Indian cuisine is popular with its distinctive and complex flavors, capturing the hearts of many foodies. Indian food is extremely diverse and vibrant due to its religious and regional influences, also the extensive use of spices and herbs has led to the complex flavor layers.
Starting a food exploring journey in India offers a mesmerizing array of tastes, textures, and culinary traditions. This article lets you dive into some interesting insights about Indian food culture’s charm, starting from the origins and lists of delicious food!
The essence in India culinary culture
Diversity in regional cuisine
Each region has its own unique specialties and cooking techniques:
North Indian cuisine: Known as the heart of Indian cuisine that reflects a strong Mughal influence, you can mainly see the use of tandoor-cooked meats, and vegetables, as well as the heavy use of dairy products such as cream in dals and yogurt in marinades. As a result, an assortment of breads are typically consumed with northern meals, including naan, tandoori roti, chapatis, and parathas.
North India states: Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh,Uttarakhand.
Southern Indian cuisine: It is well-known for the bold, aromatic, and often spicy delicacies. It has an extensive usage of rice as main carbs, coconut milk and spices, such as mustard seeds, curry leaves, chili peppers, and tamarind.
South India states: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu.
Western Indian cuisine: The gastronomy world is divided into 3 main regions: Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat. Goan cuisine is influenced by Portuguese cuisine and uses pork or beef with greater frequency than other regional cuisines. While Maharashtra’s coastal regions have seafood-centric and coconut milk-dominant cuisine. Gujarat’s culinary scene is dominated by an array of plant-based dishes that shows the Chinese influence.
West India states: Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Nagar Haveli, Rajasthan, and the Union territory of Daman and Diu and Dadra.
Eastern Indian cuisine: The cuisine uses less spices than other regions and is significantly impacted by Tibetan, Chinese, and even Western cuisine. Its cuisine is primarily known for its desserts like Rasgulla and Sandesh.
East India states: Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal and the union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Harmonious use of spices and herbs
The aromatic ingredients not only lend distinctive tastes to Indian dishes but also play a vital role in the rich cultural heritage of India. As one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of spices, spices are used in almost every dish in its cuisine. They are used in various forms, such as whole, ground, or roasted. Cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, mustard seeds, black pepper, and chili peppers are among the common spices and herbs found in Indian cuisine. In which, Garam masala is a staple of Indian cooking and an essential ingredient in many recipes that comprises versatile spices.
The term “garam masala” literally means “hot spice mixture” in Hindi and other Indian languages.
Vegetarian and vegan traditions vary from religious believes
Diversity in religious belief is also reflected in its cuisine that shows the versatility of Indian vegetarian and vegan dishes. The fact that Muslims abstain from pork and Hindus from beef has resulted in an extensive variety of vegetarian and vegan meals in Indian cuisine. Approximately 40% of India’s population is vegetarian, according to Pew Research Center.
Some popular vegetarian and vegan foods include: Aloo Chaat (fried potato), vegan Sambar, Chana Masala curry, Palak Paneer (spinach-based curry), Paneer Tikka Masala (grilled cheese in spicy sauce), etc.
Explore iconic food that define vibrant India’s culinary world
It’s time to indulge in a mouth-watering array of some signature Indian food besides famous curries:
Biryani: A flavorful rice dish that consists of fluffy sticky and fragrant Basmati rice with meat, vegetables, or seafood.
Indian Thali: A traditional large plate that contains an assortment of different dishes, typically served together as a complete meal. It comprises a well-rounded and balanced diet with diverse components such as Rice or Roti, curry, pickle veggies, yogurt, and desserts.
Chaat: A tangy, and crunchy street food that has many variations from the base of crispy puffed rice or fried bread/potato fritters to the toppings and the sauces. Popular chaat you can find at many stalls or restos are papri chaat, papdi chaat, popular northern India aloo chaat, masala chaat, and so on.
Tandoori Chicken: A beloved and iconic Northern Indian dish of grilled chicken marinating in a yogurt-based sauce. The dish is served with fresh lemon wedges, mint chutney, and a cooling raita (yogurt-based condiment).
Masala Tea: also known as Chai, Masala tea is a beloved and aromatic beverage that is an integral part of Indian daily life. Black tea is brewed with aromatic spices like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, black pepper to add the bold taste to this drink. You can try this cup of tea in many food stalls along the streets!
Jalebi: A deep-fried sweet soaked in a sugar syrup that is embraced as a celebratory dessert in weddings, religious ceremonies. It is also a popular street food in the North. The golden brown dessert will give you the burst of chewy texture and sweetness in every bite!
If you are planning to visit India, don’t forget to embark on a sensory journey to discover more about the country’s rich cultural tapestry!
