Dhal

Dhal

Assuming yellow or red lentils cooked with turmeric, finished with ghee tempered with cumin, garlic, ginger and a little chilli.

Dhal is earthy, gently spiced and rich with ghee, and it often carries a little chilli heat. The wine needs aromatic lift to meet the cumin, ginger and turmeric, enough texture for the ghee, and modest alcohol so the chilli does not sting. Tannic reds turn harsh against the spice and the earthy lentils.

Pairs Perfectly. Pinot Gris, Alsace, France, in its dry style. Rich and gently spiced with ripe stone fruit and a faint smokiness, it has the body for ghee and the aromatic warmth to meet cumin and ginger without adding heat.

Pairs Well. Torrontés, Salta, Argentina. Off dry and scented with orange blossom and grape, it lifts the spice and calms any chilli.

Pairs Well. An orange wine, preferably a lightly tannic, herbal skin contact Catarratto from Sicily, for example a COS Rami or a COS Pithos. Its gentle grip and dried herb notes bridge earthy lentils and warm spice.

Worth Seeking Out

Scheurebe from the Pfalz, Germany, in its off dry style. Grapefruit and blackcurrant leaf over bright acidity and a touch of sweetness, which suits a dhal with a little more heat.

Avoid

Tannic reds and heavily oaked, high alcohol wines. Spice and earthiness make tannin harsh, and alcohol turns chilli into a burn.

Failing That

An off dry Gewürztraminer from Alsace, France.

If All Else Fails

Albariño, Rías Baixas.

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