Like last week’s, this recipe is taken from the book “I Grandi Cru d’Italia Meet the Cuisine of India, China and Japan,” where it is presented in combination with Velenosi’s Rosso Piceno Superiore Roggio del Filare 2022.
The Committee Grandi Cru d’Italia, which brings together the best Italian producers (to be a member, the wines produced must have been judged at the highest level for at least 20 years by wine guides and magazines from around the world) presented in Verona, during Vinitaly, this book showing the “love marriage” between the best Italian wines and some masterpiece dishes of Asian cuisine.
Today’s recipe is Indian. Served in homes in Uttar Pradesh and rooted in Awadhi cuisine, this dish is a popular snack, prepared for Iftar during Ramadan in Muslim households and as a festive specialty in Hindu celebrations.
We worked out the details of the recipe from the description provided.
Ingredients for a dozen pancakes:
- ½ cup hung curd (strained yogurt)
- 50 g grated Amul cheese
- 100 g paneer (fresh vegetarian cheese) grated
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves
- 1 small onion
- Salt to taste.
- 3-4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2-3 tablespoons water
- Breadcrumbs to taste.
- Frying oil
To serve
- Chaat masala (powdered mix of spices)
- Tomato chutney (sweet and sour sauce of Indian origin)
- Kachumber salad (cucumber, carrot, pickled onion, lemon julienned)
Proceedings
Chop the ginger, coriander and onion.
Saute the onion in a pan to brown.
In a bowl, combine the hung curd (strained yogurt), Amul cheese, paneer, ginger, cilantro, and onion. Mix gently while maintaining some consistency. Salt.
Prepare a thick batter with cornstarch and water.
Form medium-sized balls with the mixture.
Dip them in the batter, then dip them in breadcrumbs.
Fry in plenty of oil, not too hot, until golden brown.
Serve hot, sprinkled with chaat masala and adding the chutney and kachumber salad.
In the chalice:
Rosso Piceno Superiore Roggio del Filare 2022 Velenosi
Very intense and concentrated ruby. Ethereal, enveloping aromas with notes of maraschino cherry, black cherry and fresh almond, then spicy hints of cinnamon. Full-bodied, warm palate with dense but fine, velvety tannins. Persistence of considerable length. Great version.
Production area: Estate vineyards in the municipality of Castorano, located at an altitude of 200 meters. Clay and limestone soils.
Grape varieties: Montepulciano 70%, Sangiovese 30%. Planting density of 5,000 vines per hectare, Guyot pruning, yield per hectare of about 65 quintals of grapes (1.2 kg per plant).
Harvest: Hand-harvested in mid-October, early in the morning or late in the afternoon, in small crates placed in cold storage before arriving at the winery.
Production processes: Following destemming, the grapes are conveyed into 100 hl steel fermenters equipped with a programmable pump-over system (for maximum results in color extraction and wine smoothness) and temperature control. Maceration on the skins lasts for about 28 days. After fermentation, the wine is rested in new barrels, sourced from French artisanal cooperage, for about 18 months.
Alcohol content: 14.5% vol.
Serving temperature: 18°C.
Recommended pairings: Grilled or roasted red meats (beef, lamb), braised and stewed meats, spiced meats or meats with rich sauces. Also traditional Marche dishes (vincisgrassi, rabbit in porchetta), seasoned and savory cheeses, dishes with truffles.
