A great overview of the brightest dishes of national Indian cuisine! Find out what to try in India.
India is a vibrant country that will give you an unforgettable experience. The national cuisine of India causes conflicting feelings among tourists, so it is advisable to learn as much as possible about it before the trip. Our review will help you with this.
Features of the national cuisine of India
For the untrained traveler, food in India can be a bit shocking. Firstly, it is customary to eat a lot here, because the Indians believe that a handsome person cannot be thin, and a mountain of food on a plate is in their style. Secondly, the locals use a lot of spices and herbs, which is why all the food is spicy and spicy. Food combinations in traditional Indian cuisine can be surprising: mangoes with beets and garlic, or fried bananas and cucumbers with chili peppers.
The basis of the diet is rice, legumes, vegetables and tortillas. Vegetables with spices are very popular - sabji and curry vegetables. Many unleavened cheese recipes (panira). It is used for making soup, making pate with boiled vegetables, or simply stuffed with nuts and garlic.
The cow is a sacred animal among the Hindus, the pig is an unclean animal among the Muslims, therefore in the country they eat poultry, lamb and goat meat. Seafood and meat are also cooked with spices, however, fish, shrimp and lobster are best tasted on the coast.
desserts in the national Indian cuisine they are prepared on the basis of dairy products, nuts, honey, rice, flour, fruits and spices.
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What to try in India
Food in India is delicious and filling, but often very spicy - so ask for "know spicy" if you are not a thrill-seeker. Vegetable dishes enjoy the greatest love - curry vegetables, alu gobi - potato and cabbage stew, gave - bean soup with tomatoes, onions and kurd, thali - rice with dal (there are many variations). For cooking navratan poop (vegetables in a creamy sauce with nuts), at least 9 ingredients are used. Naturally, spices are added everywhere.
Local fast food - pakora - often prepares during various mass events. Vegetables or fruits are dipped in pea or chickpea flour dough and boiled in boiling oil.
Pickles lovers can taste pickles... These are vegetables and fruits pickled in oil and spices, usually cabbage, chili, carrots, onions, mangoes, garlic and lime.
The people of India also love cheese and dairy products. A very delicate dish with a pleasant taste of cheese, butter and spinach - palak paneer... If you ask him to cook "know spicy", then even those who dislike exotic cuisine will like it.
It's good to taste in the heat Wright - a traditional Indian dish, which is an analogue of Russian okroshka. Base: fresh vegetables, mint, cilantro, spices and curdled milk (Kurd). The most common combinations are cucumbers with mint or tomatoes with cilantro. Fruit, most often pineapple pieces, is added to sweet wright.
A must try in India roti - these cakes will give you real pleasure. They are prepared very simply, but they turn out to be surprisingly tasty. Roti is eaten by tearing off pieces and dipping in sauce. Roti is often sold with fillings, including sweet ones.
According to tourists, the surest option to try several dishes at once is to order thali... Several plates are brought out on a tray or banana leaf: rice, dal, sabji, Kurd, achar sauce, roti or chapatis. Each institution has its own version of thali: homemade includes six dishes, while the restaurant can offer up to three dozen.
Quite interesting variations of cooking chicken meat with spices and various sauces:
- Chicken tandoori - meat marinated in yogurt and spices is baked in the oven. A very spicy dish, but for tourists the amount of spices is reduced.
- Chicken masala - chicken fried in the oven and stewed in cream and tomatoes with spices.
- Chicken Sagwala - mild chicken in spinach sauce.
- Chicken kebab - made from minced chicken, rice and spices, prepared in tandoori (analogue of tandoor).
Indian version of pilaf - biriani - consists of basmati rice with lamb (chicken) or vegetables. Tibetan dumplings momo prepared with vegetable and meat fillings, also a good option for those who do not like spices.
Finally, being on the coast, you should definitely order fresh fish and lobsters, and from desserts try fruit salad, sweet puddings, cookies and fudge. Gajar Ka Halva (carrot halva with almonds). Also delicious dosa (crunchy spring roll, usually not sweet) and samosas (triangular patties).
Drinks and alcohol in India
All this abundance can be washed down with freshly squeezed juices, tea (try masala chai - with spices) and lassie (lassi) - fermented milk drink with fruits, nuts and candied fruits. There is also "special lassi" - bhang lassi, to which hemp is added.
Alcohol in the country it is not sold everywhere: for example, in Goa you can easily buy it, but in some other states it is not, the dry law is practiced (banned in Gujarat). Popular cane and fruit wines, Old Monk rum, Kingfisher beer, Aristocrat whiskey and Sula wine. When choosing wines, be careful - some tourists report that there are not very good varieties.
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Reviews and travel tips for food in India
The experience of traditional Indian cuisine will remain good if you stick to a few simple rules.
The main rule of a traveler in India is to wash your hands more often and drink only purified bottled water. Tap water is not good even after boiling. In establishments, it is better to refuse to add ice to drinks.
In order not to be disappointed on the very first day of rest, you should not rush to explore the local delicacies right away. The risk of getting on the most fire-breathing dishes is too great, because even masala tea contains black pepper. Therefore, it is better to first order a European lunch and additionally ask for "No spicy" - no spices.
If the stomach refuses to accept spicy food, then you can always choose neutral Indian dishes - scrambled eggs, tortillas (roti or chapatis), gave "know spicy", grilled fish, rice, momo, fruits and sweets.
After eating, you can chew fennel seeds, it freshens breath well and improves digestion in general. Small plates are usually found at the checkout or at the exit in a catering establishment.
Put medications in your medicine cabinet to help relieve stomach problems.
If, after several attempts, you still fail to feel the love for the national cuisine of India, go to the usual European dishes. Goa is the most adapted in this sense - local cafes offer a huge selection of dishes, including Russian cuisine, albeit with a slightly modified recipe. In addition, in the state of Goa there is always an abundance of fresh seafood, which in Russia are too expensive and not available to everyone.
For the sake of safety and peace of mind, we advise you to take out insurance.
