A very spicy Indian dish. National cuisine of India
Good afternoon, dear readers!
Today the topic of our conversation is Indian National dishes. The Motherland is an exotic country, with a centuries-old history and original traditions, which, of course, could not but be reflected in the national cuisine, which has an unusual taste, original recipes and lots of spices.
Today we invite you to take a virtual trip to India and find out what kind of food its residents prefer.
The uniqueness of Indian cuisine
The formation of folk Indian recipes was strongly influenced by Hinduism and, therefore, the overwhelming majority of the population adheres to vegetarian diet. Most of the dishes are prepared from vegetables and cereals with the addition of a huge amount of spices.
Meat can also be eaten - mainly lamb and poultry. Beef is strictly prohibited because the cow is a sacred animal in India. Pork is considered “unclean” meat, so it is practically not used for cooking.
Spices
As we have already mentioned, the Indian diet is unthinkable without seasonings. In India, spices are considered medicinal herbs that can be used to treat diseases, and not just seasonings that are added to dishes.
The origins of this idea lie in the philosophical and healing Indian system - Ayurveda, where one of the rules states that proper and moderate consumption of a variety of foods can help in the formation of good health, sustainable nervous system And
psyche.
Therefore, it must be said that the popularity of herbs is due not only to the tart taste that they add to dishes, but also to the healing effect on the body.
These are the herbs used in Indian cuisine and medicine, and now let's find out what the people of India prefer to eat, and whether there are any culinary differences between different regions of this country.
Territorial features
In India there is no single cuisine as such; each state has its own specifics. Northerners prefer meat dishes - most likely this is due to the fact that the majority of Muslims live in the north.
One of the most popular dishes in the north is biriyani pilaf with chicken or lamb and a variety of flatbreads and dough products. Also in the northern part of the country there are many Nepalese who use meat in preparing their traditional dishes - soups and momo dumplings.
Southerners are adherents of vegetarian cuisine - the main ingredients from which a variety of dishes are prepared include vegetables, rice, legumes, and coconuts. In general, beans are popular both in the north and in the south - they can replace meat in their composition, therefore they are actively used in cooking.
In the western part of India, Goa and Kerala, preference is given to fish delicacies and various seafood. You can also find European cuisine here, because... It is in these places that the largest number of tourists vacation.
National dishes
Despite the differences between north and south, there are dishes that are common throughout the country. We will tell you about some Indian dishes that you should definitely try if you ever find yourself in exotic India.
Dal (dhal)
Probably the most famous dish, considered the national soup. It is prepared from beans, which are boiled until pureed, to which a lot of spices, vegetables, curry sauce and coconut milk are then added. You can serve it with dough flatbreads.
Dal is incredibly popular among locals and tourists alike. This is a very tasty and satisfying meal that can replace both the first and the second.
This is pilaf with lamb meat, rice, vegetables and an incredible amount of spices. To make the dish very appetizing, you need to use only basmati rice.
It is prepared as follows: the meat is fried along with vegetables and a very large amount of seasonings, the rice is boiled separately, and then the ingredients are laid out in layers and stewed.
Biriyani is most common in the north of the country.
Tandoori
It consists of chicken marinated in yogurt, which is then baked in a tandoori clay oven. A necessary condition for preparing such a dish is the addition of the following spices to the meat at the time of baking - ginger, cinnamon, garlic, turmeric, coriander, cumin.
Such an abundance of seasonings makes the dish incredibly aromatic and unusual. It is served with rice.
Street food in India
While in the country, you can have a snack in numerous cafes or even on the go - right on the street there are carts with a variety of provisions, where you will be offered to try Indian fast food, which is mainly vegetarian. The most famous and favorite dishes are dosa and samosa.
Dosa
It is a large pancake that is baked on one side only, with filling placed inside - for example, boiled potatoes with fried onions and seasonings, cheese or an egg omelet. It is also served with lentil and coconut sauces.
The dish is easy to prepare, but tasty and very loved not only by Indians, but also by numerous tourists.
Samosa
It resembles the samsa already known to many, only without the addition of meat. The filling in the dough can consist of any vegetables, spices and even boiled peas. There are also sweet samosas - they are best eaten with tea as a dessert.
Of course, not every Westerner may like eating on the street, because... The conditions for preparing various foods may somewhat surprise a European. Therefore, if you are worried about your health, then it is better to choose a restaurant or cafe, of which there are plenty in India.
Beverages
In the north of the country, people mainly drink tea, but in the south they prefer coffee. Alcohol is not welcome in India.
The tea is called masala. Spices are added to it - most often cardamom, ginger, black pepper and cloves. Milk and sometimes nuts are also added there. Both white and brown sugar are used as a sweetener.
By the way, there is also masala coffee.
Masala is an excellent warming drink and has a unique taste, but for those who have never tried it, it will be a little unusual at first.
Indian masala tea
Dessert
Those with a sweet tooth will no doubt also find something to pamper themselves with, because national Indian cuisine is rich in delicacies made from fruits, nuts, honey, coconut milk and sugar.
Here you can taste kulfi ice cream with pistachios and saffron, firni rice casserole with raisins and almonds, rasgulla - curd balls sprinkled with syrup and many other sweets.
Indian ice cream kulfi
Conclusion
Dear readers, today we end our story about traditional Indian cuisine - we discussed its features, and also talked about gastronomic differences in the south and north of the country.
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National cuisine India will surprise everyone with the spiciness of its dishes, as well as the variety of methods for preparing them. Indian cuisine is based on rice, pulses and mixed vegetables, but in some parts of the country the consumption of pork is common. In this case, rice and legumes are used not only as a side dish or main dish, but also as a dessert. For example, if you add milk, aromatic spices, nuts and sugar to rice, you will get a very tasty dessert dish. Also in Indian cuisine there are a lot of recipes for preparing seafood delicacies with the addition of a wide variety of ingredients and spices.
Spices are an integral part culinary recipes Indian cuisine. The secret to the special taste of Indian dishes lies in mixing large quantity a variety of spices to enhance the taste of food. The combination of freshly ground herbs and spices gives Indian dishes a special, pleasant and sophisticated aroma. Seeds, leaves, and roots of various plants are used as spices in Indian cuisine: cumin, coriander, ginger, mint, saffron, mustard, red pepper and many others.
The recipes for amazing Indian sweets, which are prepared from fruits, chickpeas, fermented milk products, nuts, cereals, and rice flour, will not leave you indifferent. Indian halva with almonds, milk fudge - burfi, a mixture of honey, sugar, nuts, starch - Turkish delight, curd balls in sweet syrup - razguli will give you a truly heavenly gastronomic pleasure.
Not everyone can travel to India to enjoy its culinary delights, but with KitchenMag you can easily prepare traditional Indian cuisine at home. Our website presents a variety of Indian recipes with photos, comments and tips. Indian recipes on KitchenMag will help you experience the exquisite, spicy taste of Indian food and master the features and subtleties of its preparation.
The national cuisine of India is as colorful and varied as the country itself. The formation of local cuisine was greatly influenced by religion, especially Hinduism and Islam. For Hindus, the cow is a sacred animal, and Muslims, as you know, do not eat pork. Therefore, vegetarian dishes are very popular. Although lamb and poultry are often used to prepare many dishes. In addition, the Great Mughals, who ruled the country for several centuries, made a great contribution to the formation of Indian cuisine. Hence the dishes with features of Central Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines. Also, the Mughals brought the tandoor (a large vertical oven in which meat and bread are still cooked) to India. And now about what a tourist who visits this beautiful country needs to try.
Let's start, perhaps, with the very famous dish, national cuisine of India - “curry” « . Many people will think that curry is a seasoning in powder form that is well known to our housewives. But it's not that simple. In India, curry is a whole group of various dishes from stewed vegetables, meat, beans, fish, lamb, chicken and even seafood. An essential component of this dish is curry seasoning, which, in this country, is a mixture of many ingredients such as turmeric, cumin, coriander, tamarind, hot peppers, garlic and others. The word “curry” itself means “sauce” and this dish is most often served with rice.
In general, in the national cuisine of India, there is a special attitude towards seasonings. To prepare various dishes, saffron, cloves, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, coconut, poppy seeds, and even little-known ones such as asafoetida and mango powder are used. Indian chefs always keep on hand from 25 to 50 spices, which create a unique flavor bouquet. Moreover, each region of the country has its own favorite seasonings and spices. Thanks to various combinations and combinations of which, any dish acquires its subtle and unique taste.
In order to truly appreciate the diversity of Indian national cuisine, I offer a list of dishes that I hope will be truly appreciated not only by guests of this country, but also by sophisticated gourmets:
- “Dhal” is a pureed bean soup with the addition of curry, lemon juice, coconut milk, garlic, onions and tomatoes.
- "Tandoori" - marinated chicken baked in the oven.
- Biryani is a dish of rice, meat, vegetables, eggs, seasoned with nuts, dried fruits, ghee, orange sauce and seasonings.
- "Rogan Josh" - lamb with curry.
- “Guntaba” - meatballs with spices in yogurt sauce.
- "Makhanwala" - chicken in butter sauce.
- "Dhansak" - chicken with steamed rice, curry and lentils.
- "Dahi maach" - fish with curry, ginger and yogurt.
- "Mailai" - curried shrimp seasoned with coconut.
- "Chapati" is an Indian bread that resembles thin pita bread.
- Papadam is a flatbread made from lentil flour.
In India, it is customary to end a meal with “pan” - these are betel leaves in which anise seeds, nuts, cardamom and other seasonings are wrapped. It is believed that chewing this “thing” improves digestion.
Indian cuisine will delight those with a sweet tooth. This country is rightfully considered the cradle of sweets in the world. Local desserts are made from healthy and environmentally friendly products - honey, milk, nuts, fresh fruits, cereals... Even the strictest Vedic laws allow you to eat sweets to your heart's content. The very word “sweetness” literally means divine pleasure. The most popular desserts:
- “Kulfi” - traditional Indian ice cream with pistachios, saffron and cardamom;
- “rasgulla” - sweet curd balls with rose syrup;
- “Gulab Yamuns” - flour balls with yogurt and almonds;
- “jalebi” - pancakes in sugar syrup;
- “barfi” - balls of powdered milk, deep-fried, with the addition of pistachios, almonds and honey;
- “phirni” - rice casserole with raisins, almonds and pistachios;
- “Razmalai” is a dessert made from milk foam with sweet syrup.
In the north of the country, the most popular drink is tea. Indians love tea with milk, lemon, spices, ginger and honey. Southerners prefer coffee. In the summer, an unusual drink is sold everywhere - “lassi” (whipped yogurt with ice, spices, sugar, salt and fruit). In addition, among non-alcoholic drinks - “nimbu pani” (diluted with water lemon juice), coconut milk, mango juice and others. Of interest is the drink "fenny" - Indian alcoholic drink made from cashew fruits and coconut palm juice, which is usually served at weddings and other celebrations.
Welcome to hospitable India and bon appetit everyone!
India rightfully enjoys a reputation as one of the most mysterious and original countries in the world. She is often called the "mother of all civilizations." And indeed it is. India is a country with 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. Therefore, when going on a gastrotour to this country, you should first at least general outline study the basics of Hindu beliefs about food, its types and methods of eating it.
general characteristics
Science of proper nutrition- one of the main themes in the Vedas, the religious books of the ancient Hindus. So, according to the Vedas, all dishes are divided into three groups, which correspond to three states material nature: ignorance, passion and goodness.
“Ignorant” foods include very spicy foods that have been overcooked and are served either too cold or too hot. “Passionate” dishes are very spicy and contain large amounts of aphrodisiacs. Finally, “good” food is those dishes that contain everything in moderation. They are not too spicy and not bland, they are not cold or hot, they are not lean and not too fatty. According to Vedic cuisine, it is “good” foods that are energetically balanced.
In addition, India has one of the oldest cooking systems in the world. Extremely sophisticated, it stipulates that a dish must combine five taste qualities: sweet, salty, sour, spicy and astringent.
It is believed that it is the sweet taste that gives the feeling of fullness. The sour taste is responsible for the vitamin and mineral composition of the dish. The pungent taste is the healing properties that spices give to food. Salty taste is the energy our body needs. Finally, the components that give food an astringent taste help cleanse the body of toxins, help naturally remove metabolic products and slow down the rate of formation of fat reserves.
In addition, Indian philosophy divides all dishes into “cooling” and “warming”. We are not talking about the temperature 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” dishes helps maintain the correct temperature in the body and maintain health.
Characteristics
Today, Indian cuisine is deservedly considered one of the most exotic. It combines centuries-old traditions of the local population with trends that were brought into the country from outside. As a result, we can highlight the following characteristics Indian cooking.
- India is a land of spices. Local housewives use about thirty different types of spices in the most unexpected combinations when cooking. Thanks to this, Indian cuisine has a spicy aroma and simply incredible taste.
- 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 establishing food standards, the culinary preferences of the local population were formed under the influence of two religions: Hinduism and Islam. The diet of Muslims, who inhabit mainly the northern states, does not contain. At the same time, India at the state level abandoned. 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.
- Over the course of its history, Indian cuisine has absorbed many culinary traditions of representatives of other nationalities. For example, immigrants from Portugal brought it to the country. Indians owe baguette and soufflé to the French. The British also “marked their mark” in the culinary history of India - they brought puddings, jelly, etc. here.
- The greatest influence on the formation of local cuisine was the legacy of the Great Mughals - the descendants of Tamerlane, who ruled India for several centuries. To this day, fatty rice pilaf with spices, the recipe of which has remained unchanged for centuries, as well as biriyani - sweet breads stuffed with and - are popular in the country. Also, the Mughals (or, as they are also called, the Timurids) brought the tandoor to India, which the local population renamed tandoor. These are special ovens in the shape of giant jugs. To this day, meat is baked and smoked, bread is baked, pilaf and vegetables are cooked in tandoors in India. Considering that the temperature in the oven can reach up to 500 degrees, the cooking process is significantly speeded up.
- 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, meat spoils quickly here. At the same time, thanks to the fertile soil and temperature conditions, in some regions of India three or four vegetable crops are harvested per year.
- Cows in India are under state protection. In Hinduism, killing a cow is considered a greater sin than killing a person, and therefore eating beef is strictly prohibited for Hindus. At the same time, dairy products are considered sacred and are extremely popular. He managed to win special recognition, which is called dahi here. Many Indians believe that a meal without dahi is incomplete. In fact, this tradition has a simple explanation - the casein contained in yogurt helps quench thirst provoked by spicy foods.
Main dishes
, legumes and are the basis of Indian cooking. Most Indians eat rice at least once a day. Local chefs know a huge number of ways to prepare it. So, pulao, a special Indian pilaf, is prepared from rice with vegetables and spices. For dessert in India, rice is often served, cooked with the addition of herbs and spices. They even make something called kulfi from rice. Add crushed nuts and rose water to it.
Legume dishes in Indian cuisine are one of the main sources. A variety of flat cakes are baked from it, sometimes mixing it with millet.
Vegetables are widely represented in the Indian diet. Vegetable stew sabji, as well as stuffed vegetables in a sauce of yogurt and nuts, are extremely popular. A popular snack is fried greens, known as shak in India. The composition of this dish includes roots, fresh leaves, cabbage, chicory shoots, etc. The greens are first steamed and then fried in a sauce made from spices.
Airy puri flatbreads are an essential part of a traditional Indian breakfast. They are fried in oil and served with stewed vegetables or potatoes in a spicy sauce.
Another element of the morning meal is the 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, which is prepared from boiled legumes, adding spices, tomatoes and onions. Dal is usually served with wheat flour flatbreads called chapatis.
Another Indian dish that has gained worldwide recognition is curry. In fact, calling curry a dish is not entirely correct, because in fact this name hides a whole group of Indian sauces that are prepared with legumes, vegetables or fish and served with boiled rice.
Many gourmets note that “side dish with side dish” is one of the “tricks” of Indian cuisine. For example, alu gobi, a type of curry, is a popular dish. This stewed potatoes with cauliflower, which is prepared with the addition of spices. It is usually served with a plate of boiled rice.
Paneer is another popular group of dishes in India that can be served for lunch and dinner. This is a soft cheese that resembles Adyghe cheese. Paneer is present in Indian dishes in fried and baked form. They are often used as a substitute for meat in traditional Indian dishes. One of the varieties of paneer is palak paneer. This is spinach puree with pieces of cheese and a lot of spices.
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. Ghee and fruits are also added. It is noteworthy that honey is rarely added to Indian sweets, because, according to the Vedas, when heated, it is harmful to health, 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 made from nuts, spices, coconut flakes and. Fry them in ghee oil. Gulab jamun is another dessert that is made from mixture and milk. This delicacy is fried in oil until a hard, crispy crust appears.
Other Indian sweets include burfi, which is made from butter and milk, and halawa, which has nothing in common with the regular halva sold in European stores. Indian halawa is a delicacy made from semolina with a consistency similar to pudding.
Kheer is another dish that is served in most Indian cafes and restaurants. This is a sweet rice porridge, which is cooked in full-fat milk with the addition of zest, almonds and a huge amount of seasonings.
Indian drinks
India is truly a paradise for those who love dairy products. Dahi is an Indian variety that is used both for making sauces and as a separate drink and ingredient for other dishes. For example, in the northern regions of India, condensed milk-rabri is prepared from dahi, and in the center - the dessert basandi with the addition of sugar, nuts and spices.
Another popular milk drink is lassi. It resembles the consistency of drinking yogurt. Lassi is served either with or with sugar and fruit.
An excellent thirst-quenching dessert called nimbu pani is a mixture of mineral water with the addition of the same spices. However, the favorite drink of the locals is. In India it is usually drunk with milk and sugar. Masala is very popular - strong black tea with the addition of milk, cardamom, cloves, pepper and other spices.
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 the spices, which 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 get too carried away with Indian delicacies precisely because of the large number of spices in their composition - such a treat can have a detrimental effect on the condition of the gastrointestinal tract.
Cooking pilaf biryani
To prepare traditional Indian pilaf, you will need the following ingredients: one and a half kilograms of lamb (it is better to take a shoulder blade and brisket), 70 g of butter, one large carrot, two onions, a teaspoon of vegetable oil for frying, for decoration, as well as spices (a teaspoon, the same amount of ground coriander, three tablespoons, ten cloves, eight peppercorns, ten cardamom, one and a half teaspoon), three heads of garlic and half a kilogram.
Rinse the meat and chop it into small pieces. Cut the onions and carrots into strips. Soak the rice and barberries. Grind the cardamom and peppercorns and mix them with the main spices.
Pour into a wide frying pan vegetable oil and heat it up. 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 fry the meat for two minutes. After this, add 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. Add the turmeric and the remaining liquid from frying the meat. Add pre-cooked rice and barberries. Stir and add meat to pilaf. Stir again and add another teaspoon of spices. Add the garlic cloves and simmer for a quarter of an hour.
Place 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 cloves of garlic, ginger root, 50 g cashew nuts, two tablespoons of tomato paste, 200 ml 20 percent, two tablespoons spoons of ghee, two bay leaves, a teaspoon of turmeric, half a teaspoon of coriander and a pinch of salt.
Separate the cabbage into inflorescences. Peel the carrots and potatoes and cut into slices. Cut the onion into half rings and cut the pepper into cubes. Finely chop the garlic and ginger.
Pour boiling water over carrots, potatoes and cabbage. Boil for eight minutes.
Fry the bay leaf, onion and cashews in oil for three minutes. Add ginger, garlic and turmeric. Add salt and fry for another minute. Add tomato paste, and, stirring constantly, simmer for two minutes.
Post it Bell pepper into the pan and fry for two minutes. After this, mix all the ingredients and simmer until done.
Namaste, our dear readers! Today, we will intrigue your patience a little. I warn you right away, it’s better not to sit down hungry after reading this article. We will tell you what you must try in India to get an idea of Indian cuisine. Make yourself comfortable, let's begin!
Let me tell you first that more than 80% of the Indian population are vegetarians. In Hindi, vegetables are pronounced sabji. Sabji Markets are the most popular markets in India. What vegetables can you find in these markets? Potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, white cabbage, zucchini, different varieties legumes, okra, eggplant, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, greens.
Basic Indian dishes are prepared from these vegetables. Usually, with the addition of fermented milk products (ghee, yogurt, curd) and a variety of spices. For many Indians, cooking is an art. And you need to master the art as if you were preparing food not for yourself, but for a deity. Therefore, food is not tasted during the cooking process. First, they invite the god to taste the food, and after that it is laid out for the whole family.
So, let's go, what are the must-try Indian dishes in India?
Dhal
The most popular and most “folk” Indian dish. Dal is a stew made from lentils or peas (and any other types of legumes). In general, in India, any dish made from legumes is called “Dal”.
This is a common, everyday food for all residents of India, regardless of state, caste, or status. It is eaten with rice or flatbreads. Cold or hot. She gave countless cooking methods; there is a version that she gave so many cooking options that you could cook it every day for a year - and never repeat it.
When preparing dal, onions, garlic (or asafoetida), tomatoes, various spices (jeera, cumin, cumin, garam masala), kurd or yogurt are used. Dal can be stewed, boiled, fried, baked. A variety of recipes can turn dal into a dish for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even dessert. This is such a mega-popular and beloved folk dish.
Dal with rice for lunch
Dal with chapati and masala tea - for breakfast (on the Triund Himalayan plateau)
Palak Panir
A delicious Indian dish, one of the most popular among Indian fans. It is a stew of spinach and Indian paneer cheese (cheese similar to Adyghe cheese) with vegetables and spices. Palak means spinach in Hindi. “Paneer” means “cheese-paneer”. Palak paneer is an incredibly tender dish, pieces of cheese in a soft creamy spinach sauce.
If the cook tries and adds not too many spices so as not to overwhelm the main taste, then Palak Paneer can be safely recommended to beginners in Indian cuisine. This is a dish that is soft and adapted to Western stomachs. You can eat it with rice or chapatis. We often prepare palak paneer at home. Soon we will reveal the secret of its preparation to you too.
Palak Paneer - spinach with paneer cheese
Indian flatbreads
Indian flatbreads are a must try in India. There are many of them, they are tasty, nutritious and are a side dish for vegetable dishes, along with rice. There are a huge number of flatbreads in India - chapati, roti, paratha, naan, puri, dosa, samosa, kulcha. Perhaps we will devote a separate article to this miracle of human hands. We love flatbreads. We try them everywhere, both in India and when traveling around Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Uighuria in China.
Uncle cooks chapatis in a special frying pan without sides - chapatnitsa.
Delicious naans - flatbreads from the tonduri oven
Indian samosa is very tasty, with vegetables inside.
Alu Gobi Aloo)
"Alu" - potatoes, "Gobi" - cauliflower. As a result, the Alu Gobi dish is potatoes with cauliflower, spices and some other vegetables (onions, carrots, tomatoes). Alu Gobi is eaten with rice or flatbreads, washed down with masala tea. One of our favorite dishes in India.
Why can Aloo Gobi be called the most popular dish in India along with dal? Because potatoes and cauliflower are the very vegetables that can be bought at Indian vegetable markets in any season. We also prepare Alu Gobi at home (we will definitely tell you the recipe in upcoming articles).
Malay kofta
Balls of potatoes and paneer, deep fried, in a creamy sauce with herbs, spices and sometimes nuts. “Kofta” means “meatballs” in Hindi, and “malai” means cream sauce.
Malai kofta, along with palak paneer, is a very tender, but also very capricious dish. In not very diligent hands, it may not turn out as tasty and delicate as it actually is. We've met people who were disappointed with this dish after trying it in the wrong place. They crossed off Malai Kofta from their list of favorite Indian dishes. Imagine their surprise when they tried the dish again and felt its real delicate taste. Therefore, we strongly recommend this dish. Malai Kofta is delicious
At home, we quite often prepare this dish by combining potatoes and paneer for minced meat. We make small cutlets, the size of a walnut. Add creamy sauce, voila - an incredibly delicious Indian dish is ready. The recipe is ours.
Navratan korma
Navratan korma is a mixture of vegetables in a creamy nut sauce. Navratan korma traditionally consists of 9 components. The word “navratan” itself is translated as “nine jewels”. The word "korma" means "stewed" in Hindi. Traditional navratan korma has a creamy nut sauce. The creamy sauce is made with yogurt, cream or coconut milk. You can eat navratan korma with rice or flatbreads (as usual).
Sabji andVegetable Curry
Sabji is an Indian dish that is a kind of vegetable stew. As I wrote above, “Sabji” translated into Hindi means “vegetables”. Served with rice and chapatis.
Vegetable curry is a mixture of vegetables (potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, peppers) with curry sauce, which includes fried spices, black and red pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, saffron, cloves, ginger, nuts, mustard, mint, garlic, dill. It turns out such a delicious mixture of vegetables with sauce. The dish is served with plain rice, incredibly tasty
Biryani
This dish can be called “Indian pilaf”. A dish made from basmati rice is cooked in a thick-bottomed frying pan, in ghee, with the addition of vegetables and spices - cardamom, saffron, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cumin and others. Each state, of course, has its own individual additions to biryani. The word “biryani” itself comes from the Persian language and means “fried”. The dish itself was brought to India by Muslim travelers - merchants from Persia.
Raita
Raita is somewhat similar to our Russian okroshka - a light, refreshing dish, pleasant to eat in hot weather. The main component of raita is a fermented milk product - Kurd or yogurt. Other important ingredients of this dish are vegetables and spices. These could be tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, herbs (cilantro or mint), spices. Spices must be added to raita. The word rai itself means “black mustard seeds.” In some states of India, mustard seeds are always added to raita; in other states, cumin is added.
There are quite a few options for preparing raita. There is cucumber and mint raita, and tomato and cilantro raita. There are sweet raitas with the addition of yogurt and fruit. We prepare raita at home quite often, in completely different versions. Our favorite is cucumbers, tomatoes, mint (or cilantro), and for spice spices, dried mango and a little garam masala.
Thali
If we translate the word Thali from Hindi, it means “plate” or “tray of dishes.” In general, this is true. A thali is a large, usually aluminum tray, on which many small plates with all kinds of Indian dishes are comfortably located. Required element Thali is a simple rice. Common components of a thali also include dal, vegetable curry, kurd, roti, papad or chapati, a small amount of chutney and pickles.
A homemade thali contains 5-6 dishes. And on festive table or in a restaurant, a thali can contain up to 25 dishes. In each state, the contents of the thali may vary and contain its own specific dishes inherent in a particular state. There is, for example, the Rajasthani thali, the Maharashtra thali, the North Indian thali, and so on.
We love thali. You could say this is our favorite Indian dish. Because it has a little bit of everything we love from Indian cuisine. And at the same time, thali is a very popular food. By the way, the thali was born on a banana leaf.
Well, friends, that's all. We hope that now the phrase “Indian cuisine” has acquired clearer boundaries for you. And when you come to India for the first time, you will know exactly what you need to try!
Now, another good news, in the coming days, as soon as I have more free time, I will definitely write step by step recipes of these dishes, with photographs. Palak paneer, Alo Gobi, Navratan Korma, Malai Kofta, Raita - we prepare all these dishes at home all the time. Therefore, I will share the recipes; preparing them is not so difficult. I want all readers to be able to experience a piece of India right at home, in cozy kitchens, but without crocodiles, dysentery, snakes and yogis floating in the air on their heads around (from letters from our readers) :). Yes, and write to us about your favorite Indian dishes, because we haven’t described everything. I'm sure someone has a favorite dish that is not included on our list. Please share