Double IPAs may be one of my favourite styles (if you’re tuned into the zeitgeist, odds are they’re one of yours, too). But when a friend recently asked if I’d ever featured one in this column, the answer was no.
That’s not totally surprising. DIPAs are big, bold, and boozy, and they don’t always play well with others. Even richly flavoured dishes can taste wan and insipid in their wake.
But the question lingered in my mind, and grew into a challenge of sorts. What does pair naturally with a double IPA? People sometimes turn to barbecue or grilled meats, but I wanted something with sweetness and body, something that could mirror the pungency and tropicality of the hops. Something potent.
Then, I thought of this curry.
When I broke it down into its component parts, I realised this curry matched the classic DIPA profile blow-for- blow. It supplies richness and sweetness in the form of a coconut milk base. The tropical fruit aromas that characterise so many DIPAs? No surprise that they work well with actual tropical fruit — mango, in this case. And the full-on hop pungency is matched by what I think of as the curry’s pivotal ingredient: asafoetida.
Asafoetida is a spice with a serious aroma. Straight up, it’s pongy — even malodorous. But use a scant amount (I opted for 1/4 teaspoon, but you could use as little as 1/8), and you’ll find your curry transformed.
For the perfect pairing, you’ll need a DIPA that’s sweet and tropical, but with some bitterness and structure to it. That’s why I went with Siren’s Hop Candy, which is brewed with Simcoe hops — known for their earthy, even onion-y flavours — as well as spritzy lime zest. It’s funky, a touch hazy, fruit-forward, and even has a whiff of West Coast- style resinous stickiness.
In short, it’s a beautiful beer. And I’m happy to see it find a dinner partner at last.
South Indian-Inspired Prawn and Mango Curry
Serves 4
Curry paste:
5-6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 bird's eye chillies, stemmed
1 large piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
Pinch sea salt
Juice of 1 lime
Handful of fresh coriander
Curry:
2-3 tbs olive oil or ghee
1 onion, peeled and cut into slivers
20 curry leaves, divided
1 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp asafoetida
2-3 tbs tomato puree
1 400ml can coconut milk
100ml water
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1 mango, peeled and cut into matchsticks, divided
16 king prawns
To serve:
Steamed basmati rice
Fresh coriander, roughly chopped
First, prepare the curry paste. Combine the garlic, chillies, ginger, salt, lime, and coriander in a food processer and blitz on high speed, pausing to wipe the bowl down, until the mixture has a paste-like consistency. Set aside.
In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the olive oil or ghee until hot. Add the onion, and saute for 5-6 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the prepared paste and fry for 2- 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 10 curry leaves and fry for 1 minute. Add the turmeric, coriander, and asafoetida, and fry for 30 seconds before adding the tomato puree. Cook for 1-2 minutes more, stirring frequently. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Next, add the coconut milk and water to the mixture and stir to combine. Add half of the mango slivers (these pieces will virtually dissolve in the curry, which adds a wonderful sweetness). Lower the heat to medium-low and allow to simmer and gradually reduce for 15-20 minutes.
Next, taste the curry and adjust the seasoning if necessary. The sauce should be thickened and slightly darkened in colour.
Shortly before you’re ready to serve, add the remaining curry leaves, mango pieces, and the prawns (depending on the size of your pan, you may need to cook the prawns in two batches). Scoot the prawns into the simmering curry until they are covered by as much of the liquid as possible. Allow to cook for 1-1½ minutes until they have turned pink on one side; flip and allow to cook for 1-1½ minutes more.
(Side note: I prefer to use whole prawns, but you can also use the peeled and deveined variety. If you do opt for the latter, note that the cooking times will be ever quicker, so keep a close eye on them.)
As soon as the prawns are cooked through, remove the curry from the heat and serve immediately alongside steamed basmati rice. Garnish with the coriander.
Claire M. Bullen is a professional food and travel writer, a beerhound and all-around lover of tasty things. When she's not cracking open a cold one, she's probably cooking up roasted lamb with hummus. Or chicken laksa. Or pumpkin bread. You can follow her at @clairembullen. And pick up some Siren Hop Candy DIPA while stocks last in store or at our online shop.
