| The name Charles Metcalfe will ring a bell for | | | | is zeera or saunf. With Indian cuisine, what work |
| anyone acquainted with Delhi. A master of oriental | | | | best are fruit forward, slightly dry whites (like a |
| languages, he took charge of the Mughal capital | | | | Riesling or a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, which |
| under the East India Company in 1811. He was an | | | | goes great with that evening’s bharwan mirch |
| opulent character who behaved like Mughal satrap, | | | | packed with goat cheese mousse and chili aam |
| but the Charles Metcalfe I met at Indian Accents, | | | | papad chutney). |
| Rohit new Restaurant in Delhi tony | | | | Red wines are tricky, especially if the tannins |
| neighbourhoods, was anything but posh. A gifted | | | | haven’t softened up-they accentuate the chilli, |
| wine writer and speaker with a charming wife | | | | which is not a very comfortable feeling, but a |
| (Kathryn is also his writing better half). Charles can | | | | young Tempranillo from Spain or an Australian |
| claim credit for liberating Indian food in Britain | | | | Shiraz, like the one that simply danced with the |
| from the tag of being appropriate only for lager | | | | Tamarind glazed lamb shank we had for dinner, |
| louts. Wine sophisticates scorned Indian cuisine, but | | | | can add lots of excitement to any Indian meal. |
| Charles, with his spot-on pairing suggestions for | | | | Charles and Kathryn have written extensively on |
| Chor Bizarre restaurant in Mayfair, brought wine | | | | wine, food and travel in Spain and Portugal. If only |
| bar in delhi, culture to Indian restaurants. | | | | they would travel the curry route across India |
| Charles paired the wines with the menu and | | | | pairing wines along the way. I may have set them |
| reminded us that no one wine could suit Indian | | | | on this journey when I urged them to ditch |
| cuisine, an idea that seems lost on other wine | | | | Karim’s and check out the seekh Kebabs an |
| writers. As with any other cuisine, you select a | | | | mutton korma at neighbouring Al-Jawahar. I |
| wine to go with a particular dish only after | | | | wonder which wines will go with them. This is |
| you’ve checked out how it has been cooked. | | | | written by Sourish Bhattacharya is Executive |
| A wine that goes with a yoghurt based dish may | | | | Editor, Mail Today. |
| not work with a preparation where the main spice | | | | |