How To Pair Your Favourite Mumbai Street Food With Premium Liquor
Heading over to Chowpatty Beach to have bhel puri chaat and soak in the vibe of Mumbai’s bustling cityscape? Or having a quick vada pav before heading home from work?
The street food scene in Mumbai is as vibrant and diverse as the city itself. Much has been written about the on-the-go food culture of this city filled with people whose lives run according to the timetable of the local train. The street foods here too are quick to make, hassle-free to eat and rather delicious to munch on to and from work.
And when you go home after a particularly tiring day with your belly full of masala toast or kheema pav, what would be more relaxing than sipping on a drink to unwind? Mumbai street food is very tasty, it is medium spicy but thoroughly appealing and the smells wafting from the stall of a local masala toast vendor get your taste buds salivating from a mile away. Pairing this flavourful cuisine with premium liquor is like enjoying a double dose of goodness.
Read on below to find out about some of the liquors that would go well with Mumbai’s mouth-watering street food:
Pav Bhaji And White Wine
If there is one dish which is an ode to the rich political and cultural history of Mumbai, it is the pav bhaji. Pair this buttery, utterly yummy street food with quality white wine that would cut through the spiciness and provide your palate with a much-needed sweet cleanser. You can also go for some other fruity wine pairings that will sweeten the deal of polishing off a particularly spicy plate of pav bhaji and finely chopped onions.
Vada Pav And Bloody Mary
A thick potato fritter wrapped in a white pav, accompanied by garlic chutney and fried green chilli, vada pav is literally one of the most favoured street foods in Mumbai. You can pair this spicy and delicious snack with a stunning bloody mary, full of the tang of tomato, the kick of tabasco and the buzz of a premium Smirnoff Triple Distilled Vodka. The spiciness of the potato fritter will be nicely balanced by the tangy tomato juice and a celery stick garnish will be a delectable crunchy element after mouthfuls of sumptuous pav.
Kheema Pav And Scotch
Another delight from the streets of Mumbai is mutton kheema and pav. You can either enjoy this at the local thelawala’s cart with extra butter and lots of chopped onions or just pack it home to be had as a light dinner. Either way, kheema pav would be paired splendidly with a quality scotch. The smokiness of the whisky would complement the intense flavours of the kheema to adjust its heat and introduce a peaty texture into your palate. Follow-up kheema pav with a glass of quality Johnnie Walker Black Label.
Pani Puri And Mojito
All across India, pani puri is a favourite snack and Mumbai is no different. The 'chatpata' spicy green water and the tang of tamarind blended with the crunch of the puri is sheer heaven. You can enjoy a plateful of spicy pani puri and have a glass of mojito next to balance out the spice levels. The freshness of the mojito’s minty notes will add an intensity to the blend of the green chilli and mint concoction that makes up the spicy water, while the rum offers a nice kick.
Seekh Kebab And Whisky
Kebabs are yet another delight in Mumbai and can be enjoyed with rumali roti and lots of raw, spicy salad. You can enjoy a glass of quality Signature Premium Grain Whisky after gorging on a plate full of seekh kebabs. The creamy and dense textures of the meaty dish will go well with the smoky intensity of a good whisky. You can make a highball cocktail out of the liquor too by adding a bit of carbonated water or Coca-Cola.
Dahi Puri And Fruity Margarita
Mumbai’s street food scene is incomplete without chaat variations and the crispy flat puri drowned in dahi and sev is one such treat. This spicy yet tangy and somehow even crispy dish contains lots of textures that can pair splendidly with flavoured, fruity margarita recipes. After enjoying dahi puri, go home and blend mango-flavoured margarita for the ideal finish to a good snack.
