Experience food from around the world with My Kitchen Rules SA semi-finalist, Luyanda Mafanya at the July SAB World of Beer food and beer pairing in Newtown, Johannesburg.
Making use of the self-taught chef and food-blogger’s passion for internationally inspired dishes, the menu boasts authentic cuisine from countries such as Thailand, Mexico, South Africa, USA and even ancient Greece.
Beers such as Corona, Redds (a flavoured alcoholic beverage), Castle Milk Stout, Budweiser and Stella Artois will be paired with each country. “While you may think of wine as the companion to food, the depth and versatility of beer cannot be oversold”, explains Mafanya.
Corona
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The Thai dish will be Phad Thai, a stir fried rice noodle dish, paired with Corona, a beer with rice, sugar, lemon and light grass flavours. “Corona has a sweet taste of light malt, with shades of corn, light floral, light sugar, and faint bitter hops”, says Mafanya.
“There’s a lot to consider when searching for a delicious beer pairing but this amber liquid is more than up to the task. The malty sweetness works in concert with the sweet sauce and serves as an accentuating foil to umami.
"Bitterness and carbonation turn up the heat and clear away the oil. Citrusy and herbal hop flavors check in with the green and talk to the Phad Thai. A bit of yeasty fruit flavour can send the whole thing over the top”, adds Mafanya.
Redds
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The Mexican dish will be pulled chicken tacos paired with Redds. “The common misconception is that Redds is a cider, but it’s not - it’s a golden ale with red apple hints”, says Mafanya.
“The savoury meat, sweet onions, and garlic are complex enough, but then the addition of barbecue sauce takes the flavour profile to another level,'' she adds. The varying flavours in the sauce, plus the fat from the pork, suggests that the dish needs a contrasting flavoured beer. A beer with comparable flavours would get lost in the taste of the pork and be a little more than just wet.
Castle Milk Stout
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The proudly South African dish features slow cooked beef stew beer dumplings paired with Castle Milk Stout. “For casual entertaining during the Winter, nothing beats a comforting bowl of stew”, says Mafanya. “Stout is known for its malty flavour, roasted scent, chocolate, coffee and creamy notes. This makes it the ideal pairing with a hearty stew”, she adds.
Budweiser
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The American dish will be burger sliders paired with Budweiser. This is a quintessential beer. Light, crisp, and supremely refreshing. “The simple greatness of the burger is deceptive. What seems such an easy arrangement of meat, bread and cheese at its most basic is actually a product of some sophisticated science, says Mafanya.
Stella Artois
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Dessert will be a Grecian dish: crème brûlée cheesecake paired with Stella Artois. “If you were going to introduce someone to beer the last course you’d probably think of would be dessert but as I discovered while creating this menu, it can be a surprisingly successful combination”, says Mafanya.
Mafanya will guide guests through the pairing on Saturday July 27. (from 15h00 to 19h00)
Tickets are R750 per person on webtickets. Alternatively, for bookings and further information, contact events on (011) 836 4900 or [email protected]