In a country where recipes and palettes change every hundred kilometres, it is no surprise that Indian cuisine is dispersed into innumerable regional recipes, each having a distinct story.
Vastly popular for its myriad flavours, Indian food has a trail that is immensely diverse, rich and historic. Being a land subjected to many invaders and rulers throughout history, the country’s food has witnessed multiple influences that amalgamated over time, resulting in unforgettable culinary excellence.
The accounts of cooking in India can be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilization, when clay ovens were used to make simple foods like lentils, wheat and barley. The ancient practice of Ayurveda taught us to include lightly spiced recipes and a lot of fruits and vegetables to boost the immune system. An important factor to consider is that right from the mediaeval times, India had both vegetarian and non-vegetarian eaters, naturally widening the region’s culinary chronicles.
While the indigenous diet was already rich, it was made more robust with foreign influences from Greek, Roman and Arab traders who brought coffee, saffron and other herbs and spices. The spice exchange was mainly carried out through the Spice Route, which was established even before the Silk Route. A lot of the key ingredients used in modern-day Indian cuisine have come from the Arabs, including maida or refined flour used in baking. In fact, the art of making naan or flatbreads is not traditionally Indian but passed down to us from the middle-eastern traders.
Many of these gastronomical delights that have been shaped with cross-cultural influences and spices travelled from far lands are widely favoured during festivities even today. As you turn the pages, explore the most time-defying and indulgent culinary recipes true to every region of India, a testament to years of history.
North India
Home to the extravagant and luxurious Awadhi cuisine, the northern belt of undivided India was a melting pot of rich curries, pilaf or pulaos, flatbreads, kulchas, korma and kebabs that thrived under the Mughal sultanate. These then merged with local cooking techniques of Punjab, Kashmir and Lucknow, resulting in elaborate recipes, many of which are crowd-favourite even today and have become synonymous with Indian cuisine.
Awadhi cuisine is typically characterised by the technique of giving dum or slow cooking that can be seen in the making of biryani and pulao – the classic festive feasts. The use of exotic spices like saffron first began through these rice dishes that are often made more rich with dry fruit toppings.
When mentioning North Indian food, a special mention has to go to the desserts that successfully satisfied the sweet tooth of the Nawabs. A true royal meal ended with Shahi Tukda literally translating to ‘a royal piece’. Originating from Persia, Sheer Khurma is yet another sweet dish that is synonymous with the country’s festivals. Amongst other celebratory desserts are halwa, kheer and gulab jamun which hail from North India and their recipes tell a tale that is centuries old.
South India
Subtle and soothing, South Indian cuisine is defined by flavours that heal the mind, body and soul. With minimal spices and delicate techniques of cooking, food of the south is both nutritious and sumptuous. It is also one of the oldest cuisines in the world. Traditionally served on a banana leaf, an authentic south Indian meal consists of balanced portions of rice, vegetables, lentils and pickle. Coconut is widely used in this region of India, along with curry leaves and black mustard seeds. Even the seafood and meat preparations made here are lighter on spices yet have robust flavours. Chutneys are also an integral part of South Indian cuisine served with all sorts of meals.
Whether it is a festival or a wedding, no South Indian thaali is complete without sambar, a lentil soup infused with tamarind and vegetables. This is accompanied with plain white rice and a stew known as avial, which consists of thirteen types of vegetables. Appalam or more widely known as papad is an important accompaniment to every auspicious meal. {Food of coastal regions – Malabar prawn curry}.
Just like any other cuisine, South Indian meals are unfinished without a sweet ending. Sakkarai pongal and payasam or porridge are some of the oldest and widespread desserts that have been consumed at auspicious occasions throughout time.
West India
The western states of India mainly consist of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Goa – making it a part of both coastal and desert regions. From Maharashtra’s vada pav and misal pav to Rajasthan’s dal bati churma, and from Goa’s pork vindaloo to Gujarat’s dhokla – the western palette is as diverse as expansive.
Formerly a princely state, Rajasthan’s culinary culture boasts of a variety of lentils and legumes as a substitute to the lack of green leafy vegetables. However, it is the region’s mix of intense spices, also known as khada masala is what makes all the dishes so rich and flavourful. Though Rajasthani cuisine is majorly vegetarian, there is one meat dish that from the royal kitchens that has won every food connoisseurs heart over the global, i.e., laal maas. A fiery red curry traditionally cooked in clay pots with dried red chillies, laal maas was invented by the Rajputs who indulged in hunting of animals. Also famed as ‘the warriors’ feast’, laal maas has been a part of Rajasthan’s cuisine for centuries, and is now a delicacy that is savoured during grand celebrations with great pride.
East & North-East India
A pungent fragrance of mustard oil fills the air as you enter the world of East Indian food. Regions of West Bengal, Odisha and the Northeastern states like Assam, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland and Sikkim grow rice abundantly, and the availability of freshwater fish results in a cuisine that is rich in minerals and protein. While regional ingredients are substantial to this cuisine, foreign influences like that of British Raj have significantly shaped some iconic dishes that are still relished in today’s India. A delightful example of this is the Dak Bungalow Chicken, an Anglo-Indian recipe originated in Calcutta to suit the European palette. Along with these, chops and cutlets became a hit, cooked with different meats like chicken and mutton, and savoured with coffee and tea. Today, whenever there is a call to celebration, kosha mangsho and basanti pulao is a mainstay at the dining table. Apart from this duo, seasonal dishes include shorshe ilish bhapa – hilsa fish steam cooked in a rich mustard paste, mustard oil and chillies.
