Chinese food is delicious whether you have it from a great restaurant, in your own backyard, or you are traveling to one of the countless other countries around the world where it is popular. As wonderful as Chinese food might taste, it can sometimes be difficult to determine just what type of drink is going to go best with it. This is due in part to some of the exotic flavors and spices that are so often used with this cuisine.
Fortunately, we can provide you with some tips that can help you to make the best drink pairings with Chinese food.
Types of Wine for Chinese Food
Many connoisseurs agree that different types of Asian food tend to work very well with German Riesling, particularly when the food happens to be quite spicy. The sugar in the wine is said to work well to balance the spice.
SeriousEats.com has said that the acidity in wine is what makes it work well with spicy food, including Szechuan fare. Their article agrees that Riesling, along with Chenin Blanc can work very well with spicy Chinese food.
Those who are enjoying some Dim Sum will find that there tends to be different types of food options and spice levels. This can make picking the right wine trickier. However, choosing wines that have high acidity and significant weight tend to be a good choice.
Fetzer and Hogue Gewurztraminer wine works well when paired with shrimp fried rice, and red wines, such as Malbec and Shiraz can work for Chinese food items that utilize a lot of BBQ sauce. They’ve also mentioned that light Chinese dishes often work with Alpha Estate Rose.
What Beers Work with Chinese Food?
While wine might be a popular drink choice, you do not want to forget about the possibility of pairing beer with your Chinese food. According to BirchBox.com, the basics of choosing a beer to pair with food tends to be relatively easy. You want a lighter beer for lighter fare, and a heavier beer with heavy dishes. However, this does not always make it easier to know what works best with Chinese food. Here are some tips.
If you are having some spicy food, as many Chinese dishes are, you will find that an India Pale Ale, or IPA, does a good job of cutting through that spice. A pilsner is often a good choice for lighter food, such as seafood. If you are having a dish that has roasted meat, a porter could work out nicely for you.
As you can see, it does not have to be difficult to find the right drinks to pair with your Chinese food. Once you find a few combinations that you like, you might even want to branch out and try some other options, just to see how it all tastes!