India Cuisine
For
Indians food is a gift of gods and is treated with respect. Based
agmatic medical precepts evolved over centuries of experimentation
observation, Indian food is aimed at nourishing the body and is
pleasing to the mind and eyes. Ingredients of each meals are based
on six rasas or flavours-sweet, salty, bitter, astringent, sour
and pungent- each ingredient believed to have particular physical
benefit on application of the right proportionate use.
Indian Cuisine is considered to be one of the three great distinctive
Cuisine's of the world, the other two being the Chinese and the
French.
Indian cuisine aims to satisfy needs of the ton gue and body,
from sweet to sour bitter or hot, from heating to cooling foods,
from food for body to food for the brain. Within these parameters,
each region has nurtured its own culinary tastes using different
combination of spices. No country in the world has developed such
elaborate and tasty range of vegetarian cuisine as India.
Characteristic of all Indian cooking is the inspired use of spices.
Immense care is taken to ensure that spices enhance rather than
dominate the basic flavour and they do not diminish nutritive
value.
Indian curry contains pieces of mutton, chicken or fish in a sauce
Based on the famous onions, tomatoes, yogurt or coconut milk enriched
By three 12 condiments. Someofthemorecelebratedculinary traditions
Of India originated in the royal courts of the Mughals, in Oudh
and Hyderabad. All the three cuisines can be sampled at speciality
restaurants As well as regional food festivals that deluxe hotels
hold periodically.
while mutton, chicken and fish are served throughout the country,
The other with which they make their appearances differs. In Kashmir,
mutton is the chief attraction in the 24-course banquet, WAZWAN,
each dish being cooked in a different way seperate from The other.
Of all coastal States in the country Goa, Kerala and Bengal Have
culinary traditions with a preponderance of fish with Goa and
Kerala making profuse use of coconuts. Goan seafood delights include
Crab, lobsters, tiger prawns and shellfish, all accompanied by
rice and Washed down with excellent wine and wermouth of local
manufacture. Kerala, as all other southern States, is noted for
its variety of crisp PANCAKES - DOSA and STAEMED RICE CAKES -
II from pounded rice.
DAHI (CURD) is part of almost every Indian menu. Served to mitigate
the chilly "hotness" of some dishes, it is often mixed
with vegetable or fruit and is lightly spiced to create the 'RAITAS'
of the north and the 'PACHADIS' of the south.
In many parts of the country, THALI meals are the norm. these
largest platters contain up to a dozen dishes in individual servings
consisting of meat chicken, vegetables - with gravy or dry, pulses
accompaniments and widely served.
Some of India's best, evened culinary traditions are the TANDOORI
cooking best known and loved. TANDOOR is the Indian oven, a homely
clay lined cylinder filled with sizzling coals. Restaurants that
serve Tandoori food often have a section where cooking is done
by the simple expedient of wielding a metal stick. As the heat
of the oven reaches 600 c. cooking time is counted in minutes
and seconds. Tandoori ;meats use no oil and are normally accompanied
by yougart dips.
Some of India's best loved dishes are favourite of every family
as for SARSON KA SAAG, prepared from green mustared leaves simmered
all night long on a coal fire. It is available only in the winter
There are also the interesting dishes of the Parsis. 'DHANSAK'
meat cooked with five different dais and an unusual blend of spices
and 'PATRANI MACHT lightly spiced fish steamed in banana leaves,
are just two examples.
Chutneys and pickles-sweet, sour or hot, or all three,whip the
appetite and add relish to a meal. Every conceivable ingredient
can be used: mint, coriander, mango, ginger and lime.
'PAPADS', roasted or fried savory crisps, are also popular meat
adjuncts. Made of previously rolled and dried lentil or rice dough
they provide the crunchiness considered essential to repast.
PAU BHAJI is a passion in Mumbai where roadside stalls have a
cauldron of simmering vegetables which are served with a bun.
BHELPURI
in Mumbai and CHAAT in Delhi are roadside snaks of crunchy morsels
tempered with piquant seasonings.
To describe INDIAN SWEET'S as merely being made of milk, reduced
milk or cottage cheese and sugar syrup is an oversimplification
of a highly specialised branch of cooking. Sweet traditions in
Bengal, Bikaner and Delhi are famed throughout the country. Finally,
there is the satisfying ritual of the after-imeal PAN (BETEL),
a must for any true connoisseur of Indian food. Lauded for its
digestive and medicinal properties, it is a fragrant combination
of Betal leaf, aerca nut, catechu, cardamom, clove and a choice
of a whole Host of other exotic ingredients of varying flavours,
effects and strengths.
Non-alcoholic beverages include the countrywide favourite in NAMBU
PAN a squeeze lime over sugar or salt served in water or soda
Yougart and water are vigorously churned to make BUTTER MILK,
a delicious accompaniment to Indian meals. Bottled fizzy drinks
Include various brands of indigenous lime, orange and cola.
Other FRUIT-BASED DRINKS-apple, guava, mango, tomato-are available
in tetrapack and tins.
SODA and MINERAL WATER are also widely available. India's alcoholic
beverages include gin and rum which are comparable to the finest
internationally as well as whisky. India's dozens of brands of
BEER encompass very good pilsners and largers available in bottles.
Liquor is available at most restaurants especially those in hotels.
It is either imported or made in India.
In addition there are local variations like ASHA and KASTOORI,
the saffron liquor of Rajasthan and FENI, the strong brew of Goa
usuallyavailable in the concerned States.
Although the local food of the region is available at many restaurants,
the cuisine of Punjab has become standard Indian fare in most
of the middle and high priced restaurants throughout the country.
Similarly Udipi restaurants serve vegetarian South Indian cuisine
all over India at low prices.
Every
major hotel offers, a choice between INDIAN, CONTINENTAL, CHIENESE,
ITALAIN and FRENCH delights in the speciality restaurants.
Western style confectionery-chocolates, cakes, cookies and "iarzipan
are available in the pastry shop confectioneries in all metro
cities,
TEA : The cup that cheers is a must for millions all over the
world every rooming and Assam is a leader in production of tea.
Indian Tea! Flavour of Darjeeling and Assam tea has reached across
ans in all continentals. A cup of tea that cheers and cares. Tea
is an ideal beverage that files into the healthy way of life-tempers
the SPtrits calms the mind, prevents drowsing, enlightens and
refreshes the body and clears perceptive faculties. Tea is taken
in various forms as a health giving drink with and without milk
and sugar.
Easily available everywhere in India-on footpaths, from small
restaurants to restaurants in five star hotels, bus depots, at
taxi stands, railway stations, airports and at the place you name
it.
