Thai food, especially curry, is a very popular ethnic dish that has a devout following and can be easily enjoyed in all seasons. However, curry can be a tough component to pair with favorite beverages, so to that end we have got you covered on the beer, cocktails and wine front.
These suggestions were motivated by the savory, step-by-step Thai Yellow Chicken Curry recipe, from Darlene Schmidt, About.com's guide to Thai food.
Beer: Lemon, ginger, hot pepper, coconut milk and the incredible flavor of kaffir lime leaf blend together in this extraordinarily complex dish. It deserves a special beer. Big, malty, sour and complex Belgian golden strong ale is just that beer. This style pairs very nicely with the flavors of the curry without overpowering or clashing against any of them. The lemon grass and sour in the beer blend pleasantly while the mild hops bitterness enhance the creaminess of the coconut milk. Where a subtler beer would disappear to wateriness against the flavors of this spicy Thai recipe Belgian golden creates a long, delicate dance of sour, spice and cream.
Commercial examples of Belgian Golden Strong Ale include Duvel, Damnation from Russian River Valley Brewing Company, and Pranqster from North Coast Brewing Company.
Cocktails: This Yellow Curry Chicken recipe is so complex that the simplest cocktails which are also rich in flavor would work best. To cool down the heat of the dish, drinks with strong fruit bases are ideal and in the Moroccan Cocktail you get the lush pomegranate flavor but a little cardamom for spice that would pair with the chicken nicely. Another option is to go with a drink like the Hello Kitty. This one combines the sake-based liqueur TY KU with refreshing lemon juice that should chill out the palate. On the dry side, any Thai dish is excellent with a Saketini.
Wine: Interestingly enough it will likely take a German wine to stand up to this Thai curry recipe. Consider a refreshing Riesling as one of your best bets for complementing the full flavors of curry and the rich spices used in Darlene's Chicken Curry. The 2006 Clean Slate German Riesling would be a good match for the heat and complex flavor profile of this delicious curry dish. The spice would be tamed, but the flavors would be enhanced not muted by the Riesling's well-balanced acidity. If you want to opt for a more traditional rice wine find, you can't go wrong with Sake.
