Pairing Cumin Cocktails With Grilled & Smoky Indian Dishes

Cumin is a popular kitchen staple in most Indian households that has, over time, made its way into modern mixology. Today, the spice is used in the preparation of a number of cumin cocktails because its earthy and subtle flavours highlight the tastes of other fruity and tart ingredients in drinks. 

Cumin cocktails and food pairings can lead to the combination of the umami and toasty flavours.  As the spice pairs well with dishes which contain similar tasting notes, work with foods that are grilled on an open flame or are barbecued or placed in the tandoor to render them that smoked and roasted quality.

Here are some grilled and smoky dishes that pair well with cocktails made by adding either toasted cumin seeds or jeera powder to the blend:

A classic dish from West Bengal, the grilled fish recipe kasundi involves marinating fish in mustard and grilling it on an open flame. With this, the fish acquires a charred quality that goes well with the earthiness of the mustard marinade. Kasundi’s smoked and slightly burnt flavours and crispy exterior complement the similarly earthy flavour profile of cumin cocktails, like a spiced jaljeera gin fizz made using 30 ml Gordon’s The Original London Dry Gin.

Another smoky dish that pairs well with cumin cocktails, like a cumin kokum vodka spritzer, is grilled corn that is coated in cumin, butter and lime. Prepare the spritzer using 30 ml Ciroc Ultra Premium Vodka. Add to it 15 ml of kokum syrup and 1 tablespoon of roasted cumin powder. The toastiness of the cumin’s flavours in the drink synchronises with the umami and earthy notes of the cumin butter in the corn, undercut in turn by the tartness of the lime. Grill the corn on an open flame so it acquires its signature charred touch.

A favoured Mediterranean staple, charred lamb kebabs marinated in a sauce made out of mint, cumin, chilli and other spices is an interesting dish to serve alongside a cumin cocktail like the spiced cumin margarita. Use 30 ml premium Don Julio Blanco Tequila to prepare this drink, whose cumin-forward flavours go well with the spicy and umami taste of the kebabs. Serve a yoghurt dip with the lamb kebabs cooked on an open flame or in the tandoor.

A grilled chicken recipe complete with a spicy masala marinade and a smoky finish that comes from cooking the skewers on an open flame, this is a suitable appetiser for pairing with cumin-forward cocktails. The earthy and deep tastes of cumin derived from a cumin whisky sour recipe suit the similarly smoky taste of the skewers. When cooked on a charcoal flame, some of the smoky aroma seeps into the dish, giving it added layers of flavour that go with the cumin cocktail made using 30 ml of premium Johnny Walker Black Label.

Prepare a classic cumin-flavoured gin and tonic recipe using 30 ml Tanqueray No. Ten Gin. Pair it with charred eggplant for an interesting food and drink coupling. The soft and slightly sweet interior of the gourd carries subtle smoky notes when it is cooked on an open grill, which complement the toastiness of cumin powder present in the cocktail. Serve the eggplant with a lime and yoghurt dip to balance out the umami flavours with a sweet and acidic finish.

• Use smoke as a linking element. The smokiness from your grill or tandoor complements the toasted cumin notes in the drink and creates a cohesive relationship between them. 

• Balance rich foods with sour drinks. Dishes containing yoghurt, butter or marinades will pair well with cocktails containing citrus or sour components. This will run through the richness of the food, without masking its flavour. 

• Do not over-layer spices. If there are already prominent spices in the dish, try to keep the cocktail's cumin note distinct yet not overwhelming so that you still have clarity in the pairing. 

• Keep cooking methods in mind. Cooking methods like open flame, charcoal and tandoori produce different types of smokiness, and therefore, your cocktail should also have a similar depth and flavour to complement the food. 

• Consider using garnishes thoughtfully. Lime wedges, herbs, or a light sprinkling of roasted cumin can be added to cocktails that mirror flavours from the dish, without having to use identical flavour components. 

• Focus on the sequence of serving items. Start with light dishes and progressively serve heavier char-grilled items at each course to maintain balance throughout the entire pairing.

Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.