Indian cuisine

What can be said about Indian food, is that in spite of its diversity, there are certain common denominators which prevail throughout the length and breadth of India. The pivot of Indian cooking lies in the liberal use of aromatic spices and the appropriate blending of these spices to provide that extra flavor to the dishes.

One cannot imagine Indian cooking without spices. Some spices are said to produce heat in the body while others have a cooling effect. A skilful combination ensures that bland and pungent spices find a place in the dishes along with hot and sweet ones. Some spices are added to bring color to the dish while others are used because of their ability to act not only as digestives but also as appetizers.

Cumin seeds, turmeric, mustard, black pepper, asafetida, fenugreek, ginger and coriander are used in everyday cooking and more often than not are supplemented by fresh herbal seasonings like “Kari patha” (usually used in South India)and “dhania”. “Garam masala” although not very prevalent in the south is an important spice used in north Indian cuisine.

It basically consists of powdered cardamom, clove, and cinnamon and is used in combination with bay leaf, coriander or mint. While preparing “kheer” or any sweet dish, cardamom, nutmeg, saffron and sometimes even rose petal essence is used. For “tadka”, whole red chilies, cumin seeds, and sometimes rai is added to hot oil. When the ingredients begin to splutter, they are mixed with “raitas” and dals.

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