For those who can stomach a good spread of spicy food, you definitely have had your fair share of different spicy cuisines. From the numbing Sichuan hot pot, sour spicy Thai Tom Yam, spicy garlic Korean fried chicken to Vietnamese spicy beef stew, there’s a whole world of spicy food for you to enjoy, But above all else, Indian food is one thing that all spice fanatics can’t let go of!
But what should you drink when you want to sip something in between your spicy meal? Do you drink to mellow out the spice or you want to elevate that spiciness to a new level? Do your go-to beers work well with the spicy heat? What’s the perfect beer to have while you’re happily burning your tongue? Chef Manogren Thevar, owner of the Michelin-starred restaurant Thevar, shares expert tips about pairing beer with spicy food, in parallel with his collaboration with Carlsberg Smooth Draught.
Little Background On Chef Mano
A Penang born-and-bred chef who started his culinary journey because of his father as he used to take him around to explore new flavours, especially in the neighbouring countries of the island.
Although never trained in an Indian restaurant before, Chef Mano was determined to go back to his roots in an effort to discover and understand his culture’s flavour. He thereupon embarked on a month-long trip to India, meandering through the North and South part of India, to sample the various iterations of curry, pani puri and other Indian delicacies.
Today, Chef Mano continues pushing his limit, always seeking improvements to delight and surprise the palate by bridging the heritage flavours of Indian culture.
Take Delight In The “REAL Spicy, REAL Smooth” Drinking & Dining exBEERience
When things slowly get back to normal, the energy of us all reuniting and being together again is going to be like nothing else. To celebrate the life we are returning to, Carlsberg is reuniting beer lovers on a “Real Spicy, Real Smooth” drinking and dining exBEERience campaign this April and May.
Joining forces with Penang-born Chef Mano Thevar of the Michelin-starred restaurant, Thevar, Carlsberg Smooth Draught presents boundary-defying cuisine paired perfectly with its signature smooth brew and promises an evening of unforgettable smooth and spicy gastronomy.
“I was really happy when Carlsberg approached me for this collaboration. It not only gives me the opportunity to experiment with creating new flavours from Carlsberg Smooth Draught, but also a chance to bring my food to my fellow Malaysians. It is also always great to work with a globally renowned brand that produces world class brew,” said Chef Mano.
https://youtu.be/7bprsjSNBdo
Cooking with beer is not a new concept, and is usually adopted by westerners. But when it comes to spicy food, how does beer blend well with the bold Indian flavours? According to Chef Mano, Carlsberg Smooth Draught’s signature smoothness and refreshing happy taste make it a great pairing-beer to most types of food, specifically spicy food. With its extremely refreshing attributes, it helps cut through the overall richness of Indian food, providing an extra dimension of flavour with more depth.
“We use a lot of wine in our cooking but not so much with beers. I’m very happy to collaborate with Carlsberg Smooth Draught and to try my hand at creating new flavours. Right now, I’m doing some taste-testing and R&D in the kitchen. I’m making Beurre Blanc using Carlsberg Smooth Draught instead of white wine traditionally. We’re tweaking recipes and trying to match diners’ preferences when it comes to the taste of Carlsberg Smooth Draught in our food,” said Chef Mano.
Diners coming for the Real Spicy, Real Smooth dining exBEERience will have a choice of lamb, seafood or vegetarian – all of which will have Carlsberg Smooth Draught infused with them. And that’s not all! They are also serving Carlsberg Smooth Draught infused dessert — Ras Malai, made using Carlsberg Smooth Draught ice cream and pistachios to bring out the nutty flavours!
More Surprises Await You!
A first-class treat for Carlsberg Smooth Draught beer fans, 100 lucky contest winners and their partners, will be rewarded with the ultimate dining exBEERience Grand Prize. The full VIP excursion includes accommodation, a chauffeur driven ride for the evening and a date with Michelin starred Chef Mano Thevar serving up distinct delicacies specially created for the “Real Spicy, Real Smooth” spread worth RM2,000!
What’s more, consumers who frequent their favourite bars or pubs will be able to enjoy a sizzling happy hour deal anytime they purchase 10 half pints, six full pints, two buckets or a tower of Carlsberg Smooth Draught. To top that off, they will also be in the running to win a coveted spot for two at the “Real Spicy, Real Smooth” dining exBEERience.
In participating super and hypermarkets, 99 Speedmart and official Carlsberg online stores, RM5 Touch ‘n Go e-wallet credit is up for grabs with purchase of two 6-can Carlsberg Smooth Draught packs or get RM10 Touch ‘n Go e-wallet credit with purchase of one carton (24-can pack) of Carlsberg Smooth Draught. This also lands consumers another avenue to win a seat at the table at the exclusive dinner party!
100 lucky winners will also be able to claim RM388 Touch ‘n Go e-wallet credit when they purchase RM20 worth of Carlsberg Smooth Draught in participating convenience stores.
Meanwhile, for those who prefer catching up with friends at their local coffee shops, they will be able to enjoy two big bottles of Carlsberg Smooth Draught, plus an additional RM2 price off their purchase!
Last but certainly not least, it is only for 21+ non-Muslims only. Always practice mindful drinking, and remember, if you drink, don’t drive – #CarlsbergMY #CarlsbergSmoothDraught #CelebrateResponsibly.
To find out more about promotions in-store, you may visit the link here. Also, don’t forget to like and follow Carlsberg Malaysia on their Facebook and Instagram for latest activities and giveaways!
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