Indian food. What to Try in India: Traditional Cuisine and Food Simple and Delicious Indian Dishes

In fact, if you prepare material on the topic of Indian cuisine, you will get an impressive multi-volume publication. The local cuisine is so multifaceted and varied that in one visit to India it is hardly possible to try at least a tenth of the national dishes. Each state has a huge selection of dishes that you can try only here. Only at first glance it may seem that Indian dishes taste the same - just spicy, but believe me, in the national cuisine there are many treats without spices, delicious desserts and drinks.

General information about Indian cuisine

The country has preserved certain national characteristics and traditions of Indian cuisine - they give priority to vegetables, a huge variety of spices, along with this, you will not find beef on the menu. A vegetarian will undoubtedly feel like they are in a gastronomic paradise when they are in India. The locals do not eat meat or even fish.

Interesting fact! About 40% of the inhabitants eat only food of plant origin.

In the past, various recipes were introduced into Indian cuisine by Mongols and Muslims. In addition, the religious views of the inhabitants influenced the peculiarities of the national dishes of Indian cuisine - more than 80% of the local population professes Hinduism, which excludes any violence. The essence of religion is that any living being is spiritual, containing a divine particle. That is why most people in India are vegetarians, but at the same time, Indian national dishes have a rich, bright taste, spicy, oily.

The basis of the diet - rice, beans, vegetables

Since we are talking about vegetarianism within a particular state, a huge variety of treats from cereals, vegetables, legumes has appeared in the local cuisine. The most famous is sabji, a vegetable stew with lentils seasoned with various spices. It is eaten with rice, bread cakes.

Good to know! In India, it is customary to use long-grain basmati rice. As for legumes, there are more than a hundred varieties of peas alone in the country, chickpeas, lentils, mung beans, and dal are also popular.

A separate volume in the encyclopedia of traditional Indian cuisine will have to be devoted to seasonings and spices. The most popular is curry, by the way, it is not only a spice, but also the name of an Indian dish of bright orange color. It is this seasoning that gives the treat a thick aroma of a unique taste.

Many spices are mixed in the curry, it will be very difficult to list them all, probably, the Indians themselves will not be able to name the recipe exactly. It is known for certain that the composition contains: cayenne, red and black pepper, cardamom, ginger, coriander, paprika, cloves, cumin, nutmeg. Although the composition of curry may vary, it always contains turmeric. It is noteworthy that Indian families have a personal recipe for making curry, which is carefully passed down from generation to generation.

Cakes instead of bread

Baking bread in the form in which it is baked in Europe is not customary in India. Serve cakes or thin pita bread. The traditional Indian dish is called chapati and accompanies every meal from the first course to the dessert.

The cooking recipe is quite simple, every housewife can repeat it - mix wholemeal flour, salt, water, fry the cakes without oil (if you cook outdoors, use an open fire). The finished cake resembles a ball, because it is inflated, vegetables, legumes are added inside, they are eaten simply with sauce.

Another common type of pastry in India is samosas - fried triangular pies with various fillings. Most often they are prepared for the festive table. In real national samosas, the dough is tender, crispy, melts, the filling must be evenly heated.

Interesting fact! If there are no bubbles on the dough, the pies are prepared according to the original recipe and in compliance with the technology. You don't need to overheat the oil to do this.

A common dessert is sweet yogurt.

In India, many dishes are made from milk. Yogurt is no exception; fruits and berries are added to it.

Good to know! It is customary to season first courses with natural yogurt before serving.

In addition, yogurt is the basis of a cooling drink and at the same time a dessert - lassi. Water, ice are added to it, whipped to a state of thick foam. The result is a drink that is perfectly refreshing in hot weather. Fruit, ice cream or cream are also added to the drink.

• almost all food in India is very spicy, so if you don’t like peppery dishes, tell the waiters - know spicy, spices will still be added to the treat, but much less;
• in restaurants, and even more so in the markets, hygiene rules are not always followed, therefore it is strongly recommended not to try raw fruits and vegetables before buying;
• in India, there is an acute shortage of clean, drinking water, it is strictly forbidden to drink tap water, you need to buy bottled water;
• It is also better to refuse to use ice, since it is made from tap water.

Traditional dishes of India

As noted earlier, the national Indian cuisine is very diverse, and it is almost impossible to cover all the dishes worthy of the attention of tourists. We decided to simplify the task and prepared an overview of the best 15 national dishes of Indian cuisine.

There is documented evidence that curry, an Indian dish, was first prepared several thousand years ago. This is the name of not only a popular seasoning, but also a national dish. It is prepared from legumes, vegetables, sometimes meat is added and, of course, a whole bunch of spices. In the finished treat, there can be up to two dozen seasonings. The finished dish is served with rice.

Good to know! Together with curry, betel leaves are served, they are eaten at the end of the meal. Crushed betel nut and a set of spices are wrapped in leaves. It is believed that such a set of products improves digestion.

There is no single recipe for making curry, the technology differs depending on the region of India, as well as culinary preferences in a single family. It is noteworthy that curry is an Indian dish, but it has become known in many countries of the world. Today there is Thai and Japanese curry, it is also prepared in Britain. In India, the dish can be spicy or sweet and sour.

A typical example of a combination of vegetables, legumes (peas), rice, curry in one Indian dish is dal. Soup is a must for an Indian lunch, it includes legumes or peas, eaten with rice, bread cake.

Indian soup is called not just a national dish, but a folk one, since it is necessarily prepared without exaggeration in every family. Serve the first course, both hot and cold. Locals claim that there are so many methods of making soup that it is easy to make it all year round without repeating it.

Main ingredients: onions, garlic, tomatoes, a set of spices, yogurt. The dish is boiled, baked, stewed and even fried. Depending on the set of products, the method of preparation, the treat is served for breakfast, lunch or dessert.

Malay jacket

Another well-known national Indian dish is fried small balls of potatoes and paneer cheese. Also add herbs, spices, nuts.

The name means meatballs (kofta) in cream sauce (malai).

Good to know! Paneer is a soft, fresh cheese common in Indian cuisine. The finished product does not melt, has a low acidity. The basis of the cheese is cottage cheese made from milk, lemon juice and food acid.

Locals call the dish capricious because it requires careful handling. If you cook it without due delicacy, the malai kofta will turn out tasteless. By the way, even in India, it is not prepared successfully everywhere. As a result, tourists do not pay worthy attention to the treat. If a true master takes up cooking, you will be captivated by the delicate taste of vegetable balls in sauce.

The list of the most famous Indian dishes includes spinach and cheese soup, spices and vegetables are also added. Actually, in translation, palak means spinach, and paneer is a kind of soft cheese similar to Adyghe. The Indian dish is delicate, with a pleasant creamy taste. Served with rice, bread cakes.

Advice! Beginners who are just getting acquainted with Indian culture and national cuisine are recommended to order palak paneer with a minimum set of spices in order to feel the real, creamy taste of the dish.

To make it clearer, the finished national dish can be called Indian pilaf. The name comes from a Persian word which means fried. It is prepared using this technology - basmati rice is fried with the addition of ghee, vegetables, and seasonings. It is noteworthy that each region has its own composition of spices, cooking algorithm, most often they use saffron, zira, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves.

Interesting fact! Biryani cannot be called a truly Indian dish, since Persian merchants brought its recipe to the country.

The name of an Indian street dish combines vegetables, cheese and batter-fried meat. There is an analogue in Slavic cuisine, but the only difference is that in India, instead of wheat flour, pea flour is used - they grind chickpeas (hummus beans). As a result, the crust is tender, crispy, and the dish acquires additional nutritional value, because the beans contain a lot of protein.

The most common pakora is made from vegetables, they use a different base - pumpkin, sweet potato, eggplant, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, potatoes. The finished dish is served with a seasoning of apples or tomatoes.

Advice! If you want to cook pakora yourself, the main thing is to choose the right temperature and maintain it.

Thali (thali)

In translation, the name of the Indian dish thali means a tray of treats. In fact, this is true - small plates with various dishes are placed on a large dish. Initially, it was served on a banana leaf, by the way, in some regions it is served like this today - in the old fashioned way.

The obligatory component of thali is rice, stewed vegetables, papad (lentil flour cake), chapatis (bread cakes), chutney sauces, pickles are also served. Traditionally, 6 dishes are prepared at home, and a maximum of 25 dishes are served in a cafe or restaurant. The set of treats varies depending on the region.

Perhaps the most famous bread cake in India is chapati. The dish is prepared very quickly, since it requires a minimum of products - whole grain flour. In the Indian dish, a special flour is used - atta. Cakes are baked in a dry frying pan, without adding oil. Thus, tortillas are great for those who do not want to gain extra calories.

Advice! Chapati should only be eaten hot. Many tourists do not know this and in restaurants they use it - they serve yesterday's dish. Flat cakes are recommended to be ordered as needed, so that a freshly baked dish is served at the table.

One of the most beloved dishes in India is naan bread. Yogurt, vegetable oil are added to ordinary yeast dough. Flatbread baked in an Indian tandoori oven.

In India, there is a large selection of cakes, experienced tourists recommend trying naan butter (with butter), naan chiiz (with cheese), naan garlik (with garlic).

Naan can be tasted in any Indian cafe, restaurant, flatbreads are served in the form of a dish on their own or stuffed with meat, potatoes or cheese.

To be in India and not try the tandoori chicken is equivalent to not visiting this exotic country. So, tandoor is a traditional Indian oven-brazier. The chicken is pre-marinated in yogurt and, of course, spices (the traditional set is cayenne pepper and other hot peppers). After the bird is baked over high heat.

Good to know! In India, you can buy special sets of spices for marinating chicken and cooking tandoori chicken. In the original version, aimed at locals, the dish is too spicy, and for tourists the amount of ground pepper is reduced. Served chicken with rice and naan bread.

The dish is a mixture of vegetables cooked in a sauce of cream and nuts. The national dish traditionally has 9 ingredients, since the name means nine jewels, and korma means stew. Served with rice and unleavened bread.

Advice! You can use coconut milk or natural yogurt instead of cream for the sauce.

Indian national cuisine has a large selection of sweets and desserts. Jalebi is a rich orange pretzel known in every corner of India. The treat is made from batter, poured into boiling oil, and then soaked in sugar syrup. The national treat is crispy, juicy, but it will turn out to be fatty, sweet, and therefore very high-calorie.

Traditions and customs of Indian cuisine differ primarily depending on the region. But in general, several features can be noted - spicy, spicy, vegetarian.

Indian cuisine is one of the most colorful in the world and if you want to get acquainted with the culture of the country, be sure to pay attention to gastronomic aspects.

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The basis of the diet of the average Indian is rice with vegetables and legumes, and the dishes are so spicy that sometimes a fire extinguisher will not interfere. When cooking in India, they use so many spices, a mixture of which is called "masala", that after a meal, a real "fiery flower" blooms in our European stomachs, which are unusual for such things. However, Indian cuisine is so unusual and varied that it is not a pity to lay down the stomach to study it.

HOLY COW

Approximately 80% of the Indian population are vegetarians. In Hinduism, meat-eating is not welcome. But the remaining 20%, most of whom are Muslims, enjoy eating chicken, lamb and even beef.

The cow in India is a sacred animal, it is forbidden to eat it in most states. At the same time, locally produced dairy products are eaten with pleasure by Indians.

When one reads Indian legislation, one gets the impression that cows in the country are in a much better position than women! Judge for yourself: in India, a prison term is due for injuring or killing an animal. So, in the state of Kashmir, you can get up to 10 years in prison, and in the state of Gujarat, even more - life imprisonment! In addition, the storage and transportation of beef is prohibited, which is also punishable by a prison term.

“When you read Indian law, you get the impression that cows in the country are in a much better position than women.”

It is legal to slaughter and eat cows in the northeastern state of West Bengal and in the south of the country in Kerala. By the way, it is an extremely prosperous Indian state with the lowest birth rate in the country, the best medical care and the highest level of literacy of the population - 93%. The communists have been ruling here for a long time, and the cow is not considered such a sacred animal. Therefore, they are brought here for slaughter from all over the country.

MUST EAT

Snack and breakfast

The most common snack in the country is fried triangular patties stuffed with spicy potatoes, legumes or vegetables - samosa. Vendors yelling "Samosa, samosa, samosa!" with each other can be found on the streets and markets, at train stations, on trains, parks, squares, and at most attractions. And we know such pies under the name samsa.

Another great quick snack is pakora, or batter-fried vegetables cut into small pieces. However, be careful! Among potatoes, cauliflower and eggplant, hot peppers can also be caught.

In India, it is customary to eat with your hands, and bread cakes here often serve not only as a snack or side dish, but also as spoons. Therefore, there are a great many varieties of bread in the country, and each region will definitely have its own recipe. Everywhere in India you can find puri - palm-sized airy cakes fried in oil. As a rule, puri is served for breakfast, accompanied by a filling of stewed vegetables or sweet and spicy potatoes.

Another popular breakfast dish is dosa. It is a huge, thin and, in most cases, crispy pancake made from rice flour. Mounted on a tray like a mountain or rolled into a tube, the dosa is served with several types of chutney sauces, spicy to tears.

Lunch and dinner

The most common dish in the diet of poor Indians, and these are the majority in the country, is dhal. This is a spicy stew made from boiled legumes (chickpeas, lentils, mung beans) with the addition of spices, tomatoes and onions. Dal is served with wheat cakes cooked on an open fire, and at home on a gas burner. In different parts of the country, such cakes are called chapati (chapati) or roti (roti), although this is the same dish.

If it's time for lunch, feel free to go to any restaurant and order a traditional Indian "business lunch" - thali. Tali is served on a large tray in the center of which they put a plate with rice and a couple of wheat cakes, and around 5-7 bowls with different dishes are added: dal, stewed vegetables, spicy potatoes, local milk - in general, everything that is found in the kitchen. Tali is traditionally eaten with the hands or with flatbread.

“The role of the main dish here is successfully performed not only by legumes and vegetables, but even by simple potatoes”

Well, perhaps the most famous dish of Indian cuisine in the world is curry. In fact, curry is not a specific dish, but a whole group of Indian sauces. In different parts of the country, curries are prepared using all sorts of ingredients (legumes, vegetables, meat or fish) and are served in addition to boiled rice.

One of the features of Indian cuisine is that not only legumes and vegetables, but even simple potatoes successfully serve as the main dish here. To understand how it is - to eat a side dish with a side dish, order one of the varieties of curry - fiery-spicy alu gobi. Aloo means "potato" in Hindi and gobi means "cauliflower". The whole dish consists of stewed potato slices with cabbage buds, of course, with the addition of the hottest spices and is served with a bowl of boiled rice.

Another group of dishes popular in India includes the word "paneer" (paneer) in the name. Paneer is a soft cheese similar to the familiar Adyghe cheese. In Indian dishes, paneer is fried, steamed and baked. They are often substituted for meat in vegetarian versions of local dishes. One of the must eat dishes of this group is palak paneer. It looks like an unpresentable green liquid made from pureed spinach with pieces of cheese and traditional Indian spices, but it tastes gentle and spicy.

Desserts and sweets

Indian desserts are sweet and extremely high in calories. They are usually prepared from bean flour, cereals, nuts, dairy products, fruits and all kinds of spices, and be sure to add melted butter ghee (ghee) to delicacies or fry them in fat. Honey is used extremely rarely, because according to Ayurveda, when heated, it becomes harmful to health.

The most popular treat in India is sweet balls of laddu (laddu) made from grated nuts, spices, coconut and chickpea or mung bean flour, fried with ghee. Laddu is traditionally prepared in India for the holidays, and on ordinary days they can be found in pastry shops throughout the country.

MUST DRINK

India is famous for its "elephant tea" all over the world! But it is immediately exported, and the Indians are forced to drink the remaining black powder, as we have in tea bags. When brewed, it turns out to be very strong and completely tasteless. Perhaps that is why tea (chai) in India is always and everywhere drunk with milk. If you want regular black tea, don't forget to ask for "black tea" before ordering. Unfortunately, street vendors, food vendors on trains and stations, as well as inexpensive cafes often will not have such an opportunity and will have to be content with ready-made tea with milk.

Masala chai is a national Indian drink made from the same powdered black tea with milk, in which the Indians did not forget to add their favorite spices: cardamom, cloves, ginger, pepper and much more. You can order it on a par with ordinary tea in cafes, restaurants and even in street tea shops.

India's second national drink is lassi. This fermented milk product in the north of the country is thick, sour and resembles our kefir, and in central and southern India it is more like drinking yogurt served with salt, sugar or fruit. Lassi can be ordered at any eatery and even special lassie cafes across the country. The main thing to remember is that on street stalls and in small cafes, crushed ice is added to lassi to make it cold.

Among the street drinks in India, freshly squeezed sugarcane juice is also common. Bamboo-like stalks are pressed in special press machines, and the greenish cane drink is sweet and thick, like baby food. In some especially advanced cafes, spices or fruits can be added to the juice. But beware, sugarcane juice has a laxative effect!

"For those who cannot live without kefir for a day, India is a real paradise"

But with strong drinks in India tension. Hindus and Muslims are forbidden to drink alcohol, so local bars and restaurants have an extremely poor choice. However, this does not prevent the production of its own alcoholic beverages, among which inexpensive Kingfisher beer from Bangalore and Old Monk Goan rum are especially popular. Alcohol has received the maximum distribution, of course, in tourist areas, and outside of them it is extremely difficult to find a strong drink.

REGIONAL CUISINES

In India, there are 22 official languages ​​of the states, and there are even more dialects and local languages! Often, residents of different parts of the country, in order to understand each other, are forced to communicate in English. Of course, such cultural and linguistic diversity has also led to gastronomic differences. True, now dishes characteristic of certain regions can be found in any corner of the country, and delicacies typical of the whole of India in each state often have their own special recipe.

Northwest India and Hyderabad

Against the background of the rest of India, Mughlai cuisine stands out noticeably, spread in the north-west of the country in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh. It originates from the Muslim Mughal Empire. It is customary to add a large amount of spices to Mughlai dishes, including expensive saffron, nuts and dried fruits. Kebabs and pilaf (pulao) are just as popular here as curry, and eating pork is discouraged.

Food in the northwestern Indian states is usually cooked in a tandoor clay oven, in which we bake pita bread. By the way, bread here is also cooked in the oven, but the resulting lush cakes are called “naan”. Although the taste and appearance of pita bread is pita bread! The most famous dish of the region is tandoori chicken. Everyone cooks it in the same tandoor, pre-marinated with a mixture of spices - tandoori-masala.

Another popular Indian dish with a "Muslim trace" is biryani. Although you can find it in cafes and restaurants across the country, it is believed that for the best biryani you need to go to Hyderabad. Hyderabad is a real Muslim city, as if descended from the pages of a fairy tale about Aladdin, and concurrently the capital of the state of Telangana in Central India. The legendary biryani itself is very similar to our pilaf: meat, rice, vegetables and a huge amount of the best spices! Its main difference from pilaf is that the meat is cooked separately from rice and marinated in a biryani-masala mixture. As a rule, along with the main dish, which lies a huge mountain on a plate, they serve a bowl of local yogurt - Kurd or the Indian analogue of okroshka with vegetables, herbs and yogurt - raita, which help not to burn alive from the sharpness of the delicious biryani.

Goa and coastal states

In the states that stretch along the coast of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal and, accordingly, are rich in seafood, even Indians, without any scruples before the gods, are happy to eat fish. There are perhaps dozens of recipes for a popular dish called ilish along the coast of the country - it can be fish curry, as well as any kind of fried, boiled or baked fish with rice, vegetables and various seasonings.

But the gastronomic traditions of the most tourist state of India, Goa, were greatly influenced by the Portuguese colonialists. Firstly, they brought seafood and pork dishes to the vegetarian cuisine of Goa, and secondly, they brought recipes of their traditional sweets here. And although you have to look for pashtaishi (pastel de nata) here, but the Indo-European dishes prawn balchao and pork vindaloo, which are shrimp or pieces of pork stewed in a fiery red and equally spicy chili sauce, can be found in most Goan eateries .

North East India

The gastronomic traditions of the northeastern territories were significantly influenced by neighboring Nepal, Tibet and China. The main dish of the state of Sikkim and the very north of West Bengal is momo. In fact, this is an analogue of the Asian manti, poses, buuz and, finally, dumplings known to us. In the mountainous regions of northern India, momos are stuffed with chicken, pork, goat and buffalo meat. And in the cold season, even Indian brahmins do not disdain meat dishes here.

Another typical East Indian dish is Kalkata rolls (kati roll). They come, as the name suggests, from Calcutta, the capital of the easternmost Indian state of West Bengal. This kind of local street food is the familiar chicken or lamb kebab with vegetables, wrapped in an Indian flatbread - paratha (paratha). Traditional paratha is made when mashed potatoes (aloo paratha), cheese or vegetables are added inside the chapati.

Mumbai and Maharashtra

Another popular regional street food, vada pav baked potato burgers, originated in . In the preparation of the “Mumbai burger”, everything is standard: lush square pav buns are cut into 2 parts in the middle, and instead of a patty they put a huge baked potato generously seasoned with hot spices instead of a patty.

The cuisine of the state of Maharashtra, whose capital is Mumbai, is also characterized by a group of dishes called bhaji, which in Hindi means “fried vegetables”. Pav Bhaji, Chapati/Roti Bhaji and Puri Bhaji are the flatbreads mentioned in the name of the dishes stuffed with stewed vegetables. The bhaji vegetables themselves are served on a separate plate and eaten with bread.

South India

In addition to the fact that in the very south of India, in Kerala, you can eat beef and cafes with restaurants are full of inviting signs to try beef curry, in South Indian cuisine it is customary to serve dishes not on brass trays, but on banana leaves. Moreover, the farther from the tourist trails, the more often the usual dishes are replaced by palm leaves and the less often you can find cutlery.

Coconut is commonly used in cooking in the south of the country, and boiled rice is usually served with spicy coconut chutney sauce. But best of all, this sauce goes well with local idli flatbreads, steamed rice with lentils and often eaten for breakfast by Tamils ​​and Keralas. The cakes themselves are as tasteless as possible, the dish is saved by dal or the same coconut chutney.

"Indian McDonald's has a lot more Indian than McDonald's"

In the south of India, the well-known dosa is also changing. For breakfast, they traditionally prepare a hearty masala dosa (masala dosa), that is, the same thin pancake made from rice or lentil flour, but stuffed with mashed potatoes and spices.

Indian McDonald's

When Indian food burns more than one hole in your stomach, and the smell of curry starts to beat off your appetite, when you get tired of crying over every dish, you want something simple and dear, and the last hope for the familiar McDonald’s remains - take heart!

Indian McDonald's has a lot more Indian than McDonald's! Here you will not find native hamburgers or cheeseburgers, and among the rather meager menu they will offer a choice of three types of burger: with chicken, potatoes or eggs. At the same time, regardless of your choice, the food will be generously seasoned with the same hot spices and familiar curry. Beware of the veggie burger - the patty in it is made from peas.

Discoverdelicious.org

There is hardly a cuisine on the planet that is older than Indian. It can be assumed that Chinese cuisine is close in age to Indian cuisine. In any case, Indian cuisine is 5000 years old. Founded by the Aryan tribes, it is considered one of the most interesting in the world.

Archaeologists notice that already at that time the tribes inhabiting India had a brilliantly debugged system of measures and weights. Everything was done clearly and nothing at random. Indian cuisine was originally based on vegetarianism. The reasons for this were both economic and religious. Vedic traditions exclude the use of any meat. Of the products of animal origin, only milk is allowed.

Indian cuisine is always a "rule", which is actually a code of use and combination of different foods and spices, which makes the daily menu not only amazingly tasty, but also absolutely healthy. After Buddhism became the official religion in India, vegetarianism was legalized as mandatory.

Meat dishes in Indian cuisine

Veal and beef are under the strictest ban on consumption - a cow in India is a sacred animal. Oddly enough, scientists have not given an exact explanation of why the Indians still worship the cow with such jealousy. The main version is the assumption that at some stage in the life of the state, the number of these animals decreased to a critical level. The cow becomes more a source of milk, which was consumed everywhere, than meat.

Other types of meat, poultry entered Indian cuisine quite organically and quickly. Indian culinary specialists have always been engaged in a combination of various products, it would seem, completely incompatible. One of the most interesting and famous combinations is the combination of elements of two cultures, Arabic and Indian cuisine: the combination of Arabic meat and Indian vegetarian sauces and spices gave the world curries with meat.

Tandoor dishes were taken from Persian cuisine in India. Their popularity immediately became very high, and remains so to this day. The most famous dish is Tandoori Chicken. The bird is cooked either whole or in parts. Pre-marinated in yogurt with spices. The prepared chicken is then cooked in a tandoori oven over very high heat. The temperature reaches up to 500°Ϲ. It takes no more than a quarter of an hour to prepare. Marinades for tandoori chicken are called tandoori masala. Initially, the dish was very spicy, but then Indian chefs adapted it for tourists by reducing the spiciness.

Today, tandoor dishes have become a symbol of Indian cuisine. The principle of the tandoori oven is simple. Tandoor (clay pot) is placed on hot coals. A prepared pickled product is placed in it and it cooks quickly enough. In tandoor dishes, the following spices are mainly used:

• coriander;
• caraway;
• garlic;
• curry.

Don't stand still

At the time when tandoor dishes appeared in India, Indian culinary specialists first added rice to meat. Accordingly, a variation of pilaf was obtained. Then in India they began to cook meatballs, kebabs and other dishes on skewers and skewer. A large number of nuts began to be used. Almonds, cashews and raisins have firmly entered the list of favorite foods of the population and chefs.

At the same time, “outlandish” products began to be used in the confectionery business - almonds, rice, wheat flour, sugar, coconut, rose water. Indian cuisine has never stood still, constantly progressing. Local culinary specialists have always been in search of new combinations of products, gradually creating the cuisine that everyone knows today.

Modern Indian Cuisine

Many centuries have passed, but India is still divided both on religious grounds and culinary regions. North, where Islam is the dominant religion, lamb meat and poultry are the main products. The South, on the other hand, is more vegetarian. Over the years, religious culinary prohibitions have weakened, but, of course, the Indians did not start eating cows.

The Portuguese, who ruled Goa for 400 years, had their influence on Indian cuisine. The English colonists added to the culinary traditions of Europe. Today in India they eat soups and drink tea in the English tradition, and this is already considered Indian cuisine.

What and how

Food Indians two - or three meals a day. It all depends on the finances of the family. The standard in the south is rice, chapati corn cakes, served with mashed potatoes, vegetables. Those with better finances can afford these vegetables, but in a yogurt sauce. Spices are added to all dishes in large quantities, but do not spoil the taste of the dishes. Meat is served on the table usually on holidays. Milk, fish, fruits and vegetables are on the table every day even in the poorest families. Meals are usually served on large dishes - everyone takes as much as he wants. Bread is torn into pieces, and food is scooped up with these pieces. Mandatory on the table bowls with water of different flavors.

The magic of Indian cuisine

The basic products in Indian cuisine are:

• a variety of vegetables;
• fruit;
• dairy;
• refined oil;
• yogurts;
• homemade cheeses;
• mutton;
• bird;
• wheat bread.

The following foods and dishes are often used:

• burfi - a small pastry in the shape of a rectangle;
• basmati - the favorite rice of the Hindus;
• ghee butter;
• paneer - homemade cheese;
• kohya—condensed milk;
• dahya - homemade yogurt;
• kichadi - the simplest rice people, garnished with vegetables, herbs and spices;
• curry;
• tamarind - spicy herb;
• chapati;
• chutney - pureed fruit or vegetables, a kind of sweet or salty sauces.

There is no India without spices

Indian spices are half the success and taste of local cuisine. A large number of spices, their various combinations are used. Here are the main spices that are a must in any Indian cuisine:

• coriander
• ginger
• red ground hot pepper
• nutmeg
• cinnamon
• carnation
• basil
• Bay leaf
• black salt
• turmeric
• saffron
• mango powder.

Mango powder, like lemon juice and rose water are used to flavor water for washing hands during meals.

What does Ayurveda say

All Indian dishes are divided into three categories:

1. The ignorant.
2. Passionate.
3. Blessed.

This division comes from the three states of material nature according to the Vedas: ignorance, passion and goodness. Ignorant food is very spicy dishes, overcooked, served cold or too hot. Passionate food - very spicy dishes, which contain many aphrodisiacs. Blessed food - dishes in which everything is balanced, everything in moderation. They should not be very spicy, they should not be insipid, cold or very hot, lean or very fatty. Vedic cuisine considers blissful dishes to be energetically balanced.

Indian cooking has the oldest cooking technology on the planet. It is quite difficult to perform. It provides that the dish should contain five tastes: sweet, salty, sour, spicy and astringent. Sweet taste brings satiety. Sour is the vitamins and minerals in the dish. Spicy - healing properties that are born of spices. Salty - energy. Astringent rids the body of toxins. In addition, the philosophy of Indian cuisine divides it into "cooling" and "warming" dishes. The point is not what the temperature of the dish is, but what effect it has on a person.

Most Popular in Indian Cuisine

You should definitely try the traditional biryani pilaf made of lamb, basmati and a large set of spices - a magical feeling. The vegetable stew with cream, cashews and turmeric is also not to be missed. Tandoori chicken - this is not discussed at all. Once, having tried these chickens, you will want more and more. Dal - lentil, bean or pea soup. In India, everything that is legume is given. Palak Paneer - spinach and paneer cheese chowder, the top dish of Indian cuisine. Chapati cakes, sometimes, do not need to be ordered - in some places they are served as a compliment from the chef. Well, curry, of course. Vegetable, meat, everything to try is not enough life, but the main ones are necessary.

The confectionery component of Indian cuisine is fudge-burfi, samosa pies, jalebi, rasmalai (balls of cottage cheese in a creamy sauce), which is considered the most elite and aristocratic of all sweets.

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I can talk about Indian cuisine forever. If this country did not have such delicious food, my love for it would not have lasted for so many years. I don’t know at what point I was captivated by Indian people, nature and sights, but the food sunk into my soul right away.

Now it's hard to say what left a brighter mark on my soul: the first look at the Taj Mahal or the first samosa with masala tea, bought from the cart. And I'm not exaggerating. For several years now, I have hardly eaten in tourist places that serve dishes adapted for "white stomachs", and if I get there, I tearfully beg the waiters to prepare food for me, "as for myself." While my friends are weeping over yet another spicy masterpiece of Indian cooking, I wipe my tears of happiness and take supplements.

Indian cuisine is diverse and multifaceted. It differs from state to state. There is also a huge difference between catering places for tourists and for locals. Street food is very developed in all cities of India. And although a sane person's hair will stand on end at the sight of some street food stall, I highly recommend trying everything! Not so scary...

India rightfully enjoys a reputation as one of the most mysterious and distinctive countries in the world. She is often referred to as the "mother of all civilizations". And indeed it is. India is a country with an absolutely incredible cultural heritage, in which national cuisine plays an important role.

Cooking in India is not only an art, but also an extremely complex philosophy. And therefore, going on a gastro tour to this country, you should first, at least in general terms, study the basics of the Hindu creed about food, its types and methods of taking it.

general characteristics

The science of proper nutrition is one of the main topics in the Vedas, the religious books of the ancient Hindus. Thus, according to the Vedas, all dishes are divided into three groups, which correspond to the three states of material nature: ignorance, passion and goodness.

"Ignorant" foods include very spicy foods that have been overcooked and are served either too cold or too hot. "Passionate" dishes are very spicy, containing a large number of aphrodisiacs. Finally, “good” food is those dishes in which everything is in moderation. They are not too spicy and not bland, they are not cold and not hot, they are not lean and not too greasy. According to Vedic cuisine, it is the "good" foods that are energetically balanced.

In addition, India has one of the oldest cooking systems in the world. Extremely sophisticated, it provides that the dish must combine five tastes: sweet, salty, sour, spicy and astringent.

It is believed that it is the sweet taste that gives a feeling of satiety. The sour taste is responsible for the vitamin and mineral composition of the dish. Spicy taste is the healing properties that spices give to food. Salty taste is the energy our body needs. Finally, the ingredients that make food astringent help cleanse the body of toxins, help naturally eliminate metabolic products and slow down the rate of formation of fat reserves.

In addition, Indian philosophy divides all dishes into "cooling" and "warming". This is not at all about the temperature regime of the food itself, but about the effect it has on the body. It is believed that only the right combination of "cooling" and "warming" foods helps to maintain the correct temperature in the body and maintain health.

Characteristics

To date, Indian cuisine is deservedly considered one of the most exotic. It combines the centuries-old traditions of the local population with trends that have been brought into the country from outside. As a result, the following characteristic features of Indian cuisine can be distinguished.

1. India is a land of spices. During cooking, local housewives use about thirty types of various spices in the most unexpected combinations. Thanks to this, Indian dishes are distinguished by their spicy aroma and simply incredible taste.
2. Despite the fact that today there are more than three and a half thousand castes in the country, each of which has its own rules that establish the norm of nutrition, the culinary preferences of the local population were formed under the influence of two religions: Hinduism and Islam. The diet of Muslims, who inhabit mainly the northern states, is absent. At the same time, India at the state level abandoned. And the most curious thing is that even members of the same family can eat separately if they are of different religions, which is not uncommon in India.
3. Indian cuisine in its history has absorbed many culinary traditions of representatives of other nationalities. So, for example, immigrants from Portugal were brought into the country. The Indians owe the French a baguette and a soufflé. The British also "marked" themselves in the culinary history of India - they brought puddings, jelly and.
4. The greatest influence on the formation of local culinary was the legacy of the Great Moghuls - the descendants of Tamerlane, who ruled India for several centuries. Until today, fatty rice pilaf with spices is popular in the country, the recipe of which has remained unchanged for centuries, as well as biryani - sweet bread stuffed with and. Also, the Mughals (or, as they are also called, the Timurids) brought the tandoor to India, which the local population renamed the tandoor. These are special ovens in the form of giant jugs. In tandoors in India, to this day, meat is baked and smoked, bread is baked, pilaf and vegetables are cooked. Taking into account the fact that the temperature in the oven can reach up to 500 degrees, the cooking process is significantly accelerated.
5. India is considered the birthplace of vegetarianism. Meat is present in the diet of the local population, but not in all states and in very limited quantities. According to experts, the reason for this is the climatic conditions of the country. In most of the territory, the air temperature is very high, and, accordingly, the meat here quickly deteriorates. At the same time, thanks to the fertile soil and temperature regime, in some parts of India, three to four crops of vegetables are harvested per year.
6. Cows in India are under state protection. Killing a cow in Hinduism is considered a greater sin than killing a person, and therefore the use of beef for food by Hindus is strictly prohibited. At the same time, dairy products are considered sacred and are very popular. He managed to win special recognition, which is called dahi here. Many Indians believe that a meal without a dahi is incomplete. In fact, this tradition has a simple explanation - the casein contained in yogurt helps to quench the thirst provoked by spicy food.

Main dishes

, legumes and are the basis of Indian cooking. Most Indians eat rice at least once a day. Local chefs know a huge number of ways to prepare it. So, pulao is prepared from rice with vegetables and spices - a special Indian pilaf. For dessert in India, rice cooked in with the addition of spices and spices is often served. Rice is even made here, which is called kulfi. Add crushed nuts and rose water to it.

Bean dishes in Indian cuisine are one of the main sources. A variety of cakes are baked from it, sometimes mixing it with and millet.

Vegetables are widely represented in the diet of Indians. Sabji vegetable stew, as well as stuffed vegetables in a yogurt and nut sauce, are very popular. A popular snack is fried greens, known in India as shak. The composition of this dish includes roots, fresh, leaves and, cabbage, chicory shoots, etc. Greens are first steamed, and then fried in a sauce of spices.

An obligatory component of a traditional Indian breakfast is airy puri cakes. They are fried in oil and served with stewed vegetables or potatoes in a spicy sauce.

Another element of the morning meal is dosa - a huge, very thin pancake made from rice flour. It is served rolled into a tube with several types of sauces.

Traditional lunch and dinner in India

The most common dish in the diet of not very wealthy Indians is dal. This is a very spicy stew made from boiled legumes, adding spices, tomatoes and onions to it. Dal is traditionally served with wheat flour flatbread called chapatis.

Another dish of Indian cuisine that has gained worldwide recognition is curry. In fact, calling curry a dish is not entirely correct, because in fact this name hides a whole group of Indian sauces that are cooked with legumes, vegetables or fish and served with boiled rice.

Many gourmets note that "garnish with garnish" is one of the "chips" of Indian cuisine. So, for example, a popular dish is alu gobi - one of the varieties of curry. This is a stewed potato with cauliflower, which is cooked with spices. It is usually served with a bowl of boiled rice.

Paneer is another popular Indian food group that can be served for lunch and dinner. This is a soft cheese that resembles Adyghe. Paneer in Indian dishes is present in fried and baked form. Often they are replaced with meat in traditional Indian dishes. One of the varieties of paneer is palak paneer. It's mashed spinach with chunks of cheese and lots of spices.

Indian desserts and sweets

Sweets and desserts in India are high in calories. They are usually prepared from cereals, nuts, bean flour, dairy products and spices. Ghee butter and fruits are also added. It is noteworthy that honey is rarely added to Indian sweets, because, according to the Vedas, it is unhealthy when heated, and most local desserts are prepared by frying them in a mixture of fat and spices.

One of the most popular desserts in India is laddu. These are sweet balls that are made from nuts, spices, coconut and. They are fried in ghee. Gulab jamun is another dessert that is made with mixture and milk. This delicacy is fried in oil until a firm crispy crust appears.

Other Indian sweets include creamy burfi fudge, which is made from butter and milk, as well as halava, which has nothing to do with the usual halva sold in European stores. Indian halava is a semolina delicacy with a pudding-like texture.

Kheer is another dish served in most Indian cafes and restaurants. This is a sweet rice porridge that is boiled in full fat milk with the addition of zest, almonds and a huge amount of seasonings.

Indian drinks

India is a true paradise for those who love dairy products. Dahi is an Indian variety that is used both for making sauces and as a separate drink and ingredient for other dishes. So, for example, in the northern regions of India, condensed rabri milk is prepared from dahi, and in the center - a basandi dessert with the addition of sugar, nuts and spices.

Another popular milk drink is lassi. It resembles the consistency of drinking yogurt. Lassi is served either with or with sugar and fruit.

A dessert called nimbu pani perfectly quenches thirst - this is a mixture of mineral water with the addition of all the same spices. However, the favorite drink of local residents is. It is usually drunk in India with milk and sugar. Masala is very popular - strong black tea with the addition of milk, cardamom, cloves, pepper and other spices.

Health benefits and harms

Despite the huge amount of fatty and fried foods, Indian cuisine is considered healthy. The secret of its beneficial effects on health lies in spices that strengthen the immune system, have a positive effect on the digestive system and help cope with colds.

At the same time, nutritionists urge tourists to be extremely careful with local delicacies. In hot climates, food spoils very quickly. In addition, people who have problems with the digestive system should not be particularly fond of Indian delicacies precisely because of the large amount of spices in their composition - such a treat can adversely affect the state of the gastrointestinal tract.

Cooking biryani pilaf

To prepare a traditional Indian pilaf, you will need the following ingredients: one and a half kilograms of lamb (it is better to take a shoulder blade and brisket), 70 g of butter, one large carrot, two onions, a teaspoon of vegetable oil for frying, for decoration, as well as spices (a teaspoon, the same amount of ground coriander, three tablespoons, ten cloves, eight peppercorns, ten cardamom, one and half a teaspoon), three heads of garlic and half a kilogram.

Rinse the meat and chop it into small pieces. Cut onions and carrots into strips. Soak rice and barberry. Grind the cardamom and peppercorns, mix them with the main spices.

Pour vegetable oil into a wide frying pan and heat it. Salt the meat and fry over high heat until golden brown. Drain the liquid formed during frying into a separate container.

Add two teaspoons of the spice mixture to the pan and sauté the meat for two minutes. After that, add bay leaf and simmer over low heat until tender.

In a separate pan, fry the onion until golden brown. Add carrots and fry for another three minutes. Pour in the turmeric and pour in the remaining liquid from frying the meat. Add pre-cooked rice and barberry to the same place. Stir and add meat to the pilaf. Stir again and add another teaspoon of spices. Add garlic cloves and simmer for a quarter of an hour.

Put the finished pilaf on a plate and garnish with pomegranate seeds.

Cooking Indian vegetable stew

You will need the following ingredients: two potatoes, two carrots, a small head of cauliflower, one sweet red pepper, two onions, three cloves of garlic, ginger root, 50 g cashews, two tablespoons of tomato paste, 200 ml of 20 percent, two tablespoons spoons of ghee, two bay leaves, a teaspoon of turmeric, half a teaspoon of coriander and a pinch of salt.

Disassemble the cabbage into inflorescences. Peel carrots and potatoes and cut into slices. Cut the onion into half rings, and cut the pepper into cubes. Finely chop the garlic and ginger.

Pour boiling water over carrots, potatoes and cabbage. Boil for eight minutes.

Saute the bay leaf, onion, and cashew nuts in oil for three minutes. Add ginger, garlic and turmeric. Season with salt and cook for another minute. Add tomato paste, and, stirring constantly, simmer for two minutes.

Put the sweet pepper in the pan and fry for two minutes. After that, mix all the ingredients and simmer until cooked.