The best Indian food. National cuisine of India - features and traditions. Green Curry with Bombay Potatoes

When Indian spices fall on a hot frying pan, a wonderful aroma immediately spreads throughout the area. He lightly knocks on doors and windows, envelops wooden huts, trees. Neighbor dogs are already moving their noses in the wind, wondering what it is: marinated chicken or melt-in-your-mouth fried paneer cheese? You can eat Indian food every day and discover something new every time. Today I will talk about what we ate in Delhi and Goa for two months. The most delicious and favorite dishes with descriptions and photos. Fasting on an empty stomach is dangerous, so better make yourself a sandwich.

It's amazing how the same products "sound" differently in different cuisines peace. Take at least vegetables - potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, onions. Our housewives will most likely make a vegetable soup or stew out of this. Flip flops will quickly fry this in a hot pan, adding soy sauce and half a spoonful of sodium gluconate. Thais, in addition to salty soy sauce, add sugar and squeeze lime juice. And the Malays will be rolled in breadcrumbs and fried in a huge vat with oil poured to the brim.

The preparation of an Indian dish in most cases begins the same way. A small fragile woman in a colorful sari will first add oil to the pan, and then start conjuring with spices. I think nowhere else in the world do I use so many powders, seeds and herbs at the same time. Here's a pinch of cardamom, heels of cloves, a spoonful of mustard seeds and a couple of curry leaves, fenugreek and fennel seeds, turmeric for color ... Each dish is like the result of the work of a skilled alchemist. To infuse flavor into a new dish, you need to be a bit of a magician.

Indian dishes: what to order in a restaurant

Chicken Masala (Chicken Masala) or Chicken Tikka Masala (Chicken Tikka Masala)

Chicken fried in the tandoor and then braised in a sauce of tomatoes, ginger, garlic, cream and Indian spices. The prefix Tikka means that the chicken was marinated in spices before baking.

I also strongly advise you to try the same dish, only from lamb. called Lamb Masala. In good Indian restaurants, the meat is tender, it melts in your mouth.

Shakhi Paneer and Palak Paneer

Paneer is the name for Indian homemade cheese, which is somewhat similar to our Adyghe. Uncooked from a neutral taste, not greasy, porous, so it perfectly absorbs any sauce. Shahi Paneer is a cheese cooked in a creamy tomato sauce. Ground nuts are sometimes added to it. Palak Paneer - the same cheese, but in a spinach sauce.

We also had a chance to try Paneer Makhanwala - with a simple creamy tomato sauce. And Kadai Paneer - in yogurt sauce with the addition of green bell pepper.

Very tender chicken in spinach sauce. Usually it is prepared without the addition of hot spices, so the dish can be safely ordered for children. It can be eaten with flatbread or rice.

Dal

Lentil soup, more like mashed potatoes. Boiled lentils are overcooked with fried vegetables and spices. Dal is spicy, spicy, hot and incredibly tasty. Be sure to order Indian cakes for it. It is correct to eat gave not with a spoon, but scooping mashed potatoes from a plate with a flat cake.

A very simple vegetarian Indian dish. Alu is a potato and gobi is cauliflower. Despite the simple ingredients, these dishes from Indian chefs come out just a masterpiece. If you are not a vegetarian and are skeptical about meat-free dishes, then Alu Gobi will be able to convince you that a hearty meal can be without animal protein.

Biryani

It is called Indian pilaf, although it has nothing to do with pilaf. The peculiarity of Asian pilaf is that rice is boiled in a broth of overcooked vegetables and meat. But when preparing Biryani, rice is boiled separately in ordinary water, and vegetables and meat with spices are fried in a pan. Then, all this is combined already on a plate, beautifully laying out the filling of meat and vegetables inside the rice. It turns out such a dish with a surprise. Sometimes, however, rice with vegetables is simply mixed in a pan and no surprise comes out. Biryani are vegetarian, with chicken, pork or lamb. Rice is usually made spicy, but if you do not like spicy, then ask for it without chili (no chilli).

Momo (Momo)

These are Tibetan dumplings. If you do not know how to feed a child in India, order momo. There are vegetarian momos with cabbage, carrots and onions, there are chicken, pork and beef momos.

Proper momo should be freshly molded, steamed in special momos right before serving.

When the perfect momo enters the mouth, meat juice flows out of it, which simply makes you close your eyes in pleasure. If momo was prepared in advance, frozen, and after some time cooked, then you will immediately feel it. They will be dry and tasteless. One has only to find an Indian restaurant that serves delicious momo, and you will not notice how your legs will carry you there again and again. If you suddenly find yourself in Goa in Arambol, take a look at the beach Shiva Garden restaurant. They make amazing momos there.

Raita (Raita)

A vegetable or fruit salad generously seasoned with sour-milk Indian curd (curd is a drink similar to kefir). Some compare it to okroshka, because raita is usually liquid, because. kerda there are more vegetables. Sometimes raita with onions, cucumbers and tomatoes, sometimes with small pieces of pineapple or other fruits. Raita with roti bread is the perfect dinner in the heat, when you do not want to eat heavy and fatty foods, but the body requires a light and cool lunch.

Dosa is an Indian lentil or rice flour flatbread. It is big and crispy. Dosa options can be many. India's most famous vegetarian restaurant chain serves 22 types of dosa. Masala dosa is the most popular of them. Spicy mashed potatoes are placed inside the tortillas, and sauces are served along with the pancake.

Pakora

This is a common name for batter-fried vegetables, cheese, or meat. Pakora can be a wonderful beer snack, for example.

Another vegetarian Indian dish. These are pancakes made from rice or lentil flour, in the dough of which small pieces of vegetables were added. It is very similar to our omelette with vegetables, only instead of eggs, the basis of the dish is dough. Uttapams are served with sauces as an appetizer for meat, dal or as a main dish.

Mostly uttapam is homemade and street food, but these pancakes are also served in restaurants above the roadside cafes.

Mashed potato cutlets with paneer cheese, stewed in a creamy nut sauce with cashews and raisins. Very gentle, sweet taste. A hearty dish that goes well with flatbread or rice.

Veg Jaipuri is a mixture of vegetables in a special spice cocktail. There are coriander seeds, and cashew nuts fried in butter, as well as ginger and garlic, tomatoes and a special blend of spices Garam Masala. Boiled vegetables are stewed in this Jaipuri sauce, a little cream and Paneer cheese are added and voila - the dish is ready!

This is one of my favorite dishes in India. It is simply excellent cooked in a small restaurant in Arambol called Gods Gift.

Another type of Indian flatbread made from rice, lentil or wheat flour. They are steamed and usually served with vegetable sauces. This everyday Indian meal is perfect for a light breakfast.

Soup Sambar

The famous Indian soup with lentils and vegetables. It is spicy, spicy, sour and sweet at the same time. There are a lot of vitamins in this soup, as it contains an incredible amount of different vegetables: eggplant and carrots, tomatoes and pumpkin, tamarind and green beans. Mustard seeds, coconut flakes, cumin, turmeric, curry leaves and ground coriander help to add a spicy Indian touch to this dish.

Kebabs are also vegetable or meat. Chicken kebab is a mixture of minced chicken with rice and spices. A sausage is formed from minced meat, strung on a skewer, and then fried in a tandoori oven until cooked. Served with sauce.

If you want to try everything at once, then you won’t find a dish better than Tali. This is a real big lunch or dinner in which just a little bit. For example, in this picture in meat Thali there are several dishes at once (from left to right): vegetable Raita, Shahi Paneer cheese, Dal soup, vegetable Biryani and Naan flatbreads.

Each cafe or restaurant has its own Tali with its own set of dishes. Here, for example, fish Tali, which cost us as much as 2.5 dollars.

And here is the vegetarian Tali.

Indian sweets

Yes, India also loves sweets and here are the main desserts:

Jalebi- fried dough spirals soaked in syrup.

Burfi- small squares of coconut or cow's milk. Milk is boiled for a long time to evaporate excess liquid, and then mixed with sugar, butter, coconut, vanilla and chopped nuts.

Rasgulla- cottage cheese balls, boiled and soaked in sugar syrup.

fruit salad- There are a lot of fruits in India, so fruit salad can be the most delicious and healthy of all desserts.

Indian bread

flat cakes- it's just an integral part of any Indian meal. There are so many varieties that you need to seriously try to remember everything.

Rotti or chapatti

The most popular and inexpensive Indian bread. Flatbread made from unleavened dough, fried without oil in a cast-iron pan. They are not greasy and are quite harmless for the figure. Rotti and chapatti are not fried for the future. As soon as they cool down, they become tasteless. So if you ordered dinner at a restaurant, then order rotti to it as needed so that the bread is always hot.

Naans

My favorite delicacy is Naana cakes. They are made from a special airy yeast dough with the addition of butter and yogurt, and baked in a tandoori oven. In addition to simple naans, you should definitely try Butter Naan with butter, Cheese Naan with cheese and Garlik Naan with garlic.

Paratha

Flatbread with stuffing. The most popular is Alu Paratha, which is no longer even bread, but a whole pie with potatoes. Puree is simply added to the dough and the cake is rolled out, and then it is fried in a pan.

puri

Fried dough balls, hollow inside. They are deep-fried and then allowed to drain off the oil. Puri is eaten with chutneys. This is a simple food that is sold not only in small cafes, but also vendors on the street. Puri can be eaten while sitting on a park bench.

Pava (Pawa)

Flatbread made from flour with bran. Peacocks are transported on bicycles in the morning by street vendors. One flatbread costs only 3-5 rupees ($0.05-0.08). These buns make amazing vegan burgers with cheese and vegetables. And for those who eat meat and eggs, burgers with scrambled eggs or fried meat will be prepared.

Indian drinks in restaurants

What to order as drinks in an Indian restaurant?

Masala tea- the famous black hour with milk and spices.

south indian coffee- Hand-brewed freshly ground coffee. Served in unusual iron cups.

milk coffee- instant coffee powder added to hot milk.

Lassi- a fermented milk product similar to sweet drinking yogurt. Fruity cocktails are also made with Lassi.

Freshly squeezed juices. They are made in India from anything, from carrots and avocados to mangoes and strawberries. Usually the price of a large glass of juice is 60-100 rupees ($1-1.6).

After a delicious, hearty and spicy dinner, they will bring you such a box of fennel. It is chewed after meals because it freshens the breath and helps digest food better.

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Indian cuisine, despite its exoticism, no longer seems to be something far away. The dishes of this cuisine can even be cooked at home, because, knowing certain tricks and subtleties, any hostess can handle them.

website got hold of 7 great recipes Indian dishes to cook in your own kitchen.

Curry with minced meat

You will need:

• 500 g lamb (pulp)
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 st. l. curry powder
• 2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil and 2 tbsp. l. tomato paste
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• a pinch of salt
• lettuce leaves

Cooking:

1. Finely chop the onion and garlic and fry in oil until golden brown. Pour curry powder, heat over low heat for 2-3 minutes and add tomato paste. We sauté for a few minutes, then put the finely chopped meat, pour in the yogurt, salt and simmer until tender.
2. When serving, decorate the curry with lettuce leaves. Serve boiled friable rice as a side dish.

spicy beef

You will need:

• 125 ml vegetable oil
• 400 g beef
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
• 1 tsp ground cumin, ground coriander, ground turmeric, ground black pepper, chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger and ground cinnamon
• 3 pcs. cloves and 3 cardamom pods
• 125 g natural yoghurt
• 1 st. l. vinegar
• a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar
• 200 g tomatoes

Cooking:

1. Cut the meat into small pieces. Fry over medium heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Then transfer the beef to a plate.
2. Add finely chopped onion and garlic to the skillet. Fry over low heat until soft. We add spices. Fry for 1 minute. They should give flavor, but not burn.
3. Return the meat to the skillet. We mix.
4. Add finely chopped tomatoes and bring the contents of the pan to a boil. Add natural yogurt and vinegar. Salt and add sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook covered for 1.5 hours.
5. We give the meat a little rest and serve it to the table.

Biryani pilaf

You will need:

• 1.5 kg lamb (whole shoulder and brisket)
• 70 g butter
• 1 carrot (or 2 small ones)
• 2 pcs. onion
• 1 pomegranate (for decoration)
• 1 tsp vegetable oil (for frying)
• spices: 1 tsp turmeric, ground coriander, 3 tbsp. l. barberry, 10 pcs. carnations, 8 pcs. black peppercorns, 10 pcs. green cardamom and 1 pc. black cardamom, 1 bay leaf, 0.5 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3 heads of garlic
• 500 g rice (long grain, preferably basmati)

Cooking:

1. Take 1 shoulder blade and brisket. We chop into small pieces.
2. Onions and carrots cut into strips. Soak rice and barberry.
3. Grind cardamom and peppercorns. Mix with the rest of the spices.
4. Pour vegetable oil into a wide frying pan and heat it well. Add salt to the meat, then quickly fry it until golden brown over high heat so that it is “sealed” and does not give out juice. If liquid remains during stewing, pour it into a bowl.
5. Then add 2 tsp. spices and continue to fry for just a minute, so that the spices reveal themselves. Add water, bay leaf and simmer until tender over low heat.
6. Fry the onion until golden brown. Add carrots and continue to fry for another 3-4 minutes. I put turmeric. Pour in the liquid left over from frying the meat. Add boiled rice and barberry.
7. Mix and spread the meat. We mix. Pour another 1 tsp. our spices. Add unpeeled garlic. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
8. We spread it on a dish, put a whole head of garlic on top, which has successfully evaporated, and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.

Bombay potato

You will need:

• 1 kg potatoes
• 2 pcs. tomatoes
• 2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil
• 100 g butter
• 1 tsp cumin
• 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
• chili pepper - to taste
• parsley - to taste
• turmeric - to taste
• fresh ginger - to taste
• 1 tsp coriander

Cooking:

1. Boil the potatoes, cut them into large pieces.
2. We cut the tomatoes into large pieces, three ginger, finely chop the parsley.
3. We heat the pan, pour vegetable oil, add cumin, chili pepper, turmeric and coriander. Lightly heat the spices over low heat.
4. Add butter and ginger. Lightly fry it, add the tomatoes and simmer them for a few minutes.
5. Put potatoes, parsley, salt to taste and fry for at least 5 minutes, stirring until light golden brown.

Indian vegetable stew

You will need:

• 2 pcs. potatoes
• 2 carrots
• 1 small head of cauliflower
• 1 red sweet pepper
• 2 onions
• 3 garlic cloves
• 3 cm ginger root
• 50 g cashews
• 2 tbsp. l. tomato paste
• 200 ml cream with 20% fat
• 2 tbsp. l. ghee
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 0.5 tsp coriander
• a pinch of salt

Cooking:

1. We disassemble the cabbage into inflorescences. Peel carrots and potatoes and cut into slices. We cut the onion into half rings, the pepper into cubes. Finely chop the garlic and ginger.
2. We fill hot water carrots, potatoes and cabbage. Cook for 8 minutes.
3. Fry the bay leaf, onion and cashews in oil for about 3 minutes.
4. Add ginger, garlic, turmeric, salt and fry for another 1 minute.
5. Pour the mixture with tomato paste, simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Put into the pan Bell pepper and fry for 2 minutes.
7. Finally, add the vegetables to the sauce and mix thoroughly. Simmer until ready.

spicy paneer cheese

You will need:

• 400 g of cheese (it is better to take Adyghe)
• 6 cm ginger root
• 3 garlic cloves
• 50 g butter
• 2 tbsp. l. coriander seed
• 1 st. l. turmeric
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ground black pepper - to taste

Cooking:

1. We cut the ginger into thin strips. Cut the cheese into 1.5 cm cubes.
2. We heat the oil on a slow fire. Add ginger and garlic cloves to it. Fry over medium heat for 5-7 minutes so that the oil is saturated with ginger. Add coriander and cumin, increase heat to high and fry for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add cheese to the skillet. Fry, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes over high heat, so that he grabs. Without removing from heat, sprinkle with curry and black pepper to taste. Fry until golden brown.

Each people inhabiting the Earth has its own history and traditions. As well as national cuisine, which has its own unique features. Let's talk about the cuisine of the peoples of India. What is she like? How to cook Indian food? What products do they include? Today we will present the most delicious Indian dishes and give recipes for their preparation. But let's start with some interesting facts.

Features of Indian cuisine

In every country National dishes are a source of special pride for the residents. What are the characteristics of Indian cuisine?

Indian dishes: top 8

We bring to your attention the most famous national dishes of the country. We have listed them in ranking order.

• In eighth place - rasgulla.
• Seventh - alupatras.
• The sixth is jalebi.
• On the fifth - gulabjamun.
• Fourth - pakoras.
• The third is chapati.
• The second is khir.
• The first is Tandoori mushrooms.

Now you know which Indian national dishes are the most popular, let's look at the recipes for their preparation.

Chapati

Indian cuisine dishes have original and melodious names. What is chapati? This is a product without which the inhabitants of India do not do any feast. Such an interesting name is just bread. Today we will teach you how to cook it. We will need the following ingredients:

• Wheat flour - 250 grams (or one glass).
• Hot water (boiled) - 1 incomplete glass.
• Salt to taste.
• Rye flour - 250 grams.
• Butter - 2 tablespoons.

Let's start cooking. Mix the flour and add some salt to it. Pour boiled water into a saucepan and heat it, but do not boil. We begin to gradually add water to the flour. Then knead the dough, if necessary, you can add a little more flour.

After making the dough, close it with a clean and damp cloth and leave for 25-30 minutes. Then we pinch off small pieces in the form of balls from the dough and roll out thin cakes. We bake in a pan, frying on both sides. One of which is pre-lubricated with butter.

Put the baked chapatis in a saucepan and cover with a lid so that they do not cool down. You can make them with filling:

• potato;
• fried onions with mushrooms;
• any stuffing, etc.

Having tried these amazing delicious cakes once, you will certainly cook them again.

Kheer

One of the most delicious and healthy dishes of Indian cuisine is pudding, which can be either solid or liquid. Most often, kheer is made from rice, but it can also be made from carrots, almonds, and dates. Let's take a closer look classic version. For cooking we need:

• rice - 150 grams (half a glass);
• sugar - one incomplete glass.
• cardamom - 2-3 things;
• milk - 3-4 cups.

Recipe:

Pour 2.5 cups of milk into a saucepan. We put there well-washed rice and cook. When the milk boils, you need to reduce the fire. Remember to stir the rice constantly so that it does not burn.

When it becomes soft, then remove the pan from the stove. Add the remaining milk, sugar, cardamom and put on fire again, remembering to stir gently. When the rice is completely cooked, the dish is considered almost ready.

We take out the cardamom, you can add nuts: pistachios or almonds. Rice should dissolve in milk, you can grind it. Refrigerate the cooked pudding. Some housewives prepare khir for breakfast and dinner, as it is a very satisfying and healthy dish. And in India, it is prepared on holidays for the dearest guests.

Rasgulla, or sweet cheese balls

What are the most popular Indian vegetarian dishes? We invite you to try one of the most famous and simple recipes. In order to prepare rasgulls we need:

• lemon - 1-2 pieces;
• milk - 1.5-2 liters;
• sugar - one glass;
• cardamom;
• pistachios;
• water - 4 glasses.

First of all, we need to prepare the paneer cheese. To do this, heat one liter of milk, but do not boil it. Take a lemon, cut it and squeeze out the juice. We need four tablespoons. Add juice to milk. When the fat separates from the whey, remove from heat. The mass must be filtered through a colander, which is pre-covered with gauze.

Now let's prepare the sauce. Pour three glasses of milk into a saucepan and add three tablespoons of sugar and a little cardamom to it. Cook until slightly thickened.

Next, you need to make sugar syrup. Add 200 grams of sugar to a liter of water, stir everything well and bring to a boil. We make small balls of cheese and cook them in syrup for several minutes. Pour the prepared rasgulls with sauce and sprinkle with pistachios, which must first be chopped.

The dish is very tasty, but the cooking time takes more than an hour.

Alupatry

This dish is for all lovers of aromatic spices. Alupatra or potato rolls are easy to prepare. First you need to boil the potatoes in their skins, about five or six pieces. Let cool. Then peel, mash and add the following products:

• coconut flakes - 2-3 tsp;
• sugar - 2 tsp;
• salt - 1 tsp;
• greens - parsley, dill, etc.;
• any spices to taste.

Mix everything well and make a dough. For him you will need:

• half a glass of water;
• half a teaspoon of salt;
• you can add 1 tsp. turmeric;
• 2 tsp ghee or butter;
• a glass of flour.

We roll out a large cake, evenly spread the potato filling on it. We roll the roll. Cut into small pieces and fry in a pan. Can be fried in sunflower or olive oil. Fry on both sides. Ready-made potato rolls are very tasty to eat with various vegetables or separately.

Gulabjamun

The next recipe is small cakes that are prepared in several stages. For the test we need:

• 1 tablespoon of semolina;
• two tablespoons of wheat flour;
• 100 grams of dry milk;
• one glass of milk;
• half tsp soda;
• 2 tbsp. l. ghee.

We mix all the products, lastly add regular milk. When the dough is ready, divide it into small pieces, which should turn out to be about twenty. From each we make a small neat ball.

Take a deep frying pan, pour sunflower oil. We put the balls there, they should be completely in oil. Fry them until golden brown, then put them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess fat.

Take 2 cups of sugar and 3.5 cups of water. Pour everything into a saucepan and heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Set the heating temperature to very low. Do not forget to gently stir the syrup.

Now put the balls into it, bring to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes. Put on a plate, let cool.

Delicious dessert is ready. If desired, you can decorate it with mint leaves.

Jalebi

We bring to your attention another insanely delicious dessert. This dish is quite high in calories, but it's still worth a try. The recipe for cooking consists of three stages. First, prepare the dough. For it we need:

• flour - 500 grams (2 cups);
• sour cream - 1 tbsp. l.;
• semolina - 1 tbsp. l.;
• soda - on the tip of a knife;
• water - 350-400 grams.

Knead the dough, adding water last. Cover it with a towel and put it in a warm place for several hours.

We proceed to the second stage. We make syrup. We will need:

• water - half a glass;
• sugar - a glass;
• lemon juice - a teaspoon;
• sunflower oil.

Let's start making syrup. In a saucepan, mix water with sugar and bring the mixture to a boil. Add lemon juice and cook for a few minutes.

The third stage is to fry the jalebi in vegetable oil. We need to spread the dough in the pan in the form of spirals. How to do it? You can use the following option. Fold the dough into a plastic bag, making a small hole through which to squeeze it out.

Fry in boiling oil each side for no more than two minutes. Then we put it in sugar syrup for a few seconds. Serve when it has cooled slightly. This dish will decorate any festive table.

Pakoras or vegetables fried in dough

The most popular Indian dishes (recipes for some of them are presented in the article) do not require large financial costs and are quite simple to prepare. To prepare pakoras, we need vegetables: eggplant, sweet peppers, zucchini, potatoes, carrots, etc. Whatever vegetables you choose, you will need to cut them into even pieces. What else do we need?

• 150 gr. pea flour (if you can’t find it, you can take wheat flour);
• 2 tsp salt;
• 0.5 tsp soda;
• glass of water;
• sunflower oil;
• any spices: turmeric, cinnamon, red pepper, coriander, etc.

In flour, add spices, soda, salt. Gradually pour in water and mix everything well, you can beat with a mixer. Dip the pieces of vegetables completely into the dough and put them in a hot frying pan, on which sunflower oil was poured.

Saute vegetables until golden brown. Then take it out. Place the vegetables on a wire rack to drain excess oil. If there are no necessary spices, then you can cook this dish without them.

tandoori mushrooms

One of the most beloved Indian dishes. You will definitely love this simple and delicious way to cook mushrooms (it is best to take champignons). First they will need to be marinated, and then baked. Marinade products:

• kefir or yogurt - 250-300 g;
• lemon - 1 pc.;
• garlic - 2-3 cloves;
• spices: ginger, pepper, cardamom.

We prepare a marinade based on kefir or yogurt. Add spices to taste, squeeze a little lemon juice. We place the mushrooms in the marinade, best of all for a day. Then we string the mushrooms on skewers or skewers and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

Little tricks

• If you have made chapatis (Indian bread), then know that they are best eaten warm. As they cool, their taste will not be as rich.
• The prepared dough for chapati must be moist.
• If you are going to cook rice pudding or khir, then it is best to use round rice. It must completely dissolve. Sugar is added only at the end of cooking.
• To make the khir more tender and airy, add a few tablespoons of cream to the milk.
• To prepare rasgulla, it is best to take homemade milk, there is a higher percentage of fat content than in the store.
• If the syrup for sweet dishes thickens a lot, you can slightly dilute it with hot water.

Conclusion

Indian cuisine dishes (recipes are given in the article) are affordable and easy to prepare. Be sure to treat your family to them. In addition, Indian dishes are very healthy.

The basis of the diet of the average Indian is rice with vegetables and legumes, and the dishes are so spicy that sometimes a fire extinguisher will not interfere. When cooking in India, they use so many spices, a mixture of which is called "masala", that after a meal, a real "fiery flower" blooms in our European stomachs, which are unusual for such things. However, Indian cuisine is so unusual and varied that it is not a pity to lay down the stomach to study it.

HOLY COW

Approximately 80% of the Indian population are vegetarians. In Hinduism, meat-eating is not welcome. But the remaining 20%, most of whom are Muslims, enjoy eating chicken, lamb and even beef.

The cow in India is a sacred animal, it is forbidden to eat it in most states. At the same time, locally produced dairy products are eaten with pleasure by Indians.

When one reads Indian legislation, one gets the impression that cows in the country are in a much better position than women! Judge for yourself: for injuring or killing an animal in India, prison term. So, in the state of Kashmir, you can get up to 10 years in prison, and in the state of Gujarat, even more - life imprisonment! In addition, the storage and transportation of beef is prohibited, which is also punishable by a prison term.

“When you read Indian law, you get the impression that cows in the country are in a much better position than women.”

It is legal to slaughter and eat cows in the northeastern state of West Bengal and in the south of the country in Kerala. By the way, it is an extremely prosperous Indian state with the lowest birth rate in the country, the best medical care And the highest level literacy of the population - 93%. The communists have been ruling here for a long time, and the cow is not considered such a sacred animal. Therefore, they are brought here for slaughter from all over the country.

MUST EAT

Snack and breakfast

The most common snack in the country is fried triangular patties stuffed with spicy potatoes, legumes or vegetables - samosa. Vendors yelling "Samosa, samosa, samosa!" with each other can be found on the streets and markets, at train stations, on trains, parks, squares, and at most attractions. And we know such pies under the name samsa.

Another great snack hastily- pakora, or fried in batter, vegetables cut into small pieces. However, be careful! Among potatoes, cauliflower and eggplant, hot peppers can also be caught.

In India, it is customary to eat with your hands, and bread cakes here often serve not only as a snack or side dish, but also as spoons. Therefore, there are a great many varieties of bread in the country, and each region will definitely have its own recipe. Everywhere in India you can find puri - palm-sized airy cakes fried in oil. As a rule, puri is served for breakfast, accompanied by a filling of stewed vegetables or sweet and spicy potatoes.

Another popular breakfast dish is dosa. It is a huge, thin and, in most cases, crispy pancake made from rice flour. Mounted on a tray like a mountain or rolled into a tube, the dosa is served with several types of chutney sauces, spicy to tears.

Lunch and dinner

The most common dish in the diet of poor Indians, and these are the majority in the country, is dhal. This is a spicy stew made from boiled legumes (chickpeas, lentils, mung beans) with the addition of spices, tomatoes and onions. Served with dal along with wheat cakes cooked on an open fire, and at home on gas burner. In different parts of the country, such cakes are called chapati (chapati) or roti (roti), although this is the same dish.

If it's time for lunch, feel free to go to any restaurant and order a traditional Indian "business lunch" - thali. Tali is served on a large tray in the center of which they put a plate with rice and a couple of wheat cakes, and around 5-7 bowls with different dishes are added: dal, stewed vegetables, spicy potatoes, local milk - in general, everything that is found in the kitchen. Tali is traditionally eaten with the hands or with flatbread.

“The role of the main dish here is successfully performed not only by legumes and vegetables, but even by simple potatoes”

Well, perhaps the most famous dish of Indian cuisine in the world is curry. In fact, curry is not a specific dish, but a whole group of Indian sauces. In different parts of the country, curries are prepared using all sorts of ingredients (legumes, vegetables, meat or fish) and are served in addition to boiled rice.

One of the features of Indian cuisine is that not only legumes and vegetables, but even simple potatoes successfully serve as the main dish here. To understand how it is - to eat a side dish with a side dish, order one of the varieties of curry - fiery-spicy alu gobi. Aloo means "potato" in Hindi and gobi means "cauliflower". The whole dish consists of stewed potato slices with cabbage buds, of course, with the addition of the hottest spices and is served with a bowl of boiled rice.

Another group of dishes popular in India includes the word "paneer" (paneer) in the name. Paneer is a soft cheese similar to the familiar Adyghe cheese. In Indian dishes, paneer is fried, steamed and baked. They are often substituted for meat in vegetarian versions of local dishes. One of the must eat dishes of this group is palak paneer. It looks like an unpresentable green liquid made from pureed spinach with pieces of cheese and traditional Indian spices, but it tastes gentle and spicy.

Desserts and sweets

Indian desserts are sweet and extremely high in calories. They are usually prepared from bean flour, cereals, nuts, dairy products, fruits and all kinds of spices, and be sure to add melted butter ghee (ghee) to delicacies or fry them in fat. Honey is used extremely rarely, because according to Ayurveda, when heated, it becomes harmful to health.

The most popular treat in India is sweet balls of laddu (laddu) made from grated nuts, spices, coconut and chickpea or mung bean flour, fried with ghee. Laddu is traditionally cooked in India for the holidays, and in common days they can be found in pastry shops throughout the country.

MUST DRINK

India is famous for its "elephant tea" all over the world! But it is immediately exported, and the Indians are forced to drink the remaining black powder, as we have in tea bags. When brewed, it turns out to be very strong and completely tasteless. Perhaps that is why tea (chai) in India is always and everywhere drunk with milk. If you want regular black tea, don't forget to ask for "black tea" before ordering. Unfortunately, street vendors, food vendors on trains and stations, as well as inexpensive cafes often will not have such an opportunity and will have to be content with ready-made tea with milk.

Masala chai (masala chai) is a national Indian drink made from the same powdered black tea with milk, in which the Indians did not forget to add their favorite spices: cardamom, cloves, ginger, pepper and much more. You can order it on a par with ordinary tea in cafes, restaurants and even in street tea shops.

India's second national drink is lassi. This fermented milk product in the north of the country is thick, sour and resembles our kefir, and in central and southern India it looks more like drinking yogurt served with salt, sugar or fruit. Lassi can be ordered at any eatery and even special lassie cafes across the country. The main thing to remember is that on street stalls and in small cafes, crushed ice is added to lassi to make it cold.

Among the street drinks in India, freshly squeezed sugarcane juice is also common. Bamboo-like stalks are pressed in special press machines, and the greenish cane drink is sweet and thick, like baby food. In some especially advanced cafes, spices or fruits can be added to the juice. But beware, sugarcane juice has a laxative effect!

"For those who cannot live without kefir for a day, India is a real paradise"

But with strong drinks in India tension. Hindus and Muslims are forbidden to drink alcohol, so local bars and restaurants have an extremely poor choice. However, this does not prevent the production of its own alcoholic beverages, among which inexpensive Kingfisher beer from Bangalore and Old Monk Goan rum are especially popular. Alcohol has received the maximum distribution, of course, in tourist areas, and outside of them it is extremely difficult to find a strong drink.

REGIONAL CUISINES

In India, there are 22 official languages ​​of the states, and there are even more dialects and local languages! Often, residents of different parts of the country, in order to understand each other, are forced to communicate in English. Of course, such cultural and linguistic diversity has also led to gastronomic differences. True, now dishes characteristic of certain regions can be found in any corner of the country, and delicacies typical of the whole of India in each state often have their own special recipe.

Northwest India and Hyderabad

Against the background of the rest of India, Mughlai cuisine stands out noticeably, spread in the north-west of the country in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh. It originates from the Muslim Mughal Empire. It is customary to add to Mughlai dishes a large number of spices, including expensive saffron, nuts and dried fruits. Kebabs and pilaf (pulao) are just as popular here as curry, and eating pork is discouraged.

Food in the northwestern Indian states is usually prepared in clay oven tandoor, in which we bake lavash. By the way, bread here is also cooked in the oven, but the resulting lush cakes are called “naan”. Although the taste and appearance lavash with lavash! The most famous dish of the region is tandoori chicken. Everyone cooks it in the same tandoor, pre-marinated with a mixture of spices - tandoori-masala.

Another popular Indian dish with a "Muslim trace" is biryani. Although you can find it in cafes and restaurants across the country, it is believed that for the best biryani you need to go to Hyderabad. Hyderabad is a real Muslim city, as if descended from the pages of a fairy tale about Aladdin, and concurrently the capital of the state of Telangana in Central India. The legendary biryani itself is very similar to our pilaf: meat, rice, vegetables and a huge amount of the best spices! Its main difference from pilaf is that the meat is cooked separately from rice and marinated in a biryani-masala mixture. As a rule, along with the main course, which lies a huge mountain on a plate, they serve a bowl of local curdled milk - Kurd or the Indian analogue of okroshka with vegetables, herbs and curdled milk - raita, which help not to burn alive from the sharpness of the delicious biryani.

Goa and coastal states

In the states that stretch along the coast of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal and, accordingly, are rich in seafood, even Indians, without any scruples before the gods, are happy to eat fish. There are perhaps dozens of recipes for a popular dish called ilish along the coast of the country - it can be fish curry, as well as any kind of fried, boiled or baked fish with rice, vegetables and various seasonings.

But the gastronomic traditions of the most tourist state of India, Goa, were greatly influenced by the Portuguese colonialists. Firstly, they brought seafood and pork dishes to the vegetarian cuisine of Goa, and secondly, they brought recipes of their traditional sweets here. And although you have to look for pashtaishi (pastel de nata) here, but the Indo-European dishes prawn balchao and pork vindaloo, which are shrimp or pieces of pork stewed in a fiery red and equally spicy chili sauce, can be found in most Goan eateries .

North East India

The gastronomic traditions of the northeastern territories were significantly influenced by neighboring Nepal, Tibet and China. The main dish of the state of Sikkim and the very north of West Bengal is momo. In fact, this is an analogue of the Asian manti, poses, buuz and, finally, dumplings known to us. In the mountainous regions of northern India, momos are stuffed with chicken, pork, goat and buffalo meat. And in the cold season, even Indian brahmins do not disdain meat dishes here.

Another typical East Indian dish is Kalkata rolls (kati roll). They come, as the name suggests, from Calcutta, the capital of the easternmost Indian state of West Bengal. This kind of local street food is the familiar chicken or lamb kebab with vegetables, wrapped in an Indian flatbread - paratha (paratha). Traditional paratha is made when mashed potatoes (aloo paratha), cheese or vegetables are added inside the chapati.

Mumbai and Maharashtra

Another popular regional street food, vada pav baked potato burgers, originated in . In the preparation of the “Mumbai burger”, everything is standard: lush square pav buns are cut into 2 parts in the middle, and instead of a patty they put a huge baked potato generously seasoned with hot spices instead of a patty.

The cuisine of the state of Maharashtra, whose capital is Mumbai, is also characterized by a group of dishes called bhaji, which in Hindi means “fried vegetables”. Pav Bhaji, Chapati/Roti Bhaji and Puri Bhaji are the flatbreads mentioned in the name of the dishes stuffed with stewed vegetables. The bhaji vegetables themselves are served on a separate plate and eaten with bread.

South India

In addition to the fact that in the very south of India, in Kerala, you can eat beef and cafes with restaurants are full of inviting signs to try beef curry, in South Indian cuisine it is customary to serve dishes not on brass trays, but on banana leaves. Moreover, the farther from the tourist trails, the more often the usual dishes are replaced by palm leaves and the less often you can find cutlery.

Coconut is commonly used in cooking in the south of the country, and boiled rice is usually served with spicy coconut chutney sauce. But best of all, this sauce goes well with local idli flatbreads, steamed rice with lentils and often eaten for breakfast by Tamils ​​and Keralas. The cakes themselves are as tasteless as possible, the dish is saved by dal or the same coconut chutney.

"Indian McDonald's has a lot more Indian than McDonald's"

In the south of India, the well-known dosa is also changing. For breakfast, they traditionally prepare a hearty masala dosa (masala dosa), that is, the same thin pancake made from rice or lentil flour, but stuffed with mashed potatoes and spices.

Indian McDonald's

When Indian food burns more than one hole in your stomach, and the smell of curry starts to beat off your appetite, when you get tired of crying over every dish, you want something simple and dear, and the last hope for the familiar McDonald’s remains - take heart!

Indian McDonald's has a lot more Indian than McDonald's! Here you will not find native hamburgers or cheeseburgers, and among the rather meager menu they will offer a choice of three types of burger: with chicken, potatoes or eggs. At the same time, regardless of your choice, the food will be generously seasoned with the same hot spices and familiar curry. Beware of the veggie burger - the patty in it is made from peas.

Discoverdelicious.org

Indian cuisine is one of the most delicious and spicy food collections in the world. Religion has had a great influence on the development of the culinary traditions of this multinational country. As you know, the vast majority of the population of this country are people who profess Islam and Hinduism. Islam forbids the consumption of pork, while in Hinduism it is forbidden to eat beef. Accordingly, vegetables and cereals form the basis of traditional dishes of the national cuisine of India. Over the past few hundred years, poultry recipes (chicken, turkey, duck) have been added to the range of Indian dishes, which came to India due to the influence of the Tatar peoples.

Features of Indian Cuisine

• Due to religious restrictions, most Hindus do not eat beef and pork.
• India is the birthplace of curry. In the national cuisine of this country there is a whole group of various meat and vegetable dishes prepared using the world famous curry sauce, which uses a mixture of the following spices: turmeric, coriander, red pepper, cumin, garlic, tamarind and other seasonings. Hindus believe that spices can not only change the taste of the dish, but also the mood of the person who uses them.
• As in other countries of the East, in India they treat spices in a special way, adding them everywhere. The most popular is the already mentioned mixture of curry spices, as well as saffron, cloves, ginger, cumin, nutmeg, mango powder, various peppers.
• Northerners prefer to drink tea with various additives: cream or milk, spices, lemon. Southerners love coffee more. Indians also drink the popular drink lassi, similar to a milkshake - it is prepared on the basis of yogurt, fruits, salt and other spices. Fruit juices are also common, as is coconut milk. Hindus practically do not drink alcoholic beverages.
• The cuisines of the northern and southern parts of the country differ in many ways. Northerners prepare a variety of meat dishes generously flavored with spices and butter. Southerners prefer vegetable dishes, and quite spicy. Along with the differences, if there is a common feature that unites the two parts of the country: a large number of dishes made from legumes.
• The western part of the country is distinguished by the fact that many fish dishes are prepared here. Hindus like to marinate seafood in various sauces before cooking, and some of them have a rather specific smell.
• The abundance of fatty foods is a real test for the stomach. To improve digestion, it is recommended to chew pan (rolls of betel leaves with a nut filling).

Indian chefs are masters in preparing rice and vegetable dishes, so the main cooking methods are stewing, frying and baking. As far as meat and fish dishes are concerned, Indian cuisine is famous for big amount recipes for marinade sauces, which allow the meat to acquire a special aroma and delicate texture.

Traditionally, Indian dishes are served to guests on a special tray called thali, or on banana palm leaves. Usually, a bowl of cold water is served with the dish to wash down spicy food.

Almost all types of dishes are eaten with the right hand, without using ordinary cutlery. Before eating and between meals, it is customary to wash your hands in a bowl of warm water and lemon juice. It is not customary to have a conversation while eating. After a hearty meal, Hindus chew pan.

Traditional Indian dishes

If you have a trip to India, be sure to enjoy the local cuisine. We invite you to try these dishes:

• Dhal is a thick creamy chickpea or bean soup with coconut milk, curry and vegetables.
• Rogan josh - lamb in curry sauce.
• Biryani is a main course consisting of meat, rice and a mixture of vegetables, seasoned with a spicy orange sauce.
• Dahi maach is a curried fish dish seasoned with yogurt.
• Mahanwala - spicy chicken in oil.
• Tandoori is a tender chicken, marinated in a special way and baked in an Indian oven.
• Guntaba - spicy meatballs with yogurt-based sauce.
• Mailai - shrimp in a curry sauce based on coconut milk.
• Papadam is a flour tortilla with lentils.
• Chapati is the national Indian thin bread.

Those with a sweet tooth will find many dishes in India to suit their taste, and Bengali sweets are especially famous. Recommended for dessert:

• Kulfi - ice cream with pistachios and spices.
• Rasgulla - round cottage cheese cakes in pink syrup.
• Jalebi are Indian pancakes.
• Gulab yamuns - dough balls filled with yogurt.
• Firni is a sweet rice casserole with nuts.