Indian Cooking

Indian curry has long captured the world’s taste buds with its distinct flavor and aroma. A concoction of exotic spices and flavors, the curry is used to cook vegetables or meats. Travel to India, and you will find that the curries, breads, and sweetmeats available to tease the senses are limitless.

Indian cooking is a mix of different cultures and traditions. The cuisine changes as one travels from North to South or East to West. One common thread is the use of spices. Literally thousands of masalas, or spice blends, abound but the popular ones are cardamom, chili powder, cumin seeds, garam masala, mustard seeds, nutmeg, cinnamon, and turmeric powder. The hallmark of Indian cuisine is the flavor of the spice combinations.

Apart from rendering a unique flavor, these spices also have medicinal properties. They may be used whole, ground, fried or roasted. These spices were once the commodities that drew European traders to travel the high seas to trade with India.

Regional differences in Indian cuisine abound. In the Northern most areas of Kashmir and Punjab, there are strong central Asian influences through Mughlai food, especially in biryani (meat and rice layers) and Korma, which is mainly meats cooked in spicy sauces. In the Northern Plains, wheat breads called paranthas and chapattis (unleavened bread) are a staple along with dals and vegetables. The Muslim influence on cuisine here is in the form of koftas (meat balls), kababs, and kormas (meat curries). Moving down South, the staple is rice and sambhar (a vegetable and lentil concoction) as well as a spicy hot meat, vindaloo.

Rice preparations like idly and dosa are popular throughout the country. Coconut, which is found in abundance, is used to prepare many dishes like appams and stews. The coastal regions specialize in fish and the desert regions in pickles. Vegetarians have a wide choice, as many Indians do not consume meat. Apart from spices, ghee or clarified butter and curd are popularly used in dishes. Sweets are of a great variety from kheer (rice and milk pudding) to shahi tukra (Bread pudding).

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