My newest addiction...
Here was some interesting stuff I found today, while searching for some new recipes to try out. I thought I'd share.
From Indian Food Forever (http://www.indianfoodforever.com/food-guide/indian-food-cuisine.html)
Indian food is different from rest of the world not only in taste but also in cooking methods. It reflects a perfect blend of various cultures and ages. Just like Indian culture, food in India has also been influenced by various civilizations, which have contributed their share in its overall development and the present form.
Foods of India are better known for its spiciness. Throughout India, be it North India or South India, spices are used generously in food. But one must not forget that every single spice used in Indian dishes carries some or the other nutritional as well as medicinal properties.
North Indian Food
Food in the north India, to begin with, Kashmiri cuisines reflect strong Central Asian influences. In Kashmir, mostly all the dishes are prepared around the main course of rice found abundantly in the beautiful valley. Another delicious item cooked here is the 'Saag' that is prepared with a green leafy vegetable known as the 'Hak'.
But on the other hand states like the Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh show high consumption of chapatis as staple food. Again, these chapatis are prepared with a variety of flours such as wheat, rice, maida, besan etc. Besides chapatis other closely related breads baked in these regions include Tandoori, Rumaali and Naan etc. However in the northern region impact of Mughlai food is quite obvious.
West Indian Food
In western India, the desert cuisine is famous for its unique taste and varieties of food. Rajasthan and Gujarat are the states that represent the desseert flavor of Indian food. Here an immense variety of dals and achars (pickles/preserves) is used that simply substitutes the relative lack of fresh vegetables in these areas.
In the states like Maharashtra, the food is usually a mix of both north as well as south cooking styles. Here people use both the rice and the wheat with same interest. Along the coastline of Mumbai a wide variety of fishes is available. Some of the delicious preparations include dishes like the Bombay Prawn and Pomfret.
In Goa, that is further down towards south, one can notice Portuguese influence in the cooking style as well as in the dishes. Some of the major dishes of this regiun are the sweet and sour Vindaloo, duck baffad, sorpotel and egg molie etc.
East Indian Food
In the eastern India, the Bengali and Assamese styles of cooking are noticeable. The staple food of Bengalis is the yummy combination of rice and fish. Usually the Bengalis love eating varieties of fishes. A special way of preparing the delicacy known as 'Hilsa' is by wrapping it in the pumpkin leaf and then cooking it. Another unusual ingredient that is commonly used in the Bengali cooking is the 'Bamboo Shoot'. Various sweets prepared in this region, by using milk include the 'Roshogollas', 'Sandesh', 'Cham-cham' and many more.
South Indian Food
In the southern India, the states make great use of spices, fishes and coconuts, as most of them have coastal kitchens. In the foods of Tamil Nadu use of tamarind is frequently made in order to impart sourness to the dishes. It simply distinguishes the Tamil Food from other cuisines.
The cooking style of Andhra Pradesh is supposed to make excessive use of chilies, which is obviously to improve the taste of the dishes.
In Kerala, some of the delicious dishes are thelamb stew and appams, Malabar fried prawns, Idlis, Dosas, fish molie and rice puttu. Another famous item of this region is the sweetened coconut milk. Yet another dish is Puttu, which is glutinous rice powder steamed like a pudding in a bamboo shoot.
(http://www.indian-cooking-recipe.com/north-indian-recipe.jpg)
What? Am I the only one who likes Indian food?
Sorry, Daisy...the food in that picture does not look the least bit tantilizing to me...but, my husband speaks of the Indian accompaniment "Curry" on occasion. Indian food is popular in England, at least where his friends live.
Now, I like Thai, Chinese & Japanese foods...
I like Thai as well...I'm a sucker for some peanut hoisin on Thai pizza. YUM!
I can't seem to stop craving Indian lately, though. Not so much curry, but the masalas and some mint chutney.
Had some wonderful Indian food Sunday night. Friends of mine have a friend who is an indian chef....he came to visit and cooked, we had dish after dish...it was wonderful.
Can I have your friend? Please? Or at least have him teach me how to cook Indian!!!
i like asian food in general. but i find indian food (at least the So Cal version of it) to have a strong after taste. I'm sure i haven't had all styles.
Its love.
Daisy!
I'm so happy to see you! I have an Indian food question for you. I've never been a fan because of the spices used. I've tried a few times and just couldn't enjoy it. I LOVE spicy food, but it's the combo in Indian food that turns me off. However, I'm real big on trying new things and Lil' Mojo has expressed interest in trying an Indian restaurant near our house. I haven't told her about my experiences, because I want her to have the experience herself and make up her mind based on that, not mine. Can you suggest a dish that might be tasty? I know it's probably difficult to do off the cuff, but she doesn't like spicy things AT all.
The name of the restaurant is the Ali Baba. LOL I don't know if you have ever watched "Full House", but the episode where Jesse and what's her name go to Vegas (?) and they decide to get married in the fabulous Ali Baba hotel and casino. The hotel manager in that episode pops up several times and every time he's forced to say the name of the hotel he says, "the fabulous Ali Baba hotel and casino", she's a fan of the show and I suspect that's why she wants to try it. I'm all for it because she's not very adventurous food-wise and I don't want her first Indian experience to be a bad one.
Many places will ask you what degree of spicy you want. Tell her to be sure to go mild if she doesnt like heavy spices.
My favorite is navaratan korma, and I don't think its too spicy, or over the top in seasonings. The first one I tried was chana masala, a mix of chickpeas, some tomato, and garam masala seasoning. It was the one that got me hooked in the first place.
Have her try a variety of naan breads. I am in love with onion naan and garlic naan. Heaven.
Thanks, now my mouth is watering.
Who knows, I may even learn to like it. :yes: Thanks.
update?
A friend of mine a few years back used to order Indian when I'd come over. I wish I knew what she ordered because I loved it. I do know I loved the flat bread that would come with everything. I'll have to email her and ask her what we ordered!
The bread is naan. You gan have plain naan, garlic naan, onion naan...at least those are my favorites. :D
I just figured it out, Daisy...I think I may have an aversion to Indian food (not sure what "region")...because I have a recall from childhood with a family from "India", let's just say...and I can still distinctly remember what their house (and their person) always smelled like. *blech*
Mind you, I believe that I am a very culturally sensitive & respectful person...maybe these folks were not a particularly clean family...maybe they had different hygiene rituals...who knows.
So, with that said...
I DO like some moroccan food. :smile:
I can understand that. I have a childhood aversion to popcorn from when I saw Lily Tomlin go down the garbage disposal in The Incredible Shrinking Woman, and I puked...
Ahhh yum! Got some!
I remember some students from India who lived a couple of apartments down from me in college.
I used to love the smells of the curries and peppers wafting from their room!
All the other folks complained but I loved it! :yes: