Indian kitchen

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 of 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 them, all dishes are divided into three groups, which correspond to the three states of material nature: ignorance, passion and goodness. ^[1].

The “ignorant” food includes meat and fish dishes, tasteless, spoiled. “Passion” dishes – very spicy, sour, salty, overcooked, hot, too sweet. Finally, “good” food is vegetarian, dairy. Such dishes are not too spicy and not bland, they are not cold and not hot, they are not lean and not too fatty. According to Vedic cuisine, it is “good” foods that are energetically balanced. ^[2].

In addition, India has one of the oldest cooking systems in the world. Extremely sophisticated, it stipulates that five tastes must be combined in the dish: sweet, salty, sour, spicy and astringent. ^[3].

It is believed that it is the sweet taste that gives a feeling of satiety. Sour is responsible for the vitamin and mineral composition of the dish. Spicy taste is the healing properties that spices give the dish. 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 accumulation of fat reserves.

In addition, Indian philosophy divides all dishes into “cooling” and “warming” ^[4]. 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 food standards, the culinary preferences of the local population were formed under the influence of two religions: Hinduism and Islam. In the diet of Muslims, who inhabit mainly the northern states, there is no pork. At the same time, India at the state level abandoned beef ^[5]. 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 brought sweet peppers to the country. The Indians owe the French a baguette and a soufflé. The British also “noted” in the culinary history of India: they brought puddings, jelly and anchovies here.
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. Up to the present day, fatty pilaf with spices, the recipe of which has remained unchanged for centuries, as well as sweet bread stuffed with almonds, cream and dried fruits, are popular in the country. In addition, the Mughals (or, as they are also called, the Timurids) brought the tandir to India, which the local population renamed the tandur. These are special ovens in the shape of a giant jug. 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 time is significantly reduced.
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 ^[6]. 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. Yogurt, which is called dahi, has managed to win special recognition. 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

Wheat, beans and rice are the basis of Indian cuisine. Most Indians eat rice at least once a day. Local chefs know a huge number of ways to prepare it. So, rice with vegetables and spices is used to prepare pulao – a special Indian pilaf. For dessert in India, rice is often served, boiled in milk with the addition of sugar, spices and spices. They even make ice cream from this cereal, which is called kulfi. Add chopped nuts, vanilla and rose water to it.

Bean dishes in Indian cuisine are one of the main sources of protein. Various flat cakes are baked from wheat flour, sometimes mixed with barley and millet flour.

Vegetables are widely represented in the diet of Indians. Vegetable stew (sabji) and stuffed vegetables in yogurt and walnut sauce are very popular. A popular snack is fried greens, known in India as shak. The composition of this dish includes parsnip roots, fresh spinach, beet and radish leaves, cabbage, chicory shoots, etc. The greens are first steamed and then fried in a sauce of cornmeal and spices.

Potatoes in India are used to make aubergine stew in yogurt and coconut sauce, fried with carrot sticks in a spicy sesame yogurt sauce, and served with ghee, locally called ghee.

The attitude towards ghee in India is special. Here it is considered a sacred product, which is an indicator of the well-being of the family. Ghee is traditionally endowed with rejuvenating and tonic properties, as well as the ability to strengthen the immune system, normalize the digestive system and all internal organs.

Despite the fact that most Indians are vegetarians, the inhabitants of the sea coasts eat fish and seafood. Fish fillet is cooked in tomato sauce, with curry, ginger and mushrooms, in sweet and sour sauce with curry pepper, with coconut sauce, stewed with apple, carrot and ginger root.

As already noted, meat dishes in India are not very common. Beef is completely banned, and in some parts of the country where Muslims live, pork has also been blacklisted. You can eat chicken, rabbit meat and lamb. The most common meat dishes are roast and some kind of barbecue, which differs from the European version in that the meat is marinated longer.

Traditionally, food in India is served on a special tray or on banana leaves. Metal cups-katori are placed on the tray, in which portions are laid out.

Traditional breakfast

Breakfast in India most often consists of samosas. These are triangular-shaped pies with a spicy filling, usually made from potatoes or other vegetables. These pastries are often sold by peddlers on the streets and markets, as well as near attractions.

Indians also often have pakora for breakfast – vegetables cut into small pieces and fried in batter. It can be potatoes, eggplant or cauliflower. A variety of spices are usually added to the batter: garlic, cardamom, saffron and curry.

An obligatory component of a traditional Indian breakfast is airy cakes – puri. 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. ^[7].

Another dish of Indian cuisine that has gained worldwide recognition is curry. In fact, calling curry a dish is not entirely correct, because 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 “side dish 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. ^[8].

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. They also add ghee and fruits. 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 flakes and chickpea flour. They are fried in ghee. Gulab jamun is another dessert made from a mixture of semolina and powdered milk. This delicacy is fried in oil until a firm crispy crust appears.

Other Indian sweets include creamy fudge – burfi, 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 butter that resembles pudding in 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 orange peel, almonds and a huge amount of spices.

Indian drinks

India is a real paradise for those who love dairy products. Dahi is an Indian variety of curdled milk, which 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 milk is prepared from dahi – rabri, and in the center – basundi dessert with sugar, nuts and spices.

Another popular milk drink is lassi. It has a consistency similar to drinking yogurt. Lassi is served with either salt or sugar and fruit.

Perfectly quenches thirst Nimbu Pani is a mixture of lemon juice and mineral water with the addition of all the same spices. However, the favorite drink of the locals is tea. 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. ^[9].

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: 1,5 kg of lamb (it is better to take a shoulder blade and brisket), 70 g of butter, one large carrot, two onions, 1 tsp. vegetable oil for frying, pomegranate for decoration, as well as spices (1 tsp. turmeric, the same amount of ground coriander, 3 tbsp. barberry, ten pieces of cloves, eight peas of pepper, ten pieces of cardamom, one bay leaf and 0,5, 0,5 tsp cinnamon), three heads of garlic and XNUMX kg of basmati rice.

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 water, 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. Put the 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 garlic cloves, ginger root, 50 g cashew nuts, 2 tbsp. l. tomato paste, 200 ml of 20 percent cream, 2 tbsp. l. ghee, two bay leaves, 1 tsp. turmeric, 0,5 tsp 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 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. Salt and fry 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.

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