Nisha Katona’s curry in a hurry
Quick Angry Tandoori
Olly’s wine pairing: Cave de Beblenheim Pinot Gris Reserve (13%) £10.99, Waitrose
Alsace Pinot Gris is my favourite with tandoori dishes; it has a sleek texture and the flavour of the very ripest pear rounds off the spice in the dish beautifully.
At this time of year, wines from this French region feel like the best windfall bounty.
Indian Scrambled Eggs
Olly’s wine pairing: Bouvet Ladubay Brut (12.5%) £13.99, or £9.99 in a Mix Six, Majestic
This bubbly from France is brilliant. Chenin blanc is the lead grape – think ripe apples. It’s fantastic to pour with this fragrant egg dish – fizz is always delicious for brunch – and the bubbles are dreamy to contrast with the glossy texture. An icon from Saumur in the Loire Valley.
Sumac Lamb Steaks
Olly’s wine pairing: M&S Found Zweigelt 2021 (13%) £8.50
With that tart sumac twist, a red with depth is called for, but it’s best to keep things on the lighter side so as not to overwhelm the subtleties of the salad.
This Austrian Zweigelt is silky and one you could serve a little cool (20 minutes in the fridge should do it) just to emphasise its fruity, cherry-like exuberance.
Scrumptious and elegant!
Green Bean and Mango Dahl
Olly’s wine pairing: Aldi The Falls Canadian Riesling NV (11%) £7.99
Great fun to find an off-the-beaten-track wine of this calibre on Aldi’s shelves. Fruity and zesty, it’s a zinger that’s delicious with this combination of crunchy beans and mighty mango. Canada produces some seriously good wine and this is a welcome step on the way to exploring their fantastic vineyards more deeply.
Chicken, coconut and pineapple curry
Olly’s wine pairing: Tesco Finest Torrontes (13%) £7.50
This Argentinian white grape is epic to match with mild and creamy curries; I love its gorgeous aromatic flourish (lemon curd meets lime marmalade) and exotic citrus flavours with richly textured luxuriance.
Tremendous for a weeknight wonder, the fragrance of this good-value curry pairing is as memorable as it is magical.
Balsamic and Anise Fruit
Olly’s wine pairing: Casa Ermelinda Freitas Moscatel de Setúbal (17.5%) £9.95, thewinesociety.com
A sweet treat from Portugal that isn’t a rampaging, cloying, thick and heavy dessert wine but more of a zinging barley sugar. With orangey freshness, it also works well if you want to lengthen it with tonic water, but served as it is from the fridge, it’s a treat with this fragrantly spiced fruit pud alongside vanilla ice cream.
