Alcohol and food makes for good table mates, mix them together and they create an even better combo for connoisseurs of fine eating. While this trend isn’t new but chefs across the city are busy rustling up their very own speciality.
“The trend of using alcohol in cooking has been primarily adopted from the Western style of cooking along with Asian cultures for indirectly turning them into kinds of vinegar,” informs chef Saurabh Udinia, Farzi Café, adding, “A major part of the reason for the rising popularity of using alcohol as an ingredient can be given to the versatility of alcohol – from fuel for cooking to braising, deglazing and finishing, thus enhancing the overall flavour of the dish.”
Udinia uses local fermented rice beer to finish bamboo rice and serve it with Naga Pork. He also flambés Tandoori Raan, lending new dimension and richness to it.
Using alcohol during the cooking processes leaves behind a faint aroma and a subtle taste, bringing out the flavour in food like salt.
“Whether it is wine, beer, rum or vodka, the alcohol improves flavour perception through evaporation and molecular bonding, bridging the gap between aroma and food thus increasing flavour penetration. Our signature pasta using alcohol is Penne Alla Vodka, which is traditional penne pasta, usually made using heavy cream, crushed tomatoes, onions and cheese. The creamy and bright Italian delicacy tastes great with a mild vodka flavour and a flambé aroma,” says chef Ashish Singh, Café Delhi Heights
Amit Bagga, Co-founder of Daryaganj, finds a growing demand for this trend.
“People want experimentation and Bailey’s Kulfi is one of the dedicated experiments in-house at Daryaganj. It is a fusion of traditional dessert but experimented with a modern twist. Keeping the traditional taste of classic kulfi intact, we have embellished it with layers of baileys, thus, providing an elevated experience unheard of.”
While the alcohol and food combo creates wonders, chef Anas Qureshi, Molecule Air Bar, points how one needs to be careful when choosing the alcohol.
“Use any alcohol you would drink. Nothing undrinkable and none of that ‘cooking wine’ which is just inexpensive wine that isn’t meant for drinking. If you deglaze with a non-alcoholic liquid such as broth, fruit juice, or water, the flavour of your sauce won’t be as intense.”
Qureshi himself uses alcohol in Butter Poached Chilli Garlic Prawns which are deglazed with white wine.
“This is a delicate dish where the prawns are slowly poached in clarified butter with dry red chilli flakes, garlic cloves and peppers so that they soak in all the flavours from the butter and stay moist while cooking. Once the prawns are perfectly cooked we finish the dish on a high flame with a dash of white wine and season the dish,” he shares.