Indian Cooking

Cooking in different parts of the world is influenced by many things like weather, available ingredients, religion and influence of other culture and so on. Indian cooking is probably one that is changes depending on which part or region of India you go to. Indians culturally leave their home cooking at home and venture out to restaurants to taste regional cuisines as well as cuisines influenced by other countries. From mild cooking to real hot and spicy food is always found in India. From the sea coast to the mountains of the Himalayas the cooking varies. India has a large community who cooks only vegetarian food. But the vast culture that India enjoys has people who use all ingredients including meat, sea food, and poultry. Indian food is not just CURRY.

Following is a brief overview of the various culinary regions in India; read on:

· Northern India Food from Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir): This area boasts the most familiar mix of regional dishes found in restaurants all over the world , including the ever-popular tandoori-style cooking. A variety of cooking including koftas (spicy meatballs), kormas (meats braised in creamy sauces of yogurts and fruits), and the luxuriously chewy, leavened bread, naan are found in this region. Garam masala is a typical spice blend used here, more warming than fiery. Basmati rice is the favorite choice in the north, but breads are the primary starch in this wheat-growing region.
· Southern India, Food from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala: Southern Indian cuisine is characterized by fiery spice blends, such as vindaloo, and a reliance on legumes, including lentils and chickpeas. Although the southern diet is primarily vegetarian, the people here may add meat for celebrations and special occasions. Rice grows well here in kerala they use a lot of ingredients including black pepper, cardamom and curry leaves. Dosa which is a delicacy in southern India is variety of Crepe that is made from rice and at time filled with different types of vegetables.
· Eastern India, Food from Orissa, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh. The region is famous for Darjeeling tea. Coconuts and bananas are popular ingredients; coconut milk and mustard seeds are commonly used here. Bengal is famous for its milk sweets, Sandesh. Fish markets and vegetable markets are very popular in this region. Rice is a staple diet along with usage of mustard oil.
· Western India Food from: Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra: Dairy products, including yogurt, buttermilk, cow's milk, and goat's milk, are staples in the western diet. Rotis and subji is a very common house hold dish. Along the coastline of the Arabian Sea, you can sample a lot of fish. A variety of pickles are also served with every meal. Gujarati cooking is mainly vegetarian while Maharashtrian cooking has large influence from the costal regions with emphasis on sea food.

by Rajeev Rajagopal