Indian cuisine is as vibrant as the country’s rich culture. Based substantially on locally available spices, herbs, vegetables, and fruits, India food is heavily influenced by religion, history, and traditions.
In Northern India, dishes are known for the use of dairy, like milk, paneer, ghee, and yogurt. Clay ovens create delicious meals like Tandoori Chicken, Korma, and Naan. Western Indian cuisine is notable for its use of coconut milk, fish, and chutneys. Eastern Indian cuisine is primarily known for its desserts and fried or griddle-cooked snacks are popular in Southern Indian cuisine, as is seafood in the coastal areas.
Here is a brief overview of five popular Indian cuisines.
Tandoori Cooking & Punjabi Cuisine: For the love of char
The tandoori oven was popularized during the Mughal reign in India when Muslims yearned for meat in the strictly vegetarian region. It wasn’t common in Delhi until 1947 when Punjabi refugees brought a tandoor to the city. A Punjabi tandoor is a cylindrical clay oven that is heated by a wood or charcoal fire. It is now commonly used in South and Central Asia and throughout the Middle East, both to bake bread and to cook meat. Popular dishes baked in a tandoori oven include tandoori chicken, tandoori roti, and naan. Punjabi cuisine is known for its rich buttery flavors and heavy use of dairy. Mouthwatering main dishes include Biryani, Butter Chicken, Kebab, Khichdi, and Panjiri.
Mughlai Cuisine: Bold aromas, rich tastes, elaborate dishes
Mughlai cuisine is strongly influenced by the Turko-Persian cuisine of Central Asia, the region where the early Mughal emperors ruled from 1426-1857, and it has, in turn, strongly influenced the regional cuisines of modern Northern India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Notable for its unique, bold aroma, the rich tastes of Mughlai cuisine can vary from extremely mild to spicy and is cooked with whole and ground spices, nuts, and dried fruits. A Mughlai course is an elaborate buffet of main course dishes with a variety of accompaniments. Popular dishes include haleem (mutton-lentils wheat stew), korma (braised meat or vegetables with yogurt and spices), nihari (slow-cooked meat stew), South Asian pilaf, and Shani tukda (bread pudding).
Awadhi Cuisine: Exotic Spices, Dried Fruits, and Prosperity
Inspired and influenced by the Mughals, Awadhi cuisine is an indigenous part of the city of Nawabs, Lucknow. It includes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes prepared with exotic spices like saffron and garnished with dry fruits. The generous use of fresh and dry fruits in Awadhi cuisine is a gift from Persia, as a wide variety of dry fruits were available, like papaya, pomegranate, apricots, figs, pistachios, almonds, and different varieties of currants, to name just a few. Dry fruits in the dishes symbolized prosperity and were a sign of opulence and royalty. Favorite Awadhi dishes include Kakori kebabs (leg of mutton combined with khoya and spices), korma (braised meat or vegetables in velvety, spiced sauces, enriched with ground nuts, cream, and butter), and halva (a dense, crumbly sweet confection).
Royal Rajasthani Cuisine: Silver platter service
Rajasthani cuisine was influenced by both the war-like lifestyles of its inhabitants and the availability of ingredients in this arid region. Food that could last for several days and could be eaten without heating was preferred as the scarcity of water and fresh green vegetables affect how the food is cooked. It is also known for its snacks like Bikaneri Bhujia (crispy snacks made of moth beans, gram flour, and spices), Mirchi Bada (spicy stuffed chili with tomato sauce), and Pyaaj Kachori (fried pastry with spicy onion filling). Traditional Rajasthani thali (large platter) depicts a brilliant play of gourmet preparations on a round silver plate of epic proportions. The meticulous arrangements of curries, pickles, special breads, and desserts make you feel like royalty.
Mumbai Street Food: Come for the food, stay for the people watching
Sold by hawkers from portable market stalls, Mumbai street food provides an authentic experience for visitors and showcases the character of the city. Although street food is common all over India, street food in Mumbai is noted because people from all economic classes eat on the roadside almost round the clock. Some must-try street foods are:
Vada Pav - One of Mumbai’s most popular and widely available street food snacks, Vada Pav is a deep-fried spiced mashed potato patty stuffed in a white fluffy bun and topped with chutneys and spices.
Bhelpuri - Puffed rice and sev (seasoned crunchy noodles) mixed with potatoes, onions, tomatoes, a variety of chutney, and topped with chopped cilantro. The result is a crunchy snack that’s tangy, spicy, and sweet from all the sauces, with a wonderful balance of flavor.
Sev puri - Little round chip topped with mashed potatoes, onions, cilantro, sev, and a trio of garlic, tamarind, and chili sauces, and topped with a handful of sev and sprinkled with little bits of sour green mango.
Pani puri - Crispy fried dough poked with a hole, half stuffed with potatoes and chickpeas, seasoned with spices, and filled with chutney and flavored water that must be consumed immediately.
India’s culinary scene is as diverse and delicious as the people who call this vast country home. If you are drooling and looking for a way to eat your way across India, check out our new Culinary Journey Through the Heart and Soul of India itinerary.
