Think of India and one of the vast entities that come to mind is its variety. India is a big country, it is the second-most populous country, its languages are plentiful and every state is special in its traditions and most importantly in its food. Indian food imitates a 5000-year history of the merging of numerous cultures, and values, leading to various flavors and regional cuisines. The appearance of the Mughals, the British, and the Portuguese added fusion and variation. Indeed, food from one state may genuinely be entirely alien to a person from another state. The mutual strand that runs through most Indian food, however, is the use of various spices to form taste and aroma.
Indian Food Culture
Indians take their food very seriously. In Indian culture, cooking is considered an art. Mealtimes are vital occasions to get together for the family. Indian food is different from the rest of the world not only in flavor but also in cooking methods. It reproduces an impeccable mixture of many cultures and centuries. Just like Indian culture, Indian food has also been impacted by several cultures, which have presented their share in its complete development.
Indian foods are most famous for their spiciness. All over India, be it South India or North India, spices are liberally used in food. Every particular spice used in Indian food carries some or the other nutritional properties.
Indian Regional Food
India is a big country that has many states and regions. Every single region offers a special range of dishes and cooking methods. Every regional cuisine uses its own homegrown herbs, spices, fruits, and vegetables. These regional cuisines collectively combined together make a very heavenly divine Indian Cuisine.
Food choice varies north, south, east, and west. Northern Indians eat plain bread like naan and chapatti and curries. Northern Indian curries commonly have thick, soberly spicy, and creamy gravies. Southern Indians like to eat rice, coconut lentils, and stews. Western is more multicultural, but is well-known for its traditional spiced curries. Western Indian Cuisine differs from region to region. The main states of the region consist of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, and Rajasthan. They all have their own traditional cuisines, but seafood and curries, hot and spicy sausages, and snacks with chai and tea are common traditional fare. Eastern Indian food depends heavily on rice, milk, and vegetables, cooked simply with yogurt, seeds, and spices steamed and fiery. Eastern Indians love their sweets and use milk and other dairy products richly in them.
Desserts
Desserts are a representation of good gestures in India. Desserts are part of any celebration or festivity of any kind. There are different types of Indian desserts. One of the Indian sweets is known as ‘Mithai'. Anyone can get an attractive sight of colorful sweets in any Indian sweet shop. They depend greatly on sugar, milk, condensed milk, and frying. They are more intense and sweeter and relatively a bit denser hence they are prepared primarily in Ghee which is simplified butter.
Sweet rice pudding, is called kheer. It is made by rice, milk, sugar, cardamom seed, raisins, and almonds. Kulfi is Indian ice cream. It is thicker and creamier than ice cream, Kulfi is a traditional Indian sweet that comes in interesting flavors. The kulfi is made with khoya which is dispersed milk solids that are then chilled and then flavored with different flavors like mango juice, rose water and sweetened with sugar. Gajar Halwa is a carrot dessert, semolina dessert or Suji halwa, coconut soufflé and mango mousse are also popular desserts.
Drinks
Many Indian drinks are famous worldwide, and you would have come across some kinds of Chai, Lassi, or Sharbat. Chai is a tea usually taken in the morning. Chai is the most famous and favorite drink in all parts of India. It is made by adding milk, sugar and black cardamom, and Indian aromatic spices and herbs. Sweet Lassi is the most famous and traditional yogurt-based drink from the northwestern region of Punjab in India. There are quite a lot of variations of lassi such as mango lassi, salted lassi, sweet lassi, and chocolate lassi. It is a chilling, refreshing, and healthy drink which is best for hot summers. Ginger and lemon chai are also famous and can be used for medical purposes, such as indigestion. Carrot Gheer is assisted by adding carrots to cold milk. Chai is more famous than coffee, coconut milk, mango, and sugarcane juices are also very famous.
