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CUISINES >> INDIA

Indian Cuisine
The unforgettable aroma of India is not just the heavy scent of jasmine and roses in the warm air. It is also the fragrance of spices so important to Indian cooking - especially to preparing curry. Like an artist’s palette of oil paints, the Indian cook has some twenty-five spices (freshly ground as required).

Many of these spices are also noted for their medicinal properties. They, like the basic ingredient, vary from region to region. Although not all Hindus are vegetarians, you will probably eat more vegetable dishes than is common in Europe, particularly when you visit South India.

The variety of Indian cooking is immense, it is colorful and aromatic, it can be fiery or not as desired and it is inexpensive even at the top class hotels. No wonder, then, that it is not now the third most popular cuisine in the world nor will it be any more
surprising when it becomes the first.

Cuisines

Description

Kashmiri	The piece de resistance in the wazwan, the traditional 24-course banquet with many cooking ways and varieties of meat - some in curry, some dry, some pounded in various sizes. These are carefully cooked by cooked overnight by the master chef, Vasta Waza, and his retinue of wazas.
Punjabi	Sarson ka saag, originating from Punjab. This dish of mustard greens simmered and slow cooked over coals along with rajma, kali ma or lentils and served in dhabas or roadside stalls, which many say has the best food in Northern India. The dishes are served with unleavened bread of cornmeal or wheat and a dollop of butter or with steamed basmati rice.
Rajasthan	Gram flour or Besan is a major ingredient here and is used to make some of the delicacies like Khata, Gatte Ki Sabzi and Pakodi. Powdered lentils are used for Mangodi and Papad. Bajra and corn are used all over the state for preparations of Rabdi, Khichdi and Rotis. Sweets include Laddoos, Malpuas, Jalebies, Rasogullas, Mishri Mawa, Mawa Katchori, Sohan Halwa, Mawa and many more.
Uttar Pradesh	Most families in Uttar Pradesh eat vegetarian food. Banaras, India's holiest city is in UP, is famous for it's bazaars full of 'jalebis' and a myriad variety of 'kachoris'. The 'pethas' Awadh - style of cooking is world famous for its tender meat dishes and excellent sweets. Lucknow is known world wide for its biryanis and different meat preparations. Nihari and naan, a mutton dish served for breakfast is one of the dishes that just have to be tasted.
Bengali	Rice and fish symbolize Bengali food. It is a coastal cuisine. The other characteristic of its cuisine is the use of coconut, mustard oil instead of ghee or peanut or coconut oil and its famous panchpuran or combination of five spices of nigella, fennel, cumin, mustard and fenugreek. It also has many sweet and sour dishes.
Gujarati	Gujarati food has been influenced by the Chinese cuisine and is different from most all-Indian cuisines in that the Gujaratis serve their sweets with the meal. This is also a reason why there is more sweet and sour taste in their dishes. The Gujarati savories are now famous all over India - crisp spicy fried 'farsans', which can be bought at wayside stalls like Chevda, ghatia. Gujaratis take simple ingredients and with their culinary talent turn them into great dishes. Popular items include a delicious vegetable concoction Undhiu, Gujarati Kadhi, - a savoury curry made of yoghurt. Some common dishes include Khaman Dhokla, a salty steamed cake, Doodhpak, a sweet, thickened milk confectionery and Shrikhand, dessert made of yogurt, flavored with saffron, cardamom.
Maharashtrian	Marathi food uses lots of fish, coconuts, grated coconuts, peanuts and cashewnuts are widely used in vegetables. Peanut oil is the main cooking medium.
Goan	The Portuguese influenced goan food. It has incredible seafood recipes and is known for its spicy coconut curries. The Goans make full use of their proximity to the sea coast by using fish, crabs, lobsters and tiger prawns, which a cooked in a coconut, garlic hot sauce or dry spices making this cuisine full of variety and exciting. And to top it all, there is the locally manufactured liquor served all over Goa.
Konkani	Konkani cuisine is a good blend of North and south Indian cuisines but has many distinct features and recipes. The cuisine has its own coconut and spice blends and green chilies, fresh coconut flakes, sesame seeds and peanuts are regularly used.
Parsi	Parsi cuisine is deliciously spiced and one of the specialties is "Dhansak", a mutton, lentil and vegetable potpourri served with brown rice consumed with a pint of lager. Some other dishes are "Kolmino patio" - a sweet and sour prawn curry, "Dhandal patio" - fish curry served with rice and lentils.