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Indian Food Overview

by Toby Sinclair

Authentic Indian food ranks with French and Chinese cuisine as one of the great culinary traditions of the world. Reflecting many different cultures in its tremendous diversity, Indian food ranges from exquisitely simple vegetarian dishes to full-flavoured meat, chicken and fish concoctions made with dozens of ingredients. Each region has its own specialties inspired by race, religion, history and geography and each restaurant and housewife adds an individual touch.

The secret of fine Indian cooking is the inspired use of spices. Far from always being chilli-hot, Indian sauces are blended to complement the main ingredient.

Rotis and Pilaus

Cereals are the staple of very Indian meal. Here again the variety is staggering. Among the many different rotis (unleavened breads), chapattis are the most common. Like their cousins the handkerchief-thin rumali roti, they are cooked on a griddle. Others are oven-baked, like the fluffy rectangular nan and the simpler tandoori roti. Then there is the array of fried parathas, puris and baturas, some of them stuffed with vegetables or meat. Most rotis are made of various combinations of refined and wholemeal wheatflour, although ground gram (chickpeas) is used for the delicious puranpoli of Maharashtra and Gujarat, maize, for the makai ki roti popular in rural Punjab, millet for the hearty bajara ki roti found in most villages, and ground rice for the other varieties, especially on the west coast.

Rice is cooked in many different ways. Simple steamed rice usually accompanies spiced, soupy main dishes. More elaborate variations include coconut, lemon and tamarind rice, frequently served in the south. Then there are the pilaus (pilaf), rice cookig in a rich, spiced chicken or meat broth, considered in north India to be the last of a fine chef. The king of rice dishes, however, is biriyani, a fragrant, layered rice and meat extravaganza characteristic of the Mughlai cuisine of North India and of Hyderabad in southern India, once a Mughal province.

A common accompanying to most Indian meals is dal, or lentils, valuable for their high protein content. Dozens of different kinds, innumerable methods of preparation and a wide range of accompanying ingredients create a bewildering variety. There is the thick tamarind-flavoured sambhar from the south, the slightly sweet dals of Gujarat and the thick dal makahani of the north.

Among the daily products used Indian cuisine, ghee, clarified butter, is a traditional Indian cooking medium with a unique full flavour. Rising prices have now restricted its use to special occasions. Yoghurt, known as dahi or crud, integral to Indian meals, is used as a marinade, as a tangy base for rich sauces, and is also served to counter rich or spicy food. It is sometimes lightly spiced and mixed with vegetables or fruit to create the soothing raitas of the north and the pachadis of the south. Churned and salted or sweetened dahi also makes a refreshing summer drink called Lassi. Paneer, similar to cottage cheese, is a favourite source of protein among vegetarians in the north.

A selection of pickles and chutneys - sour, hot and sweet - accompanies every meal. Chosen to complement the main course, they stimulate the appetite and aid digestion. Mango and lime are common pickle bases, while fresh mint, coriander, ginger and coconut are also used. Sweet chutneys of mango and tomato are often served. Papads, roasted or deep-fried savoury crisps, accompany meals in all parts of the country. Usually made of rolled and dried rice or lentil dough, they have a delightful crunchiness.

Vegetarian Delights

India's large vegetarian community has inspired its chefs to develop a highly sophisticated vegetarian cuisine. 'Pure' vegetarian food is usually cooked without the otherwise ubiquitous garlic, ginger and onions. 'Heating' or stimulating spices like cloves, cardamom and cinnamon are also excluded. Gujarati vegetarian food, served in many restaurants, it presented in the form of a thali, a circular metal tray holding numerous small bowls (katoris) filled with a delectable variety of vegetables, dal and kadi, a mixture of curd and chickpeas. The use of gur or jaggery (brown sugar) in Indian cooking adds an interesting hint of sweetness and distinguishes it from food in other parts of the country. Aam rasa, pureed mango, appears on menus in summer and is eaten with the puris (deep-fried puffed bread) that are always placed in the middle of the thali next to a small mound of rice. Papads (or pappadums, lentil flour crisps) round off the meal.

South Indian food, also predominantly vegetarian, is popular throughout India for its zesty flavours and generally low cost. The crisp, paper-thin, pancake-like dosa, served plain or stuffed with lightly spiced potatoes, steamed idli ad deep-fried doughnut-shaped vadas are served together piping hot with a mustardy sambhar and a more bland but equally delicious coconut chutney. Dosa, idli and vadas, a popular breakfast combination, are all made of a slightly fermented rice and lentil batter. Upma, crumbly semolina cooked with curry leaves and garnished with nuts, is another southern favourite. Less well known but equally delicious are dishes like the thick avial stew of Kerala, cooked in coconut oil; kaottu, in a coconut and chickpea sauce; and rasam, a thin peppery soup, all served with mound of rice saturated with ghee.

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Influences in Modern Indian Cooking

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