Demystifying Indian Cuisine
Started by Grossman41, Oct 27 2007 05:36 AM
One country, more than forty languages and roughly 1600 dialects! India is diverse to say the least and its languages are just one aspect of this diversity. Every state has its own traditions, culture, lifestyle, food…. It is ironic then, that when the rest of the world talks of Indian Food Recipes, the one word that comes to most minds is ‘curry’. This is perhaps the greatest understatement ever as ‘curry’ does not begin to sum up the amazing variety that is to be had in Indian cuisine. Not only does every state have its own style of cooking, even individual households differ in their preparation of the same dish. Most have their own secret recipes for the powders and pastes that form the backbone of the dish. What unifies all Indian Food Recipes is the spices that bring them their characteristic fragrance and flavor.
Diverse, delicious and not as difficult to cook as you might think, Indian is among the leading cuisines of the world. With every state, city and even every home having its own recipes for thousands of dishes, one can imagine how the variety is absolutely mind-boggling.
In North India chillies, saffron, milk, yoghurt, cottage cheese and ghee (clarified butter) are hot favorites while in the South, folks love pepper, tamarind and coconut and will often even cook in coconut oil. Those in the East love all things mustard and fish while the extremely cosmopolitan West Indians have so adopted western ingredients that their style can quite easily be called fusion.
Indians love their food. It plays a huge part in the country’s culture with festivals all having their own special dishes and certain foods being auspicious or even taboo on certain occasions. Even everyday meals are mostly sit-down affairs and comprise of two to three main course dishes, accompaniments like pickles, chutneys and papadums, staples like rice and roti (bread), all rounded off with something to satisfy the sweet tooth! Cooking for and sharing a meal with a guest is the ultimate sign of hospitality. While most people think Indians are largely vegetarian, Indian Food Recipes comprises of a dazzling array of meat, chicken and fish dishes!
Contrary to popular belief, Indian Food Recipes is not just about curry, chillies and oil!.There is probably no other cuisine in the world that includes as many healthy and diverse vegetables and spices. At the same time, Indian cuisine is not just for vegetarians. If the worldwide popularity of Butter Chicken, Rogan Josh, Vindaloo and Fish Amritsari is anything to go by, Indians know a thing or two about pleasing the non-vegetarian palate.
Diverse, delicious and not as difficult to cook as you might think, Indian is among the leading cuisines of the world. With every state, city and even every home having its own recipes for thousands of dishes, one can imagine how the variety is absolutely mind-boggling.
In North India chillies, saffron, milk, yoghurt, cottage cheese and ghee (clarified butter) are hot favorites while in the South, folks love pepper, tamarind and coconut and will often even cook in coconut oil. Those in the East love all things mustard and fish while the extremely cosmopolitan West Indians have so adopted western ingredients that their style can quite easily be called fusion.
Indians love their food. It plays a huge part in the country’s culture with festivals all having their own special dishes and certain foods being auspicious or even taboo on certain occasions. Even everyday meals are mostly sit-down affairs and comprise of two to three main course dishes, accompaniments like pickles, chutneys and papadums, staples like rice and roti (bread), all rounded off with something to satisfy the sweet tooth! Cooking for and sharing a meal with a guest is the ultimate sign of hospitality. While most people think Indians are largely vegetarian, Indian Food Recipes comprises of a dazzling array of meat, chicken and fish dishes!
Contrary to popular belief, Indian Food Recipes is not just about curry, chillies and oil!.There is probably no other cuisine in the world that includes as many healthy and diverse vegetables and spices. At the same time, Indian cuisine is not just for vegetarians. If the worldwide popularity of Butter Chicken, Rogan Josh, Vindaloo and Fish Amritsari is anything to go by, Indians know a thing or two about pleasing the non-vegetarian palate.
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Wholeheartedly agree Grossman 41. A particular favourite of mine is Curried Spam.
I also agree, however I tried curried fish, prauns etc the other night and didn't enjoy the texture. Any recipies greatly appreciated (meat please).
Regards,
Steve
Regards,
Steve
Dear All,
Interesting topic.
You might have added one more characteristic - it's hot. I love the flavours involved but the heat factor is simply always too aggressive (to put it politely) to enjoy the product for me. IMHO, people who love curry must have masochistic tendencies. Bit like the Kama Sutra.
Rgds / Charles.C
Interesting topic.
You might have added one more characteristic - it's hot. I love the flavours involved but the heat factor is simply always too aggressive (to put it politely) to enjoy the product for me. IMHO, people who love curry must have masochistic tendencies. Bit like the Kama Sutra.
Rgds / Charles.C
Dear Charles,
I totally agree, having served with the Gurkha rifles they are "masochistic" and love the curry "VERY HOT" even for breakfast.
Regards,
Steve
I totally agree, having served with the Gurkha rifles they are "masochistic" and love the curry "VERY HOT" even for breakfast.
Regards,
Steve
Dear Charles,
I just imagine the results if you have for dinner this hot recipe with a lot a curry and a cup of wine. Girls have to be careful on the dance floor
Emmanuel.
I just imagine the results if you have for dinner this hot recipe with a lot a curry and a cup of wine. Girls have to be careful on the dance floor
Emmanuel.
Dear Emmanuel,
Thks for the complimentary words.
Sadly, the truth is rather less romantic - the first thing I usually do when I am compelled to eat curry at some restaurant is to verify the location of the nearest toilet.
Not sure if it was the Gurkhas but I seem to remember a famous miitary philosophy - "Forewarned is Forearmed" or in this case perhaps "forelegged".
Interestingly and slightly more on-topic, there is a neat review of the KS at this website (paired with "Bend it like Beckham
http://redhotcurry.c...ters/Issue7.htm
Oh for a magic carpet !
Rgds / Charles.C
Thks for the complimentary words.
Sadly, the truth is rather less romantic - the first thing I usually do when I am compelled to eat curry at some restaurant is to verify the location of the nearest toilet.
Not sure if it was the Gurkhas but I seem to remember a famous miitary philosophy - "Forewarned is Forearmed" or in this case perhaps "forelegged".
Interestingly and slightly more on-topic, there is a neat review of the KS at this website (paired with "Bend it like Beckham
http://redhotcurry.c...ters/Issue7.htm
Oh for a magic carpet !
Rgds / Charles.C
Life is not all that easy for Indians who consume a lot of spicy food..Most of them suffer from acid reflux problems by mid 40's!
Its 'no...no' to HOT food after that!!
Bobby krishna
Its 'no...no' to HOT food after that!!
Bobby krishna