Food pairing
Beer with dal
Spiced lentils — earthy, savoury and comforting, with gentle heat.
Earthy lentils with cumin, turmeric and usually a tempered spice finish. Soft, savoury and mildly aromatic rather than hot.
Aromatic spice rather than chilli decides it. A beer with its own gentle spice character bridges, and the soft texture means carbonation matters less than usual.
Dal rules a lot of beer out, but several beers do the job it needs equally well. Pick between them on preference — the reasons matter more than the order. The attribute doing most of the work is aromatic spice.
What to drink
Dunkelweizen — strong
Peppery and clove-like notes from the yeast pick up the warm spicing in the dish — the same aromatic family on both sides.
Weissbier — strong
Peppery and clove-like notes from the yeast pick up the warm spicing in the dish — the same aromatic family on both sides.
Dubbel — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Flanders red ale — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Oud Bruin — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Belgian blond ale — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
London brown ale — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Sweet stout — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
What not to drink
- Bock — Delicate food needs a beer that stays out of its way.
- Double IPA — Capsaicin is an irritant rather than a flavour, and alcohol and hop bitterness both intensify it. A sweeter, lower-strength beer will do more for the heat.
- Wee heavy — Delicate food needs a beer that stays out of its way.