Fresh Catch: 6 Cocktails And Mocktails To Try With Popular Indian Fish Recipes
Indian cuisine is a coming together of rather versatile flavours and masalas which lend the curries, meats, fish and other dishes cooked in local spices rather rich and robust flavours. With a long coastline and just as many rivers flowing through the subcontinent, this region is also rich in fresh and saltwater fish preparations and one of the highlights of Indian cuisine remains a good fish curry or a plate of crispy fried fish coated in indigenous masalas.
These deeply flavoured, rich and spicy fish dishes have retained their popularity through time because each one marks the local flair and flavour of the region from where it originates. Such fish dishes undoubtedly pair well with several cocktails and mocktails that are complete with fruity, citrusy flavours and which carry just a light hint of tang and spice.
Read on below to know more about some of the cocktails and mocktails that would go well with popular Indian fish dishes prepared in diverse ways across the subcontinent:
Spiced Bloody Mary
Recommended Pairing: Amritsari Fish Fry
An interesting coupling which comes together in an identical blend of spicy and masala-infused flavours is a classic Amritsari fish fry and a spiced bloody mary prepared using 30 ml Ketel One Premium Distilled Vodka or any other premium vodka of choice. The popular northern Indian fish recipe is prepared by deep frying fish akin to fritters which are marinated in a mix of ajwain, gram flour and some spices for lending them umami and spicy flavour notes.
Solkadhi
Recommended Pairing: Malvani-style Fried Fish
Prepared by blending coconut milk with unsweetened kokum syrup and a few chopped chillies as well as some finely diced coriander, solkadhi is a traditional, non-alcoholic drink hailing from coastal Konkan regions, that known for its spicy and creamy flavour profile. This drink can be suitably paired with crispy fried fish cooked in a Malvani or Konkani marinade complete with spicy, peppery flavours brought forth in a coconut-based masala.
Tamarind Rum Punch
Recommended Pairing: Goan Fish Curry
A spicy and sour curry made using coconut and tamarind, the Goan fish curry is popular across western coastal regions in the Indian subcontinent because of its lightly spicy, tangy and creamy flavours. This dish often served with steamed rice can be paired with an identically tangy rum punch prepared using 30 ml Captain Morgan Dark Rum or any other premium rum of choice and a sweet and acidic tamarind chutney which infuses the cocktail with tangy and sour flavours.
Cucumber And Mint Cooler
Recommended Pairing: Shorshe Maach/ Bengali Fish Curry
Shorshe maach or a traditional Bengali fish curry retains its popularity along the eastern regions of the subcontinent because its robust, mustard-infused flavours lend the dish a very deep yet zingy flavour profile. Such a mildly spicy but flavourful fish curry can be paired with a fresh and crisp cucumber and mint cooler. Brought together as a fizzy drink with the addition of 60 ml sparkling water, the herbal and savoury notes of this chilled mocktail form an interesting contrast with the earthy flavours of the shorshe maach.
Coconut And Lime Mule
Recommended Pairing: Kerala Meen Moilee
A very popular fish stew with origins along the sea coasts of Kerala, the meen moilee is rich in flavours of coconuts, curry leaves and green chillies. This fresh fish cooked in a Kerala style masala can be paired with the tropical tasting notes of the coconut and lime mule prepared using 30 ml Ciroc Ultra Premium Vodka or any other premium vodka of choice, 50 ml fresh tender coconut water and about 10 ml of freshly squeezed lime juice.
Ginger And Basil Sparkler
Recommended Pairing: Masor Tenga/ Assam Fish Curry
Masor tenga originates in Assamese cuisine and is known for its light and tangy curry which gets much of its flavour from the freshwater fish added to this preparation. Filled with the acidity of tomatoes and the citrusy elements of lime, this popular culinary fare goes well with a simple ginger and basil sparkler mocktail that brings forth a mix of the spicy and earthy flavours of both these aromatic and richly flavoured ingredients.
Also Read: Fish Fingers And Cocktails: 5 Pairings That Will Wow Your Guests At A House Party
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
