India is a large country with a huge population. In fact population-wise, it is only second to China in the world’s records. And with many different languages spoken in 28 states and 7 Union territories, varied traditions and foods, the country is as diverse as no other in the world. In this regard, food from one state of the country can be totally foreign to a person from another region.
However, a similarity in Indian cuisine is the use of a number of different spices to create a unique flavor and aroma.
Indian food, not unlike any other country’s national food scene, is a vast constellation of culinary influences and traditions from all over the Asian continent.
Traditional Indian food is built from the same flavor foundations. However, dishes vary widely between North Indian and South Indian cuisine.
Besides the standard spice kit of peppers (dried whole and powdered), garlic, ginger, and allspice, common ingredients in Indian cooking include:
- Chili peppers (dried whole and powdered)
- Mustard seeds. We are used to seeing these in grainy mustard. Their natural fierceness is tempered when they are roasted and they become nuttier in flavor. Essential in Indian cooking.
- Cumin. These small seeds have a strong, pungent aroma that lends a familiar backnote to many Indian and Mexican dishes. A little goes a long way. Cumin-Aloo ki sabzi or kadai paneer cumin can help relieve a host of tummy issues, nausea, bloating, constipation and fortify the digestive tract.
- Fennel. The seeds of the fennel plant have a more pronounced anise flavor than the bulbs and go particularly well with meat preparations.
- Cardamom. A versatile spice with a warm, sweet flavor. You can either add the pod whole, or crush it to extract the seeds, which can then be ground if you like. It is used widely in sweets, rice varieties and curries for its pleasant flavor.
- Cinnamon. The rolled bark of a Sri Lankan tree, cinnamon goes particularly well with sugar. It’s also used a lot in meaty savory dishes such as Moroccan tagines.
- Coriander. These dried berries have a sweet aromatic flavor that bears no similarity to the herb that produces them. Great with cumin in homemade burgers or poaching liquor for fish. commonly used in sambar, rasam , curries, chutneys, soups and drinks. Roasted coriander seeds called dhana dal are eaten as a snack. Coriander powder is added to Indian curries to enhance the flavor also it helps in digestion.
- Turmeric. A bright yellow spice that comes from a dried root. It gives curry powder its hallmark color and has an earthy, mustardy flavor.
- Fenugreek. A bitter Mediterranean seed used in curry powders, with an aroma similar to celery. An essential part of homemade ras el hanout, a Moroccan spice mix also containing cinnamon, cloves, coriander, and cumin. used in Murgh Makhani,Green Bean Curry,Dal Makhani.
- Garam masala. A custom spice mixture known as garam masala is a good indicator of local palates, as the blend changes slightly depending on where you are.
- Ghee. Many Indian recipes use ghee, an Indian version of clarified butter. sweets like ladoo, halwa, frying eggs and bread. Also ghee is used as Ayurvedic medicine to heal wounds and maintain balance of the body.
What Are the Different Regional Cuisines in India?
Simple food that packs a flavorful punch is the defining feature of Indian cuisine from region to region. That theme is informed by religion, population, and geography, though interpretations on the right way to cook something varies wildly even between neighbors. Heartier dishes similar to those found in Pakistan are found in the North, while similar flavor profiles in the South can be found throughout Southeast Asia.
- Northern India. North Indian cuisine is dominated by rich curries and thick sauces paired with breads and fragrant yogurts. It features spice-flavored dishes made in clay ovens, like tandoori chicken and chana masala. Onion, tomato, and garlic is a common combination. popular foods are chole bhature, rogan josh, chicken dum biryani, dahi bhalla, etc.
- New Delhi. Street food in New Delhi, for example, might be chaat or samosa. The main foods are parathas,kebabs, butter chicken curry, aloo chat, golgappe.
- South India. South Indian cuisine features more coconut milk-based flavor profiles, herbs like lemongrass and curry leaves, and native fruits. Rather than breads, you’ll find more rice, lentils, and stews—and sauces are generally thinner as a result.
- Kerala. Street food in Kerala might include pazham pori (banana fritters) and sweet dumplings. dosa ghee roast with kerala type sambar wins everyone’s heart. They use coconut oil while cooking which is treated as a healthy way to ensure better living. famous foods are idiyappam, sanna, palada payasam.
- Northern India: Jammu and Kashmir. Cuisine in Jammu and Kashmir, in the northernmost tip of the country, is centered around meat dishes like rogan josh, a yogurt-based lamb curry fragrant with chilies.
- Gujarat. The state of Gujarat, surrounded by coastline with plentiful seafood access, is primarily vegetarian, thanks to the large concentration of Jainism—a religion based in non-violence and asceticism.
- Mumbai. Just across the water from Gujarat, Mumbai (India’s largest city, formerly known as Bombay) is famous for its market hawkers and the culture surrounding street food. Stalls feature everything from piles of tangy puffed rice bhel puri to roaming chaiwalas serving milky tea to sugar-soaked electric orange jalebi.
With different ingredients, choices, flavors, masalas, recipes our India is always in the first place for better health with healthy foods. Our ancient food history also says the importance of each ingredient used at different stages of cooking. Instead of just stressing over the taste, we should know that there are many benefits in every food we consume and eat accordingly for a fit and strong life.
