several notches. The sticky tamarind chutney which goes with a tablespoon of dark rum syrup also infuses a tangy element into the wings, lending them a more nuanced flavour. Rum caramelises rather well when it is reduced, so the chicken wings tossed on a warm pan not only get a shine, but they also get a sweet-savoury flavour base when the spirit comes together with the tamarind.
Rum-Soaked Dates With Nuts And Cream Cheese
An excellent light dessert option which can double as an amuse-bouche, rum-soaked dates are a well-balanced mix of tart and sweet flavours. Generally, these are served with a side of roasted, spiced nuts and just a hint of cream cheese, which introduces a creamy depth into the dish. This luxe small bite can also be prepared by stuffing the dates with cream cheese before serving. Deseed the dried fruit, soak it in rum and stuff a rich mix of honey and cream cheese into it to prepare the rum-infused dates.
Spiced Rum Lamb Curry
Generally served with warm, aromatic rice, a spiced rum curry carries the rich, slightly spicy touch of spiced rum interspersed with the flavours of slow-cooked lamb. Create a thick gravy base using onions, tomatoes and spices like black cardamom and garam masala that can later be infused with a splash of spiced rum. The rum lends the gravy a dark colour and further deepens its flavours upon caramelisation.
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
