INTRODUCTION Indian cuisine is famous & relished all over the world & enjoys a reputation at par with other cuisines of the world. The culinary of Indian cuisine is a science, which has developed over thousands of over. The classic range of regional cuisines from North top South & East to West reflects the great size of India & its unparalled cultural heritage. The Indian Cuisine is both vegetarian & Non Vegetarian Indian food has an unmatched charm because of the extravagant spices used in Indian Cuisine, thus India is better understood as “HOME OF THE SPICES”. The art of preparing authentic Indian Food does not involve an overdose of spicing but the delicacy & mixing of right spices in right quantities. India is a land of diverse religions, customs, festivals, culinary flavors & climatic conditions. Thus each part of India has added & enhanced the flavor of dishes by blending spices, herbs & condiments to make the dish more exquisite, exotic & heavenly. KOMAL TANEJA Tourists visiting India are puzzled by the vast size & population of India & of course the diversity of the culture & cuisine respective of each part of India. Tourists can enjoy & relish a hearty Indian meal if they are guided well in hand. But the foreigners visiting India are generally served with dishes, which have been tailor-made to suit western taste buds, or they are offered dishes inappropriate to their tastes. The food is either too hot or too rich & oily for them and sometimes the flavor of a dish is camouflaged by excessive use of spices by different restaurants or chefs, which they are unable to produce authentically true to its taste. Various Indian Cuisines from all parts of India along with their festivals
N – E – W – S (INDIA)-IN HOUSE FOOD GUIDETHE NORTHERN INDIA Starting from the Northern peak of JAMMU & KASHMIR it stretches from HARYANA, HIMACHAL PRADESH, UTTRANCHAL, U.P. to the colorful & vibrant PUNJAB. The main festivals here are Baisakhi, Lohri, Basantpanchami, Makarsankranti, Diwali, Holi, Rakshabandhan, Karwachuath, and Janamasthmi & Shivratri. The North Indian Cuisine is unique & significant because of the use of Gram Masala powder & lots of Ghee, Butter or Oil, which gives a distinctive taste & aroma to the cuisine the must to taste dishes of the various regional cuisines, are – VEGETARIAN: Sarson Ka Saag & Makki ki roti with Sweet Lassi, Chole Bhature, Rajma Chawal, Mughlai Shahi Paneer, Dam aloo, Muttor Shufta, Paneer Tikka, Mixed vegetable Jalfrezi, Malai Kofta Curry, Navratan Korma, Gobi Mussalam, Gujiyas, Aloo Puri, Vegetable Biryani etc. NON-VEGETRIAN: Kashmiri Roghan Josh, Lamb pasanda curry, Chicken do piyaza, Mutton do piyaza, Yakini Pulao, Gushtaba, Butter Chicken & Naan, Dal makhani with pudina parantha, Tandoori chicken tikkas & seek kebabas, Chicken Biryani, Palakwala gosht, Murg makhani, Amritsari Fish Fry, Mutton Korma, Rasedar Gosht with steamed rice. KUCH MEETHA HO JAYE (SWEET TOUCH) Gajar ka halwa, Chawal ki kheer, Rice phirni, Shahi tukra (bread pudding), Meethi seviyan (Vermicelli), Gulabjamun, Rasmalai, Muzaffar Lazeez.
EASTERN INDIA This comprises of states like Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa, Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Sikkim, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya & Arunachal Pradesh. The flavor & taste of the East is their Sweet delicacies. Fish, Rice & Coconut are their staple diet. People use oil in large quantity for seafood delicacies & the extensive use of cottage cheese to make Bengali Sweet preparations like Rasgulla, Chamcham, Sandesh, Payas & Chenna. The main festivals here are Durga & Kali Puja of Bengal, Bihu of Assam, Chath of Bihar, Dussehra, Diwali & Holi are also celebrated all over with joy & happiness. The traditional food specialties are – VEGETARIAN (BENGAL STYLE) - spicy potatoes (aloor dum), Vegetable Curry (aloor potoler dalna), Cabbage with peas (bandha kopi tarkari), Choler Dal (Bengal gram with coconut), Mocha ghanto (Banana flower) ORRISSA STYLE – potato & parwal curry (aloor potoler rassa), green gram with vegetables (dalam), Soft rice with green gram & vegetables (khichuri). ASSAM STYLE – black gram with ashgourd (matimah khar), creamy milk & rice with palm jaggery (jalgurer payesh), Steamed sweet curd (bhappa doi), NON-VEGETARIAN:Hilsa fish in mustard (Illish sarso Bata), Sour Fish Curry (Tenga – Assam Style), Prawns in coconut milk (chingri macher Malai curry), Mutton Curry (manshol jhol – Bengali style), Prawn Pulao (Chingre Pulao), Mutton with white peas (manshor – ghugni), Butterfish in yogurt (dahi pamphlet). Desserts as told above. THE WESTERN INDIA This part of India is an excellent combination of Greenery, Deserts & Beeches that makes it a hot Tourist Destination. It covers states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra & part of Goa. The main festive attractions of this part of India are Teej, Janamasthmi (Birth of lord Krishna), Rakshabandhan or Rakhi of Rajasthan & Navrattri with dances like Garbha & Dandiya of Gujarat are famous all over the world. Ganesh Chaturthi & Durga Puja of Mumbai is also very special along with Navratri & Diwali. Significant lip - smacking dishes of this region are -: RAJASTHANI – batichurma, pancharatni dal, gate ki subzi, sangari ka achar, The desserts are very innovative & delicious – Mohan Thal, Basundi Dhoodhino Halwa (Bootlegourd Halwa), Saffron sirikhand (Saffron in Thick Curd), Amrakhand (Mango puree in curd), Puran Poli (Rotis stuffed with sweet moong dal), Jalebis (moong dal halwa) THE SOUTHERN INDIA This part of India is divided into 5 main states on basis of Cultures, traditions & languages – namely – Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka & major part of Goa. Other than these Lakshadweep. Pondicherry & Andaman and Nicobar Islands are also included in this region. The important festivals include Pongal, Onam, Dussehra of Mysore. As this southern part of India is a predominantly agricultural paradise, these festivals signify the prayers offered to god at time of cutting of crops & are joyfully celebrated. The various multi cuisines here are - VEGETARIAN:Upama, steamed rice & semolina (rava) idlis, Dosas, Sambhar (Red gram & Vegetable Curry – Tamil Style), Vadas, Uttapam, Sukha chana (Whole Bengal Gram – Manglore style), Lemon rice (Tamil Style), Vegetables in coconut & curd (Avial – Kerala Style), Rice cooked with split green gram (Ven Pongal), Jack fruit Seed curry (Thiyyal), Bengal Gram & Vegetable Curry (Kuttir Curry), Nawabi Pulao (Hyderabadi Style). NON – VEGETARIAN:Meen Curry (Fish Curry Kerala Style), Machli Pakoras (Kerala Style), Hyderabadi Gosht Biryani, Chicken Curry (Kozhi Kuttan Kerala style), Mansam chops (Mutton Chops Andhra Style), Mangalore style Mutton in Green Masala, Mutton Masala (Aattirachi Curry – Kerala Style), Prawn Gassi, Goan Fish Curry, Shikhampuri Kebabas – (Andhra style) Sampling of Indian Food along with its unique breads & accompaniments in undoubtedly divine & magical. Some mouth-watering accompaniments are mentioned below which will haunt one’s memory forever if relished once. STREET / ROAD SIDE FOOD CRAVINGS Irresistible Street or Roadside foods of Dhabas, Small kiosks or from street hawkers have been popular in demand increasingly both in rural & urban cities of India. This includes – Various types of Chaats – Fruit Chaat, Aloo Chaat, Chaat Papri, Dahi Bhalle ki Chaat, Raj kachori, Gol Gappas. Other’s are – Pao Bhaji, Bhel Puri, Sev Puri, Ragra Pattise, Batata Vada, Besan chillas, Moong Dal Chillas, Assorted Pakoras (Onion, Cauliflower, Paneer, Mixed Vegetable, Brinjal, Potato & Spinach, Samosas, Bhujiyas, Aloo ki Tikka etc. INDIAN CULINARY METHODS The most popular method includes –
“PRESENTATION OF FOOD DOESN’T LAST LONG BUT THE TASTE, FLAVOR & CRAVINGS LINGERS ON FOREVER” “KOMAL TANEJA” FOOD TIPS FOR EATING OUT
Wishing you an enjoyable & recreational trip to India. KOMAL TANEJA
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