Introduction To The INDIAN FOOD

A perfect blend of authentic spices, that is what indian food is made up of. The food of india has been widely appreciated for its fabulous diversity. It mainly consists of pulses such as rajma, choley, moong ,urad etc with a perfect combination of bajra, makka, gehu etc. And now let us talk about the spices , the soul or staple part of INDIAN FOOD.....

The frequently used spices are asafotedia, cumin seeds ,black mustard seeds, chilli powder, coriander seeds, fenugreek , bay leaves , nutmeg , black pepper, white pepper, turmeric, saffron, garam masala ( it consists of 5 or more spices together such as clove, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves , black and white peppers etc).

Most of the indian spices is filled with health benefits. eg - turmeric is an antioxidant ,cumin seeds boost the immune system,cinnamon and coriander controls blood sugar level, asafotedia is used to treat asthma, cough etc.

Different regions have different cooking styles and methods with different flavourings. Veg , non- veg everything according to the availability . Gujarati's are huge vegetarian and have an underlying sweetness to their food , North Indian cuisine reflects mughal influence and is filled up of paneer, ghee etc, Maharashtrians love their fish , South Indian cuisine consists of sambar, kootus and rasam along with grilled snacks and different chutneys.

Let's talk about some authentic dishes of India -

1. Shufta - A Kashmiri dessert especially served during festivals and marriages. it consists of dry fruits infused with sugar , saffron , spiced with cinnamon and pepper. Fried paneer and coconut powder gives the base to it.

2.Tundey kabaab or galouti kabaab - It is a part of awdhi cuisine and is popular in Lucknow. It is majorly made up of minced buffalo beef , yogurt , onion rings, sugar , lime, vinegar, mint, ginger, garlic, garam masala , cinnamon, cardamom, melted ghee and is incorporated with different spices as well.

3.Litti chokha - Litti is a small dough ball made up of whole wheat flour and stuffed with roasted chickpea powder with spices and herbs such as ginger, garlic, onion , lime etc. and roasted over cow dung and tossed with lots of ghee. It is served a s a complete meal with chokha which is a veg prep of eggplant , tomato and potato. Litti chokha is a poplular dish of Bihar , Jharkhand the eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh.

4.Rabdi ka ghevar - It is a traditional Rajasthani sweet , kinda disc shape cake . First the batter is poured in ghee to form the shape and then is deep fried . Then it is soaked with sugar syrup. Rabdi is then poured over the ghevar and is decorated with saffron and pistachios . it is associated with makar sankranti, teej and gangaur.

5.Bhutte ka kees - A really popular street food of Indore, Madhya pradesh. it is simple yet satisfying dish. Grated corn is cooked with ghee and spices and then simmered with milk. Garnished with chopped coriander and grated coconut.

6.Masor tenga - It is a tangy fish curry and is Assam's authentic preparation. The key ingredient is souring agent. fish pieces is fried after marinating and is tossed with tomato curry and spices . lemon juice is added at the end.

1. Sawhchiar - It is popular in Mizoram. It is made up by boiling rice, meat and pulses together. It is a sort of khichdi as is simply delicious.

2. Bajre ki khichadi - It is a simple yet delicious part of haryana's cuisine. It is an innovation to the regular khichdi . Millet and pulses are cooked together with a pinch of salt and ghee. it tastes good and contains high nutritional values.

3. Nap naang - A really cool sweet dish from Nagaland. black rice is soaked and cooked with milk in pressure cooker and then is boiled in pan along with sugar.

4. Bisi bele bath - Bisi means hot, bele stands for lentils. It is a perfect blend of rice , pulses, tamarind and jaggery. It is an authentic no onion , no garlic recipe. Popular in Karnataka. rice and pulses are cooked seperately and then a tadka is made which incorparates mustard seeds , bay leaves etc. tamarind juice and jaggery water is mixed and boiled. it is served hot garnished with dry fruits.

5. Tandoori chicken - Chicken!! Punjab!! chicken has its roots to mughal cuisine. it is also known as murgh tandoor as it is prepared in tandoor or oven . chicken thigh is marinated with spices and then is grilled . served hot with yoghurt.

6. Khaman dhokhla - A really simple and deliciously satisfying recipe. It is a sort of cake made up of gram flour with curd and a pinch of fruit salt. cooked together and then sugar syrup is poured following with a tadka consisting of mustard seed and grated coconut.
   Try the lip smacking dishes and feed your soul :p

• Komal Purohit