Indian Food

India has so much to offer when it comes to culinary exploration. Its local dishes are known for their flavorful aroma,
fiery goodness, and tasty seasonings. There are also homegrown recipes for vegans. Indian cuisine is a combination of
highly seasoned goodness and numerous health benefits. Here are some Indian dishes you must dare try:

Indian food 1: Chicken Tikka

Here in India, you can sample the Chicken Tikka. Small chicken pieces are served in a skewer. Boneless chicken are often
used for this recipe. The skewer is then baked in an oven made of clay after it has been marinated using yogurt and some
combination of spices. The Indian version is spicier than the Chicken Tikka served as an Afghan dish.

Indian dish 2: Vegetable Biryani

Vegetable Biryani is a rice dish that is a full meal on its own. The Basmati rice is then prepared and later mixed with
vegetables that are cut into thin slices. The vegetable mix includes cauliflower, potato, French beans, and carrot.
Vegetable Biryani is also sprinkled with fried green peas, while chopped tomatoes are also added. It is seasoned with salt,
black pepper and red chilli powder. Other ingredients include cinnamon (dalchini), caraway Seeds(zeera), yogurt, mustard
seed, green chillies, cloves, onion, and dry fruits.

Many types of Indian curries are prepared using vegetable oil, though in other parts of the country, peanut oil, mustard oil,
coconut oil, and Gingelly are also used for cooking. These lend different flavors to homegrown Indian recipes. Many Indian
dishes are best known for their spices. the most commonly used are chilli pepper, cumin, black mustard seed, garlic, and many
others.

“Diverse” is the best term to describe a traditional and modern Indian cuisine. Indian natives claim that their dishes are mainly influenced by their social, environmental, political, and religious factors. Indian dishes are also noted for the essential use of spices and vegetables. Health-conscious freaks will surely be interested to know that the Indian locals balanced diet is among the healthiest meal practice or diet in the whole world.

Of course, an excellent Indian cuisine is not complete if specialty desserts are not included in an Indian meal. I am sure that many tourists will enjoy India’s famous dessert called Rasgula. I often encounter those delectable Indian sweets whenever I dine at fine restaurants serving international dishes. In addition, the local scrumptious desserts are typically served in ethnic restaurants in India. It has become my hobby to browse through the Internet for the sweetest dessert recipes, and Indian desserts are among my best finds.

As I have said, Rasgula is a classic example of a scrumptious Indian dessert. It is a milk-based dessert that is a great treat to the sweet dish preference of most Asians. In fact in Nepal, Indian Rasgula is renamed as Rasbari. To make your own Rasgula treat, you need a liter of whole milk, 1/2 cup sugar, three cups of boiling water, lime or lemon juice, and cardamom powder. For the preparation procedures for Rasgula, you can look it up in the Internet if you want.

Most of us think that royalty is just limited to those Western regions of the world. When it comes to food, don't we all think that the best thing that is closest to royalty comes from the Western regions as well? This definitely makes us all self-righteous smart-asses, you know. I just had this fine gourmet meal, and I just found out that it was the same stuff royal food in India were made of! I've tasted a lot of great Indian meals, but learning that this meal amounts to Indian royalty made me cough up a few bucks for more!

Indian food consists mainly of vegetables, as well as both lamb's and goat's meat. Indian ancestry has practiced this long tradition of damn fine dining, and yes, even under British rule. The Hyderabad Nizams have developed this fine art of food preparation for the royal families of India back then. The so-called Mughals, who were the filthy rich people back then, also had a hand with what is regarded as the royal food of India these days. With this, Mughal food, combined with the Nizams' procedures for food preparations, makes up the royal food of India. Now wouldn't it be nice to eat royal Indian food in the confines of such a historical country?

A visit to India will not be complete without experiencing the pleasure and thrills of Indian cuisine. In most Western countries, Indian food evokes thoughts of over spiced food, exotic dishes, and weird sounding names. It would come as no surprise that Westerners prefer to dine in Italian, Chinese, or Mexican restaurants and live the Indian food to those who have adventurous palates but they sure are missing a lot.

A very important aspect of Indian cuisine is the use of spices. If Chinese food relies on sauces and the Japanese sushi relies on the meat's freshness, India relies on their spices. India has been very popular for the variety of spices that they rely on to make their dishes. It is so popular, in fact, that they even have an Indian Spices Board, an agency responsible for the export promotion of India’s 75 spices.

Some of the commonly used spices in Indian delicacies are 'adrak' or ginger; curry leaves or 'kari patta'; 'lal mirch' or chili; 'imli' or tamarind and the list goes on. The secret to Indian cuisine is what they call 'masala' or blending of spices. Spices are mixed in specific amounts and are traditionally prepared by the women in the family.

Indians like to eat hot and spicy delicacies. It is no wonder why Indian foods are usually rich in spices. It is because Indians prefer it this way. One such spicy food is called the Aloo Bonda. This exquisite delicacy is considered as an appetizer. It tastes great. However, it doesn't mean that it takes a lot of time to prepare this wonderful dish. I'd like to share the recipe for Aloo Bonda. Here it is.







Ingredients:
1/4 teaspoon of Baking Soda
1 teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 1/2 cups of besan chickpea flour
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro leaves
3/4 cup of chopped onions
1/2 teaspoon of finely chopped ginger
1/2 teaspoon of finely chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon of tumeric powder
3 peeled and boiled tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
salt according to your tastes
green finely chopped chili according to your tastes
Oil to be used for deep frying

The first thing to do is to heat 2 teaspoons cooking oil in the pan or wok. Next, add the mustard seeds. Wait for the mustard seeds to crackle and then add green chili, garlic, ginger, and salt. Wait for a few seconds while the above are being fried. Afterwards, you can add the turmeric powder and onions. Add the potatoes, lemon juice, and cilantro when the onions are brown in color already. Mix the ingredients very well. Afterwards, the heat may be turned off. Let the mixture cool down and shape them into small balls.

A batter should be made using the chickpea flour or besan, water, baking soda, chili powder (red), and salt. Next, heat some oil for at least 10 minutes using medium heat. Place the balls into the mixed batter. Wait for the oil to turn hot before putting the balls into the wok. Turn the balls every so often -- around 4 minutes. The balls may then be removed from the wok if they are golden brown already. Lastly, you can serve the Aloo Bonda with some green chutney or tamarind. There you have your Aloo Bonda in just simple steps. Enjoy them while they are hot.

If you are not familiar with the title, then you have not been traveling to India. Dalchini Palau is one of the main dishes served in some of the eateries and restaurants in the country. Dalchini Palau actually stands for Cinnamon Fried Rice. New concept, huh? Well, this is one of my favorites because primarily, it has cinnamon and that ingredient alone already adds an exotic taste and smell to this staple carbohydrate.

This rice dish is pretty simple and easy to make. You can even add vegetables and other garnishes to this food. You will need:

- one lb of Basmati rice
- four teaspoon ghee
- two cinnamon sticks
- four tablespoons sugar
- one-fourth teaspoon ground cumin
- pinch of salt and turmeric powder

On a heated pan, add the ghee and then after a few minutes, follow it up with cumin and cinnamon. Let it fry for one minute and add turmeric powder, washed rice, and salt. Stir the mixture and afterwards, put in boiling water and later, sugar. Let it cook like a regular rice dish and voila! It's ready to be matched with gravy.

Perhaps the most popular Indian dish would be curry. India is most renowned for this type of dish because of the taste it provides. Plus, history has showed us that there had been wars and explorations due to the search of spices. And India is most known for this.

Here, I will tell you how to make one of the simplest Indian curry recipes.







Mysore Rasam (An Indian Curry)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup of well cooked and diluted Dhal
2 medium sized tomatoes
1 small lemon size tamarind
1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder
salt
3 teaspoons of finely chopped coriander leaves
1/2 finely chopped tomato
1 teaspoon ghee with 1/2 teaspoon mustard for seasoning

Grind and combine:
2 teaspoons of Dhania
1 teaspoon of Thur dhal
3 teaspoon of grated coconut
1/4 teaspoon of jeera
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
5 to 6 red chilis

Procedures:
1. Roast the spices you grinded together
2. Blanch the tomatoes then crash them while mixing it with the extracted imli pulp
3. Put the turmeric, salt, hing and the grounded masala pate
4. Boil then add the diluted dhal.
5. Add the coriander and tomatoes.
6. Add the seasoning and serve with hot rice.

So, you decided to spend your holiday in India and you decided to go for a swim. Where is the most suitable place to get that tan and worship the sun? Certainly, not in the Ganges river or the very hot urban cities. My suggestion? Head to Calangute Beach in the city of Panaji. Aside from the warm sand and inviting waters of Calangute, the area has an array of beachfront snack houses that any traveler would surely love to eat in. Because of their locations, these food houses have the advantage of getting the freshest seafoods and tropical ingredients that it can serve to its customers.

Summer time and beaches would not be the same without shakes. You can get that from Calangute's Milky Way which provides the most refreshing fruit lassis, milk shakes, and fruit juices in the area. You want to have something to eat that is not too costly and heavy to deter you from swimming? Le Restaurant offers bread and sandwiches that would fill your stomach until the evening. By that time, you can order their continental dishes that are simply superb. After the next day's market shopping, you can unwind and have lunch in one of Calangute's busiest restaurants, the Sousa Lobo. The food is alright and covers both continental and Goan meals. The place is also a favorite of tourists, so it is a nice venue for feeling right at home or meeting somebody who is in the same boat as you are.

I am sure that most of us are familiar with the way people in India cook their food. India's people love any food with spices. This is evident with the numerous varieties of curry dishes available in Indian cuisines.

However, aside from the spices India's people use to make their meals more appetizing, locals also add and mix common ingredients into their cooking. For example, those in the coastal regions strongly incorporate coconuts and fish ingredients into their cuisines. Since Indian dishes are characterized by using different kinds of vegetables, other areas who may not have similar access to such replace fresh vegetables with preserves such as anchars and dals. On the other hand, some people in the Tamil region use tamarind to bring out the sourness of their food and those in Andhra use chilies which are often put excessively in dishes to distinguish their region's flavor from the rest.

When you travel to Asia, do not be surprised to be served with lots of rice together with your ordered meal or entree. Unlike the food in the West where potato is a must on the plate, main dishes in India are combined with rice, the main carbohydrate in Asia. Although there are times when food is combined with bread, the preference of most people is to enjoy their curry dish with rice.

One of India's delicacies is the momo, which is similar to the Chinese wonton and is considered the favorite in Sikkim. The best thing is, steamed momos are easy to prepare, too. All you need are flour, salt, water, minced pork, onion, garlic, soy sauce, chili sauce, ground pepper, and canola oil.

Combine flour, salt, and water to create dough, and sautee onions and garlic in oil. Add meat, soy sauce, chili, pepper, and salt in the pan. When pork is cooked, insert it into each dough ball and fold. Steam for about 15 minutes and serve with tomato or Thukpa soup.

If you think India is only known for the Taj Mahal monument, think again. There is another symbolical beverage in India that is very much reminiscent of India's history and pride: The Taj Mahal beer. Available in a six hundred and fifty millimeter body, this light, amber-colored beer is made from the finest grain, yeast, water and hops.

People in India like this beer because of its crisp and bitter taste that complements the country's spicy and flavorful dishes. So, the next time you go to India, try to relax and unwind with the Taj Mahal beer.

When talking about Indian cuisine, the first thing that pop into most people's mind is curry. The word "curry" comes from the Tamil word "kari" meaning "sauce." A common misconception, especially in western cultures, is that curry must be made from curry powder.

In the country of India, however, the term could be used to refer to anything cooked and is eaten with rice. Originally, curry is prepared using dried meat or vegetables, or both, cooked in dry spices. Studies have shown that the spices used in preparing curry leads to the body's release of endorphins and combined with the various flavors of the dish, a natural high can be achieved.

One of the nicest restaurants to go to in India bears the traditional name of the city it is located in. Bay of Bombay, which is situated beside the Edward Theatre specializes in seafood with an Indian twist. How?

Well, the food prepared is served with a range of sauces from tartar dressings and peanut sauces to lemon butter and blanc sauce all of which can be partnered with prawns, lobsters, salmons, squids and crabs. Bay of Bombay also offers vegetarian cuisines and wheat dishes for the health-conscious, as well as sumptuous desserts like triple sundaes, fresh fruits and chocolate mousse.

You think Indian food is hard to prepare? The Dalchini Palau or the Cinnamon fried rice is just a delicious food and very easy to cook in your kitchen. The Dalchini Palau is so easy to make. You just need Basmatic rice, 2 cinnamon sticks, sugar, cumin, turmeric, a little bit of salt, and boiling water.

Prepare pan, heat it up, and add the ghee. When it's hot enough and you smell the ghee, put in the cinnamon sticks and the cumin. Fry for a minute, add the turmeric powder, rice, and a bit of salt. Then, mix for 2 minutes and add the boiling water. When you see that the rice is already cooked, add some sugar and mix! Wait for awhile, cover it for 5 minutes, and you have your fried rice ready to enjoy! It's like being in India!

If you're craving for just the right rich, spicy and exotic taste of Indian food, the tandoori chicken is the best cuisine for you. The flavor is heavy with Indian herbs, it's cooked with melted butter, fresh lemon juice, spicy red chili powder, coriander powder, garlic and ginger paste, cumin powder, mustard, and Garam Masala powder. You could also add a bit of saffron, if you choose to. The tandoori chicken, originally cooked in the tandoori oven, gives it more of an ethnic feel. If you don't have the earth oven, you can use a charcoal grill instead. This is surely a refreshingly hot dish to serve your loved ones.