Curry? Ask a typical individual on the street in India where you can eat it. In all likelihood, you would be met with a blank stare. The reality is, there is no such thing! At least, not as it is cooked up by the manufacturers of ready-to-eat foods in the superstores of the world. Envision if French cuisine were to be lumped together with German, Italian and Spanish food as European cookery - it may start off another French Revolution! Indians, however, seem unperturbed that the world refers to their astonishingly varied cooking simply as - curry! So, if curry is not quite Indian food, what is? That is a topic worthy of an complete blog! For now, let us just say that India is home to as many cuisines as its tweny eight states - and then some more. Climate, locally available produce, culture, foreign invasions and religious beliefs have shaped these regional cuisines over thousands of years, giving each its distinctive identity. In the southern and coastal regions, rice rules - the ideal light cereal for a warm, humid weather. Huge areas of western India are mostly vegetarian thanks to the influence of the Jain religion, while eastern India cannot do without its seafood. Its previous Portuguese rulers heavily influenced the cuisine of Goa in southwestern India. Up north, wheat is more desired, and so is non-vegetarian Indian food. Eating habits are adjusted to suit the great variation between the seasons - summer foods are simple, low fat and lightly cooked, while winter is the time to enjoy spicier, high calorie meats, whole lentils and protein-rich vegetables for warmth and energy. There are variations in cooking oils and seasonings too, and the same ingredients made in one region taste different in another. South India likes peanut, sunflower or coconut oil. The pungent aroma of mustard oil differentiates food from West Bengal in the east, while many people in the north use ghee or clarified butter - in spite the health warnings! Usually, a lentil-based gravy would be seasoned with mustard and dried red chilies in southern India. Large areas of the rest of India, though, use cumin seeds and fresh, green chilies. Ah, gravies - you think maybe you discovered the curry here? What is common to all Indian cuisines is the careful use of varied spice combos, for their flavoring and digestive properties. Turmeric, used all over India, is a strong antiseptic. Ginger, garlic, bay leaf and asafetida combat indigestion and flatulence. Coriander and chili powder add flavor and thicken gravies (or curries, if you will!). Fenugreek is favored in hot weather for its cooling properties. Is all Indian food spicy? Hah, another parable that needs busting! Blame all those restaurateurs who serve their unsuspecting customers generic, angry looking gravies (curries), with bits of meat and veggies. Truth is, Indian cooking goes from spicy to subtle, with a whole range in between to satisfy the most sensitive of palates. Usually, a full-course meal is a delicious balanced mix of flavors and aromas (with desserts to die for). Also, it is a flexi-cuisine; testing with a lower spice level won't wreck your dinner. You are what you eat - while Indian vegetarian food is believed to induce calm thoughts and sharpen the intellect, meat is thought to stoke the passions. Choose the right ingredients, and with some imagination and some magic you could rustle up a custom curry. Curry, anyone?
Article Source: http://www.articlecontentprovider.com/articlesubmit
Curry? Ask a common person on the street in India where you can eat it. In all probability, you would be met with a uncomprehending look. The reality is, there is no such thing!
Kiran is a trained chef and a writer and contributes her knowledge of Indian culture at Indian Recipe blog and
Please Rate this Article
5 out of 5 4 out of 5 3 out of 5 2 out of 5 1 out of 5
