I went on a quest recently to find out more about Indian food. I am a lover of ethnic foods and I do enjoy some Indian dishes. Often times though when you are at the table enjoying food you don’t really think about the culture of what you are eating. When I eat Indian, I normally go Vegetarian and easy on spices. I don’t mind spice but if I have to drink 3 or 4 glasses of water during my meal, I am not enjoying it.
Understanding Indian food is pretty much like understanding rocket science. It is a vast culture with each region having very different culinary tastes. The regions are divided up into North, South, East, and West. North Indian food is known for its thick gravies while Southern India is known for its spices. I was very surprised to find that the western state of Gujarat is celebrated for being one of the best places to eat vegetarian food. Eastern India is known for its rice and abundance in green vegetables. Also, Eastern India is known for its desserts and some of India’s greatest desserts came from this region.
India is widely known for being a predominately vegetarian country but actually there are quite a few meat eaters in India. Religious beliefs actually dictate what you can and cannot eat. Islam forbids the eating of pork while Hindu forbids the eating of beef. However, even in families that do eat meat it is often only served on Sunday afternoon or 3 to 4 times a year during special occasions, such as a wedding.
Meal times are an important time in India and it is a time when families get together. Most foods are made from scratch and recipes are sometimes handed down through the generations. Often times meals comprise of several dishes ranging from staples like rice and breads to meat( in non-vegetarian homes) and vegetables and rounded off with a dessert. It is amazing to see how all of the different cultures, beliefs, and even the times have cultivated Indian Cuisine. If you would like to read more might I suggest articles from HERE and HERE.
As promised here are 12 Amazing Vegetarian Recipes for you to try!
- Hara Bhara Kabab
- South Indian Vegetable Curry
- Aubergine & Chickpea Curry
- Batata Vada
- Rajma Rasmisa
- Medhu Vadai
- Crisp Okra in Yogurt Sauce
- Gulab Jamuns
- Pani Puri
- Rava Dosa
- Gajar ka Halwa
This is a great video on how to make Crispy Dosa Recipe:
