Chilies were introduced to Thai cooking during the late 1600s by Portuguese missionaries who developed a taste for them while serving in South America. Since then, chili peppers have become an essential ingredient in Thai cooking. But what about dishes with chilies enjoyed with wine? Some gourmets may claim that spicy Thai dishes only go with beer. This is erroneous. While beer is a neutral partner when paired with Thai dishes containing chili peppers, the proper wine becomes an embellisher of the flavors and textures in the dishes.
The goal of any beverage when paired with a dish with lots of chilies is to sooth the palate by appeasing the burning sensation while accentuating the flavors and textures of the dish. A wine with generous ripe fruit flavors and good acidity will lesson sensations of heat in the mouth while accentuating original flavors and refreshing the mouth. White wines should be well-chilled and reds slightly chilled to mitigate the sensation of alcohol that accentuates spicy sensations. Here are some classic Thai dishes with chilies and their natural wine partners.
Kaeng Phet is a spicy red coconut curry dish replete with chilies. This dish from central Thailand can have a variety of ingredients but perhaps the best is a mixture of shrimp, clams and other seafood served with steamed jasmine white rice. The aromatic rice helps offset the spiciness of the dish while adding a pleasing chewy texture. When served with a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region like the Forrest Estate Sauvignon Blanc or Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc this dish reaches new heights of delectability. The zesty fresh nature of these two excellent wines stands up to the bold flavors of the dish while the acidity in the wines highlights the natural seafood and curry flavors. As an additional benefit, the cool temperature of the wine lessens the sensation of heat. In essence, the seafood and chili components of the dish are harmonized by the wines.
One of my favorite Thai dishes is Pla Sam Rot, literally meaning three-flavor fish. The fish is deep-fried and served a tangy-spicy tamarind chili sauce. The affinity of a clean and crisp Spanish Cava sparkling wine like the Freixenet Corton Negro Brut or Castell de Vilarnau Brut with all types of deep-fired foods is well-documented, however, what makes this pairing so intriguing is the way the tart apple and other fruit flavors in the sparkling wines embellish the varied rich flavors of the sauce while highlighting the freshness of the fish and also cleansing the palate. The already delicious sauce gains elegance and refinement these excellent value Cavas.
From the north of Thailand comes a delectable grilled pork sausage called Sai Ua. When enjoyed with a hearty Shiraz from Australia like the Torbreck Woodcutter’s Shiraz or Saltram Mamre Brook Shiraz the exotic spices and herbs in the sausage as well as the fresh ginger and chilies served with the sausage match beautifully with the intense spicy dark fruit flavors of the wine. Any time you’re having spicy meat dishes these two lovely Australian reds are great choices.
