Postcard from HK

What is the one thing that Indians miss most when travelling? If you guessed food, you are spot on. Dear wives, nobody misses you, not even other wives.

But food is primary on every Indian's mind, or more so, it’s acceptability. They all try to figure out just how they can find something that will not just fill their stomachs but also provide a sense of satiety.

Tall order that when travelling through countries where the staple dishes for subsistence happens to be meat. China is one such place. We may have so many home-grown recipes for “Chinese Cuisine” which no Chinese would ever recognise. HK, on the other hand does a great job of maintaining not only traditional places, but also having some inventive cooking which draws inspiration from traditional dishes and styles.

While in HK recently, I paid special attention to trying to understand the essence of these dishes and to see how they could be best paired with wine. Here are my personally vetted 8 (the Chinese lucky number) recordings.

1.    Flavours are subtle even when meaty: Just because a dish is cooked in a light broth doesn't mean it will not pack a mouthful of flavour. As a result, it may need a stronger than normally perceived wine to go alongside.
2.    Eggs pair badly. Soup too. The prevailing stench in the first and the temperature in the second case make them rather unfavourable compatriots. Chinese cuisines have plenty of both often, so try and be prudent.
3.    Seafood is important in Shanghainese cuisine and that is best with nice crisp whites.
4.    Sichuan fare, on the other hand, can be super (peppery) spicy. Prefer fruity wines here. This advice was given to me by Lau Chun, the owner of one of Hong Kong's premier private dining establishments, Yellow Door Kitchen, and after  multiple trials, it stands verified.
5.    Fruity reds are always a safer bet than oak-rich reds. Bordeaux is bad for most Chinese fare.
6.    Whenever a sweet sauce is used, the wine needs to have some fruit, as perhaps also some residual sugar to pair effectively.
7.    With dim-sums, the best thing to have is Chinese Tea. This little tradition is called a yum cha meal. Yum is to drink and cha, well, is tea. So lots of tea and lots of warm little steamed hearts and you have the perfect Sunday brunch. The City Hall has a great dimsum place but also fantastic is the chain called Super Star seafood. My favourite is the crabmeat and soup (yes, soup!) stuffed Xiao Lung Bao. Pu-Li tea works fine with; wine can wait (but if you must, go for a nice clean fruity style with some layers as opposed to something strict and sharp).
8.    Not all dishes can always be paired: This is the final and the most important learning. Sometimes we go overboard trying to pair without realising that the dish has existed for decades, maybe even centuries without ever having 'required' wine. As a result, sometimes it may be best to leave it out.  The discretion to know when to pair and when to stand down will come with experience. Just keep your senses humble to the dishes and glasses in front of you and let them do all the talking.

All this evolved over one short trip to this wonderful place. I can’t wait for another round of gastronomic indulgent learning.