An influential part in the evolution of its cuisine has been played by India’s religious beliefs and culture. The cuisine of India has had a remarkable influence on cuisines across the world, especially those from Southeast Asia. In particular, curry, which originated in India, is used to flavor food across Asia.
The staples of Indian cuisine are rice, atta (whole wheat flour), and a variety of pulses. *Pulse (legume) an annual leguminous crop yielding from one to twelve grains or seeds of variable size, shape and color within a pod. The most important of which are masoor (most often red lentil), chana (bengal gram), toor (pigeon pea or yellow gram), urad (black gram), and mung (green gram). Pulses may be used whole, dehusked or split. Some of the pulses like chana or "Mung" are also processed into flour (besan).
Most Indian curries are cooked using vegetable oil. Groundnut oil is traditionally popular in cooking in North and West India while in Eastern India they use mustard oil. Coconut and gingelly (sesame) oils are common in South India. Two oils which have gained popularity in India recently are sunflower and soybean oils. Hydrogenated vegetable oil, known as Vanapati ghee, is also popular in cooking. It replaces Desi ghee, clarified butter (the milk solids have been removed).
The most frequently used spices in Indian cuisine are chili pepper, black mustard seed (rai), cumin (jeera), turmeric (haldi, manjal), fenugreek (methi), asafetida (hing, perungayam) *a powdered gum resin from a large fennel-like plant which imparts a very strong onion-garlic flavor), ginger (adrak, inji), coriander (dhania), and garlic (lassan, poondu). There are also popular spice mixes such as garam masala usually a powder of five or more dried spices commonly including cardamom, cinnamon and clove. Some leaves are also commonly used like teipat (cassia leaf), coriander leaf, fenugreek leaf and mint leaf. Typical of all South Indian cuisine is the use of curry leaf. In sweet dishes, cardamom, nutmeg, saffron, and rose petal essence are used. The term "curry" is usually understood to mean "gravy" in India rather than "spices".
North India:Many dairy products are used in North Indian cuisine. Milk is used for baking flat breads like roti (an unleavened flatbread made from atta flour), paratha (an unleavened flat bread made by pan frying whole wheat flour on a tava which is a concave, disc shaped griddle), and kulcha made with Maida flour and baked in an earthen clay oven (tandoor).
A popular North Indian snack is samosa which is usually filled with boiled, fried or mashed potato. Other fillings may include minced meat, cheese (paneer), mushroom (khumbi), and chick peas. Goat and lamb meat are favored.
Some typical dishes from North India:The Punjab region:Tandoori Chicken – a chicken is marinated in yogurt and seasoned with tandoori masala. Cayenne pepper, red chili powder to give it a red hue. Traditionally cooked at high temperatures in a clay oven (tandoor) but may be prepared on a grill.
Butter Chicken or Murgh Makhani - a chicken with or without bones is marinated overnight in a yogurt and spice mixture usually garam masala, ginger, garlic paste, lemon or lime pepper, coriander, cumin, turmeric and chili. Afterwards the chicken is grilled, roasted or pan fried. Makhani, the sauce is made by mixing and heating butter, tomato puree, various spices and fresh cream. When the sauce is ready then the chicken is chopped and cooked till the gravy and chicken have blended.
Rogan Josh an aromatic curry dish which includes lamb and spices. The spices may include paprika, aniseed, cloves, cumin, cinnamon and others. Modern variation have ginger, garlic and yogurt and some also use tomatoes.
Beef Pasanda – beef is cut into cubes and marinated in yogurt for 24 hours. In a heavy pan ghee is melted and onions fried then garlic, ginger, ground coriander, garam masala, red chili pepper, paprika, ground cumin and turmeric are added. To this mixture the beef and yogurt are added and cooked until the meat is tender. Served with rice.
A typical Rajasthani curry:Kadhi a spicy yogurt based soup containing fried chickpea flour and vegetable balls called pakoras. It is eaten with rice and roti. The main ingredients are yoghurt, water, chickpea flour, freshly grated ginger, curry leaves, black mustard seeds, cumin, asafetida, fresh, dry or powdered chili, fenugreek seeds, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, fresh coriander leaves, oil or ghee and salt.
Some dishes from the state of Uttar Pradesh:Kofta are minced or ground meat balls usually beef or lamb mixed with spices and or onions.
Pakora a fried snack made by taking one or two ingredients, such as chicken, onion, eggplant, potato, spinach cauliflower, tomato or chili and dipping them in a batter of gram flour and then deep frying them.
East India:The cuisine of East India is famous for its desserts, especially sweets such as rasgulla which is made from balls of chhena (an Indian cottage cheese) and semolina dough, cooked in sugar syrup and sandesh a confectionery created with milk and sugar. East Indian cuisine also offers the delights of posta (poppy seeds). The traditional cuisines of Orissa, Bengal and Assam are delicately spices. The general ingredients that are used in their curries are mustard seeds, cumin seeds, nigella (dry roasted seeds are used), green chilies, cumin paste and the spice mix panch phoron (means five spices – fenugreek, nigella seed, mustard seed, fennel seed and cumin seed) or panch phutana. Mustard paste, curd, nuts, poppy seed paste and cashew paste are preferably cooked in mustard oil. The classification of curries are bata (paste), bhaja (fries), chochchoree (less spicy vaporized curries) and jhol (thin spicy curries). These are usually eaten with plain boiled rice or ghonto (spiced rice).
A traditional breakfast includes panta bhat (a lightly fermented rice-based dish) or pakhaal, as well as cereals, such as puffed rice or pressed rice, in milk often with fruit. The cuisine of Bangladesh is very similar to eastern Indian cuisine, particularly that of West Bengal. Fish and shellfish are commonly consumed. The most popular vegetable dish of Bengal in Sukto. Deep fried, shallow fried and mashed vegetables are also popular. Rice is the staple grain and a regular meal consists of lentils, a primary non vegetarian side dish usually made of fish and a few other secondary side dishes made of vegetables.
Dishes from the Bengali region:Jhal is a favorite. It is made with fish, shrimp or crab. At first lightly fried, then cooked in a light sauce of ground red chili or ground mustard and a flavoring of panch phoron or kala jeera.
Jhol a light fish or vegetable stew seasoned with ground spices like ginger, cumin, coriander, chili and turmeric along with pieces of fish and slices of vegetables floating in it. Whole green chilies are usually added at the end and green coriander leaves are used to season for extra taste.
Kufta (or Boras) where ground meat or vegetable croquettes are bound together by spices and/or eggs served alone or in a savory gravy.
From the state of Orissa:Besara a dish where assorted vegetables are stir fried in panch phutana and a mildly spiced sauce.
Charchari – sautéed mixed vegetables, diced potatoes and shrimp in a spice mustard sauce.
Dahi Maachha – fried fish in a mildly spiced yoghurt sauce.
South India:The cuisine of South India is distinguished by a greater emphasis on rice as the staple grain, the ubiquity of samber and rasam (also called chaaru/saaru), a variety of pickles, and the liberal use of coconut and particularly coconut oil and curry leaves. Curries called Kozhambu are popular. They are vegetable stews cooked with spices, tamarind and other ingredients. This cuisine obtains its distinct flavor through the use of tamarind, coconut, lentils and a variety of vegetables. Each region has its own individual way of preparing certain dishes.
Some dishes from the city of Hyderabad:Baghara baingan a dish made with stuffed eggplants, a delicacy where tender and fresh brinjals are stuffed with a ground peanut-coconut mixture and cooked in a rich and creamy paste.
Bina Masale Ka Murgh – chicken done with only curd, turmeric and saffron.
Chakna – a dish made with goat intestines and tripes cooked with flour and other spices.
West India:There are three major food groups in West India – Gujarati, Maharashtrian and Goan. In Maharashtrian cuisine the coastal regions depend more on rice, coconut and fish. The hilly regions of the Western Ghats and Deccan plateau regions use ground nut in place of coconut and depend more on jowar (sorghum) and bajra (millet) as staples. Gujarati cuisine is predominantly vegetarian. Many dishes have a hint of sweetness due to the use of sugar or brown sugar. Goan cuisine is influenced by the Portuguese colonization of Goa.
Maharashtrian cuisine:Kobi chya wadya – cabbage rolls made with shredded cabbage coated in chick pea flour batter.
Batata bhaji – deep fried, fine potato slices coated with chick pea flour batter.
Throughout India the staple beverage is tea. The finest varieties grown are found in Darjeeling and Assam. Tea is generally prepared as masala chai, where the tea leaves are boiled in a mix of water, spices such as cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and ginger and large quantities of milk to create a thick, sweet, milky concoction. Coffee is another popular beverage, largely served in South India. One of the finest varieties is coffee Arabica which is grown around Mysore, Karnataka and is marketed under the trade name "Mysore Nuggets". Especially popular in South India is Indian filter coffee or kaapi. Other beverages include nimbu pani (lemonade), lassi, chaach, badam doodh (almond milk with nuts and cardamom), sharbat and coconut water. In South India there is a beverage served cold known as Panner Soda or Gholi Soda which is a mixture of carbonated water, rose water and sugar.
India also has many indigenous alcoholic beverages, including palm wine, fenny and Indian beer. There is also bhang, prepared using cannabis and typically consumed, especially in North India, during Holi and Vaisakhi. However the practice of drinking a specific beverage with a meal or wine and food matching is not traditional or common in India. People often prefer to consume water with their food because water doesn’t overshadow the taste of the food.
Pepper ChickenIngredients:
1 cup whole chicken
3 onions finely chopped
2 tomatoes finely chopped
2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
2 tsp fennel seeds powder
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp garam masala
3 tsp red chili powder
2 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp turmeric powder
4-6 tsp freshly ground pepper powder
2 tsp coriander powder
2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
salt to taste
oil
Method:
Clean the chicken and cut in small pieces. In a nonstick frying pan, heat the oil. Then add the mustard seeds and the fennel seeds powder.
After they fry, add the ginger-garlic paste and allow to fry on low heat.
After the ginger-garlic paste fries well, add the onions and allow them to cook till they are golden brown in color.
Then add the chicken pieces and mix well.
Sprinkle the garam masala, red chili powder, turmeric powder and the salt and allow to cook for some time.
Then add the cumin seeds, coriander powder and pepper powder, mix well and allow to cook some more.
When the chicken is half cooked, add the coriander leaves and the tomatoes and mix well.
Cover the pan and let the chicken cook well.
Serve hot with chapits or parathas.
Lamb In a Red GravyIngredients:
1 lb lamb cut into small pieces
Blend together to a fine paste:
2 medium onions
1.5" ginger
6-8 flakes of garlic
a small piece cinnamon
2-3 cloves
2 black cardamom
Blend together to a fine paste:
10 red chilies
1 lb. tomatoes
Cooking oil
2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
Coriander leaves(Cilantro), chopped
Salt to taste
Method:
Heat some oil in a pan and fry the first blended mixture till done.
Add the second mixture and fry till the mixture has lost all the water content and oil begins to float on top.
Now add all the dry powders and fry for a minute.
Add the lamb, salt to taste and the cilantro.
Add some water and simmer the curry for around 10 minutes.
The gravy should turn thick by then. Eat when ho
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