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Travel Foodies

The Diversity of Tempting and Delightful Indian Cuisines

24 Apr 2024

When most people around the world think of Indian cuisine, they think of spicy food. Indian restaurants, both northern and southern ones can be seen in most major cities of the world, though what is served has been adapted to what the locals prefer to eat. You will also note that there are no forks or knives and you will have to eat most dishes with your hands, though there are spoons if you wish to taste any curries. In the south of the country, dishes are often served on banana leaves. India has a large army of students studying hospitality courses and they dream of working in hotels and restaurants not just in the country but abroad too.

Means to the end

varity of dishes

The food being different from other countries means that the utensils and the ovens and stoves they are cooked on are different too. You will find a tandoor that mostly uses charcoal to prepare different types of bread and to grill meats or vegetables. Most homes will have a tawa, a kind of frying pan, used to prepare fresh bread daily called rotis, though in southern India, larger versions of these are used to prepare items like dosa and uttapam. The frying process is the same as anywhere else in the world, though the oils used are very different like mustard oil and soybean oil.

The menus will surprise you

indian curries

The items prepared here are mostly known to be vegetarian. This country has seen foreign invasions and colonial rule, and this brought not just new people, and new languages but new cuisines too. Where these foreigners settled you will be able to see a lot of fusion cuisines. The items they were used to have a lot of meat in them and they are credited with bringing non-vegetarian items to the country. With the liberalization of the country's economy, you will find all sorts of Western food including burgers and pizzas here. You will find a lot of foreign cuisines here but most of these are prepared with an Indian touch.

Same and different

vegetarian

India is a large country with different regions, different religions, and different cultures. Different regions have different climates and hence different flora and fauna. Like every part of the world, there are staple items here that are mostly prepared with ground wheat, rice, or ground rice. Other items though vary, with different curries prepared with different lentils or vegetables, giving them a different taste and color. Every region has some special dishes that are prepared on special occasions like weddings, birthdays or during festival times. For instance, in the south of the country, people have idli and vada on the weekends, the recipes of which are not too simple but not too complex either.

Other than the main course

sweet dishes

The fruits and honey are consumed a lot here, and these are used as ingredients in some items. The snacks are mostly salty, though they vary from one region of the country to another like the fried items like pakoras. The sweet dishes served here are also very different from the chocolates and ice-creams that you are used to. Jalebis and Gulab jamuns will give you an other-worldly feeling, just as you look at them before tasting them. The drinks are different too with lassi, a yogurt-based drink popular in the north of the country, and sharbat, similar to the squashes available in the Western world. Tea here is very different from those served in East Asia, as these are always prepared with milk.  Paan is popular along the length and breadth of the country as a mouth freshener.

Preparing the dining itinerary

choose from menu

The coastal states of the country like Goa, Kerala, West Bengal, and others have been fishing since time immemorial. So, you can expect to find a lot of dishes based around seafood. If you are coming to this country from overseas, you won’t just have to get used to the crowds and the noise, but to food of a different kind too. You have come this far, so you will be expecting something different from what you are used to and that is what you will get. Whether you are traveling to a particular city or will be traveling to a few states in India, it will always help you if you get acquainted with what you will be served here.

Conclusion

India has great diversity due to its large size and this means that there is not one national cuisine, but different cuisines are on offer in different states. This gives you a lot of options in terms of what you will get to eat, so get ready for adventures of an appetizing type. 

By FlightsChannel Team
Category
Featured Blog
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