gpdm mediagpdm media

Food Pairing, What’s That?

- Advertisement -

Have you ever wondered why certain food dishes pair well with the other? For instance, chocolate and strawberries, cheese and bacon, chips and guacamole, French fries and ketchup, these feel like matches made in heaven. But these did not happen just by chance, there is a whole lot of science behind it. 

Food pairing theory is the idea that the more aromatic compounds two foods have in common, the better they will taste together. There are hundreds of combinations of foods that work superbly well together that we all know and love. And the world over, chefs are constantly working towards bringing to us new and interesting pairings. Salted caramel, strawberry and basil and chocolate and chilli are some of the recent pairings that have fast gained popularity.

But research suggests that these tastes that we all love and know actually make sense only to people in North America and Western Europe. In many Asian countries and especially India, the pairing of common ingredients with common flavours is not a practice. In fact, when it comes to food pairing, Indian cuisine breaks all the traditional rules. The molecules in Indian food clash dramatically and use many more ingredients and flavours in comparison to western cuisine. 

- Advertisement -

Indian food has a unique characteristic that can be attributed to its spices, but the spices are the very reason that defies all the rules of traditional pairing, as per the research. Now that’s quite an interesting thing to know, isn’t it?

In fact, the researchers note that our cuisine exhibits a strong negative food pairing pattern. The result is that Indian recipes include ingredients with very little or no common taste compounds, as well as ingredients with contrasting tastes. 

The spices used in our cooking do not follow the pairing rules and I think it’s our rebelliousness that gives our dishes a unique flavour that the Westerners can never think of.

Paired or unpaired, today Indian cuisine is loved by the world. It’s our gravies, kebabs, and other delicacies that have extensive use of spices and unpaired ingredients & flavours that makes the world drool. So kudos to all our Indian cooking that breaks all the rules and follows its own path.

- Advertisement -

Do let me know what you think about our cuisine and its uniqueness.

AditI Malhotra
AditI Malhotrahttps://foodandhospitality.incrediblegoa.org/
Having covered more than 1000 restaurants and hotels across the country and globe, Aditi found her passion for food and traveling right in her childhood. At a later stage, traveling for work only fuelled this passion further and she started documenting her experiences as a food and lifestyle blogger 12 years ago and since then there has been no looking back!

Related Stories

Discover

Big B Casino: Where Luxury and Gaming Unite for...

Unveiling the Extravagance of Goa's Premier Onshore Casino Destination

Holiday Inn Goa Candolim – A Premium Luxury Business...

Situated in the heart of the city, on the Candolim Sinquerim main road, Holiday Inn Goa Candolim is a premium luxury Five Star Property providing a warm and friendly atmosphere to its guests.     

A Guide To Goa’s Spices: Flavours And Aromas Of...

In this article, we will explore the different spices used in Goan cuisine and their unique flavours and aromas. From cumin to cloves, each spice plays a significant role in creating mouthwatering dishes that are synonymous with Goan cuisine.

Sip along at Gomes Bar!

Taverns in Goa aren’t merely bars where you can sit and have a drink, each one of them is a storyteller. In Panjim alone, you will find so many of tiny little bars, but, every bar has a different vibe. 

Cultural Appropriation in Goan Cuisine

In this article, we will explore the concept of cultural appropriation and its relationship with food and culinary traditions, specifically in the context of Goan cuisine

The Legendary ‘Kadamba’ Liquid-Gold Indian Single Malt Launched!

Inspired by a passion for tradition, and crafted with a desire for perfection, born as a tribute to the 'Kadamba' dynasty, which ruled for 300 years and was termed as Golden Age of Goa
Advertisement

Popular Categories

Comments

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.