Back in 1962 when Sam Panopoulos, a Greek immigrant living in Canada; put pineapple on top of a pizza, people thought it was blasphemous and wrote it off. But here we are, half a century later, where the Hawaiian pizza has found its place on every pizzeria’s menu!
There are many more similar food combinations that are in theory, an absolute no-no, but once you try them, their flavours and textures surprise you and make you want more.
The Hawaiian pizza is not the only whacky food pairing that you must try, there are so many more combinations worth trying and we’ve got them all listed for you right here!
1. Chocolate and Potato Chips
Chocolate makes everything better!
It is a fact, and if you do not believe us, you can take your crispy plain salted potato chips and dunk them in melted chocolate to experience it for yourselves. It truly is a taste revelation unlike any other. And so delicious is this off beat pairing that some of the largest chocolatiers in the world have taken out a line of products dedicated to this flavoured pairing.
2. Pesto Dosa
We’re talking about combining south India’s favourite dish with the absolutely delectable Italian dressing – Pesto! The two flavours are standalone hits as well, but when you combine the two, you get the best of two (culinary) worlds! The lentil pancake with a filling of pesto tastes so good that perhaps you’ll consider making pesto a permanent addition to your South Indian meal menu.
3. Chilli Chicken and Naan
Traditionally, combining two dry textured dishes is not ideal, but believe us when we say – “you’ve got to try this combo”! The juicy and succulent chilli chicken with its oriental flavour profile, pairs beautifully with a fluffy naan topped with yellow butter. It is an indulgence that’s worth every calorie.
4. Mango and Malai on Toast
Before you go “eww gross” we compel you to try it out! It is a ‘desi hack’ that helps you recreate a creamy mango tart, at home; minus the baking and well…the tart!
Our childhood is full of glistening memories of malai toast topped with sugar and this combination allows you to relive those cherished memories with the added deliciousness of mangoes. The textures go surprisingly well too (just make sure that the toast is nice and crispy)!
5. Momos in Kadi
Momos have recently become north India’s favourite street food! You can find them in an array of flavor combinations- from tandoori to chocolate- but not all are quite so successful. However, there is one we absolutely love, though it is relatively rare to find, but you can make it at home… It’s the combo of fried momos in kadi! The yogurt based kadi is a delicious addition to your crispy fried momos, so much so that you do not require any additional condiments with the dish which is a whole meal in itself! Who would have thought …right?!?
6. Nutella Biryani
Addition of sweet flavours like coconut milk to rice/sticky rice has been done aplenty in the past as well, but the addition of chocolate to rice is a recent phenomenon. Nutella’s melting nearly liquid consistency, goes really well with plain basmati rice! Just be sure to add crushed cashew nuts on top- and you will have a simple yet delicious go to dessert, ready to devour.
7. Samosa Ice cream
A dish that’s fried and has Ice cream- what’s not to love?
Samosas have seen many fillings in the past but this unusual one will blow your mind. It is a tad complicated to make, given that the ice-cream tends to melt and ooze out, whilst the samosa is being fried; but the trick is to freeze the ice cream to a rock-like solid consistency and then wrap the samosa strip around it and fry it really quick! It is so delicious that you’ll want to make them every day for dessert, just remember to have melted chocolate on the side as a dipping sauce.
8. Sweet potato and Vanilla Ice-cream Chaat
Those of us who grew up or studied in the north of India, have eaten shakerkandi (sweet potato) chaat from the local street vendor often enough. This dish sees our childhood snack in an all-new avatar- that is fried to a crisp and muddled with vanilla ice cream and a dash of chocolate sauce. Alternatively, you could cut the sweet potato, like you would French fries and use the vanilla ice cream as a delicious dip.
9. Maggi and bhujiya/ Masala Lays
Maggi is India’s favourite snack time dish is a known and accepted fact. Sprinkle it lavishly with crushed potato chips or bhujiya (a savory spicy mixture that’s often served at tea time), and it’ll become your favorite ‘kind’ of maggi, ever!
10. Kadhai Paneer and Croissant
Kadhai paneer is a flavourful North Indian dish that is generally served with a fluffy naan or a paratha. But might we suggest that you, French things up a bit and try pairing your favourite curry with the flaky deliciousness of a croissant- it’ll be the best thing you’ve eaten in a while, trust us!
We Indians are foodies who don’t mind venturing into unknown flavour-filled lands, in search of delicious gems hidden behind the veil of the ‘offbeat’ and ‘unusual’. We won’t be surprised if you have heard of or even tried some of these food combinations.
But, if you haven’t…. what are you waiting for? Give them a try and let us know how it worked out for you.
If you have more food combination ideas that are whacky yet unbelievably delicious, do share them with us! We’d love to know and try them for ourselves!