Indian food is different from the rest of the world not only in taste but also in cooking methods. It reflects an absolute blend of various cultures and ages. Various civilisations influence Indian food culture. This has contributed their bit in its overall development and the present form.
The foods of India are better known for its spiciness. All over India, be it North India or South India, the spices are used generously in food. But one must not forget that every single spice used in Indian cuisines carries some or the other nutritional as well as medicinal properties.
North Indian Food
Food in north India, starting with Kashmiri cuisines, they reflect strong Central Asian influences. In Kashmir, mostly all the platters are prepared around the main course of rice found copiously in the beautiful valley. Also, another delicious item cooked here is the ‘Saag‘. It is prepared with a green leafy vegetable known as the ‘Hak’.
But on the other hand states like Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh show high utilization of chapatis as a staple food. Again, these chapatis are prepared with an abundant variety of flours such as wheat, rice, maida, besan etc. Besides chapatis other closely related pieces of bread baked in these regions which include Tandoori, Rumaali roti and Naan etc. However, in the northern region impact of Mughlai food is quite obvious as the Mughlai cuisine is one of the most famous cuisines in the states of Uttar Pradesh and other states of Northern India. Some of the most famous delicacies of the Mughlai cuisine are the Galawti Kebab, Mutton Rara, Handi Gosht.
Delicacies from West India
In the western states of India, the desert cuisine is famous for its unique taste and varieties of food. Rajasthan and Gujarat are the states that represent the majority dessert flavour of Indian food. Here an immense variety of dals and “achars” (pickles/preserves) are used that simply substitute the relative lack of fresh vegetables in these areas.
In the states like Maharashtra, the food is usually a blend of both North as well as South cooking techniques. Here people use both the rice and the wheat with the same amount of interest. Along the coastline of Mumbai, a vast variety of fishes is available. Some of the delicious preparations include the dishes like the “Bombay Prawn” and Pomfret. In Maharashtra, several street foods are also very famous like the Bombay special “Vada Pav”, ” Alu Vadi”, “Pav Bhaji”. The desert cuisine of Maharashtra includes some of the world-famous delicacies like the “Puran Poli” and the “Modaks”.
In Goa another coastline state of India, it is further down towards south, one can notice the Portuguese influence in the cooking styles as well as in the dishes. Some of the major dishes of this region are the sweet and sour Vindaloo, duck baffled, Sarapatel and egg molie etc.
East Indian Food
In the eastern states of India, the Bengali and Assamese techniques of cooking are noticeable. The staple food of Bengalis is the delicious combination of rice and fish. Usually, the Bengali people love eating a variety of fishes. A unique way of preparing the delicacy known as ‘Hilsa'(a fish) is by wrapping it in the pumpkin leaf and then cooking it. Another unusual ingredient that is frequently used in Bengali cooking is the ‘Bamboo Shoot’. Various sweets are prepared in this region of India by using milk which includes the ‘Roshogollas’, ‘Sandesh’, ‘Cham-cham’ and many more.
South India Delicacies
In the southern states of India, the states make a great blend of spices, fishes and coconuts as most of them have coastal kitchens. In the foods of Tamil Nadu use of tamarind is frequently made so that to impart sourness to the dishes. It simply distinguishes the Tamil Food from other cuisines of India.
The cooking technique of Andhra Pradesh is supposed to make excessive use of chillies. It obviously improves the taste of the dishes.
In Kerala, some of the mouth-watering dishes are the lamb, stew and appams, from the coasts of Malabar the delicacy included are fried prawns, Idlis, Dosas, fish molie and rice puttu. Another famous delicacy of this region is the sweetened coconut milk. Yet another dish is Puttu, which is glutinous rice powder that is steamed like a pudding in a bamboo shoot.