Eating food is like having a sensory experience. From the aroma to the presentation to the taste, all of these elements have to be in sync for us to truly enjoy the process. While dining out or even hosting dinners at home, our meal usually begins with an appetiser, followed by the main course and desserts. Since all these meals offer different flavours, it's important to cleanse your palate in between to truly relish their taste. After all, who likes the lingering taste of a spicy curry in their mouth when it's time to eat dessert? In this article, we present to you some of the most popular foods that can be used as a palate cleanser. Take a look.
What Is A Palate Cleanser?
As the name suggests, a palate cleanser is meant to cleanse your palate. It helps neutralise strong flavours in food between meals. They are served in small portions and allow us to prepare our palate so that we can effectively differentiate between varying flavours.
What Is The Purpose Of A Palate Cleanser?
There is no one single palate cleanser, which is why we can't put them all under the same category. A variety of different foods are used as palate cleansers, each serving a different purpose. For instance, cheese is used to neutralise the palate while tasting wine and is more popular in western countries. In India, yoghurt, raita, fennel, and amla are some popular options that are used to balance out the spiciness of the food.
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Here Are 5 Common Foods That Can Be Used As Palate Cleansers:
1. Yoghurt
We all know that yoghurt is healthy for our gut. But did you know it works as an effective palate cleanser as well? It has cooling properties and helps provide relief, especially after we've eaten something spicy. Since most Indian food is high in spice content, having some yoghurt in between meals helps balance out the strong flavours. You can make it even more refreshing by adding fresh pudina or cucumber to it.
2. Sorbet
Sorbet is basically a frozen dessert made with fruits, sugar, and water. It includes no dairy and makes for a refreshing palate cleanser in between meals, especially during the hot summer months. Mango, litchi, and lemon are some of the most preferred fruits to make sorbets, as their tangy taste helps neutralise flavours. If you too wish to make sorbet at home, here's an easy recipe for you to try.
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3. Pickled Ginger
Pickled ginger is a popular palate cleanser in between courses of sushi. Its soothing flavour helps clear the fishy aftertaste or strong flavour of wasabi that may linger in our mouth. But pickled ginger is not just restricted to Japanese cuisine; you can even have it with Indian meals. Make your own at home by marinating slices of ginger in vinegar and consuming it between different courses.
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4. Cucumber
Cucumber, too, works as an effective palate cleanser. It doesn't have a strong flavour by itself and provides a cooling sensation to the taste buds. It also has a high water content, which helps in providing hydration and removing strong smells from the mouth quite effectively. You can have cucumbers as is or even serve them with a refreshing dip.
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5. Green Tea
Green tea is another excellent palate cleanser. Wondering what makes it so great? It's the presence of a compound called tannins, which is known to have a cleansing effect on the palate and helps remove strong flavours. You can sip on it in between meals or even after them. If you want to know how to make the perfect cup of green tea, click here to learn about it.
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Now that you know about these foods, use them to cleanse your palate in between meals and enjoy them to the fullest.