Whether you’re a beginner, an enthusiast, or a long-time fan, there are always untold stories to be discovered in the mysterious, closed-off world of Whisky. And it won’t be wrong to say that pairing a good whisky with some great plates is always a chefs dream. When we talk whisky and food pairing it mostly sees toe main parameters -either the whisky compliments the food or totally contrast and both work.

While even whiskys are used as marinades, while stir-frying, glazing or in desserts, lets not forget that different styles of whisky open up best when paired with some great flavours and textures.  For example, like the smoked salmon goes best with lighter single malts, and so on lets see how this whisky based cocktail Penicillin, that is made with Oaksmith gold pairs best with

Penicillin 

•    Oaksmith Gold 50ml

•    Lemon Juice 17.5ml

•    Honey Mix 15ml

•    Ginger to muddle

Penicillin goes best with biryani/ Pic- Ayandrali Dutta

 Method Muddled & Shaken

•    Glass Old Fashioned 

•    Garnish Ginger Slice

Food pairing

Pair with some rustic Indian food like a Tandoori chicken or Dum Biriyani

Boneless Tandoori Chicken Tikka by Chef Kunal Kapoor

Oaksmith Gold Neat with a splash of water Paired with: Tandoori Murgh Kebab / Tikka as these lightly flavoured kebabs with not-so-hot spices will work well with the flavor intensity that Oaksmith Gold brings in with its unique combination of scotch malts and bourbon whisky opened up ever so gently by a splash of chilled water.

Tandoori chicken tikka/ Pic- Kunal Kapur

 

Ingredients 

First Marination

•    Chicken leg boneless — 500 gm

•    to taste Salt

•    1 nos Lemon

•    ½ tbsp Ginger paste

•    ½ tbsp Garlic paste

Second Marination

•    5 tsp Mustard Oil

•    1½ tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder

•    1 cup Curd

•    to taste Salt

•    1½ nos Lemon

•    ½ tbsp Ginger paste

•    1½ tbsp Lemon juice

•    a pinch Chaat masala

•    ½ tsp Kasoori methi powder

Method

•    Pat dry the chicken and it with sprinkle salt, lemon juice, ginger and garlic paste.

•    Mix and keepaside for at least half hour.Meanwhile pour mustard oil in a fresh bowl and add kashmiri chilli powder to it. Stir and add thickcurd, lemon juice, salt, ginger paste, garlic paste and methi leaves powder. Mix it and keep aside.

•    Now squeeze between your palm the chicken to remove any excess moisture. Place the chicken inthe second marinade mix to coat the chicken evenly.Heat a grill pan to high. Lightly oil it and place the chicken pieces on high heat on the pan. Within2-3 mins turn over to get grill marks on the other side as well.

•    Now lower the heat and cook thechicken on both sides till it is cooked. This may take 15-20 mins. Alternatively, you can cook the chicken in an over preheated to 220c for 20 mins.

•    Remove and serve hot with a lemon wedge and sprinkle some chaat masala.

Dum Biryani by Director Culinary - Sreenivasan Govindarajan, Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi Airport

The reason why Oaksmith Gold on the rocks with a twist of citrus The beauty of Biryani’s from the south of India is that they use a lot of ‘green spices’ (coriander, mint, green chillies etc) that give it a heat kick unlike the ones from the north which are more fragrant and use larger cuts of meat. 

Dum Biryani - India is home of Biryani’s no matter you go to any states you will find each states has their unique flavours and techniques of making Biryani’s, However Awadhi and Hyderabadi Biryani’s are well renowned for their cooking techniques and distinctive flavours . Biryani’s are soul meal of all the time but during Ramadan its considered most trusted meal in iftar and Suhoor as well.

The taste of biryani blends great with Oaksmith Gold/ Pic- Radisson Blu

 

Recipe

•    Mutton leg/ Country Chicken     1kg

•    Yoghurt     200gm

•    Ginger    25gm

•    Garlic    25gm

•    Kashmiri Chilli Powder    100 gm

•    Red Chilli Powder    80gm

•    Turmeric Powder    30gm

•    Garam Masala Powder    50gm

•    Kasoori Methi    20gm

•    Ghee     100gm

•    Mint leaves     10gm

•    Brown Onion    100gm

•    Fresh Green Chilli    50gm

•    Bay Leaf    2gm

•    Green Cardamom     5gm

•    Cinnamon Sticks    2gm

•    Cardamom Big     5gm

•    Refind Oil    100ml 

•    Biryani Rice    600gm

•    Salt     80gm

•    Kewra Water    5ml

•    Saffron    1gm

Method of Preparation:

•    Place the basmati rice in a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 30 minutes. Drain.

•    In a Handi marinate lamb/ Chicken with yoghurt, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf and chilli powder and ginger garlic paste and all spices

•    Let the meat marinate in refrigerator for 3 hours, add refined oil mint leaves and coriander.

•    Heat water in another pan, add soaked rice, green cardamom, refined oil mint leaves , cooked the rice till it gets 50% done, strain the rice and let the excess water drain.

•    Put marinate lamb in gas stove, add rice layer by layer, pour ghee, saffron and brown onions at last.

•    Cover the Handi with lid by applying Atta roll in the corners to get the perfect dum and aroma.

•    Let the Biryani dum for 30 min in lower flame, turn off the flame open the lid after 20 min Serve hot with raita or saalan.