Indian Cuisine

The Indian cuisine is as diverse as its culture, languages, regions and its climate. Every major region of India brings its own unique dishes and subtle variations to popular dishes. Aromatic spices are the essence of Indian cuisine. Use of particular spices such as Coriander, Cumin, Fenugreek, Asafoetida etc., give indian foods its dintinct flavor. The cooking skill lies in the subtle blending of a variety of spices to enhance the basic flavor of a particular dish.

Milk products like ghee (clarified butter) and dahi (Yoghurt), a variety of dals (Lentils) and regional vegetables are other common ingredients in Indian cooking. Vegetables naturally differ across regions and with seasons. The style of cooking vegetables is dependent upon the main dish with which they are served. For example Sarson ka saag (mustard greens) is a perfect complement for the Makke ki Roti (corn flat bread) eaten in Punjab, while sambhar (lentil soup) goes great with Idlis (steamed rice cakes).

Most of the Indian cuisine today is a perfect blend of native hindu foods and unique culinary practices brought by various settlers. Although a number of religions exist in India, the two most influencal to Indian cuisine are the Hindu and the Muslim traditions.

The Muslim culinary tradition is most evident in dishes like Mughlai food, kababs, Kormas, koftas(meat-balls), biryani (rice with meats), rogan josh, and preparations from the clay oven or tandoor like tandoori rotis and tandoori chicken.

Chapatis or rotis (unleavened flat bread) or parathas (unleavened layered flat bread), rice and an assortment of accessories like dals , fried vegetables, curries,  chutney, and pickles are typical North Indian dishes.
South Indian food is largely non-greasy, roasted and steamed. Rice is the staple diet and forms the basis of every meal. It is usually served with sambhar, rasam (a thin soup), dry and curried vegetables and a curd preparation called pachadi. Coconut is an important ingredient in all South Indian food. The South Indian dosa (rice pancakes), idli (steamed rice cakes) and vada, which is made of fermented rice and dal, are now popular throughout the country. The popular dishes from Kerala are appams (a rice pancake) and thick stews.

Most of the sweetmeats in Indian desserts are from Bengal region e.g.  rasagulla, jalebi, sandesh, rasamalai and gulab-jamuns. A majority of sweetmeats are milk preparations usually soaked in syrup. Kheer (rice pudding) and Seviyan (Vermicelli pudding)are other common northern desserts. Desserts from the south include the Mysore pak and the creamy payasum .