Indian Food and Indian Restaurants are common in many parts of the world , but in my pocket of the world they seem to be few and far between. I realized that many Americans may not be accustomed to Indian Food; what to order at an Indian Restaurant or the proper way to eat Indian Food. Since I grew up eating Indian Food, it is natural for me to tear my naan up and soak up the yummy curry. That is why I wanted to put together a short article outlining some common Indian dishes and what you may want to order at an Indian Restaurant. I hope this will encourage you to give Indian Food a try.
More than likely, you will start out with complimentary poppadoms. These are like very thin crackers, but much larger. There are usually 3 sauces or chutneys that go along with poppadoms, a lime green sauce made with cilantro that is somewhat spicy, a dark brown sauce which is very sweet (save some for later, I will tell you why in a moment), and a mango chutney which is very good but pretty hot.
Appetizers:
More than likely you will see Samosas on a an appetizer menu at Indian restaurants. These are a safe option as they are full of flavor but not spicy. They are triangular pastries that are filled with potatoes, peas and other vegetables. The sweet, brown chutney I told you to hang on to goes great on these.
Main Entrees:
Tandoori: Tandoori is always a safe option. This is not a hot and spicy dish at all. It has no heavy sauce to it either. It is simply cooked in a clay oven known as a Tandoori, hence the name. Do not be freaked out by the color. It will come out with a red color especially if you order the chicken. It looks a little weird but it tastes great.
Biryani: (Pronounced beer-e-ani)Think of Biryani as the Indian version of Chinese Fried Rice. It is rice with vegetables (usually including raisins) with your choice of meat. Lamb Biryani is really good. Really it is good with any meat. I probably would not recommend getting Biryani with shrimp. Again, this is another safe choice as it will not be a spicy dish.
Curry: This is really a thick gravy full of cumin, garlic, tamarind and a bunch of other tasty spices made to the hotness of your request. Curry is by far the most well known Indian dish. I like it with beef, lamb, chicken or shrimp.
Masala: This is a creamy tomato sauce which is extremely tasty. Usually it is not overly spicy but you should ask just to be sure. One of my favorites at Indian Restaurant is Chicken Tikka Masala. As a matter of fact, I read somewhere that Chicken Tikka Masala is the number one most ordered dish in England. Having a large Indian population, Indian restaurants seem to pop up everywhere in England. In fact, Indian Food is all I ever want to eat when I go to England.
Vindaloo: (Pronounced Vind-aloo) HOT HOT HOT!! This is one of the hottest dishes you can order. Again, it is made with various spices like curry, but it is really hot. It is so hot in fact, I am not able to eat it and enjoy it. To my palette, the pepper overpowers any other flavor and I cannot enjoy the dish. WARNING: This dish is not for an Indian Food virgin.
It is typical for these dishes to come with basmati (Indian white rice). But you are missing out if you do not order some delicious nann (bread pancakes) to eat with your curry. Part of the experience of eating Indian Food is using your hands to soak up the gravy with the naan.
Although there are various types of naan I recommend starting with something simple like plain nann, or garlic. You usually get 2 pieces which is a gracious plenty for 1 person. You might want to consider 2 orders for 2 people and if there are leftovers they are great for breakfast in the morning.
Indian restaurants do not typically offer any vegetable side dish with the entrees. This is probably because so many Indians are vegetarians, the vegetable entrees are a main course by themselves. Indian curries tend to have very rich sauces and those along with rice and naan will fill you up quickly. But if you feel it necessary to order a vegetable I recommend something with aloo (potato) or baigon (eggplant).
For drinks, Indian beer goes well with Indian food. I usually enjoy a Taj Mahal with my meal. If beer is not your thing, then I highly recommend trying a Mango Lassi. It is a sweet, fruity drink which is like having a milkshake with your dinner.
If you are still able to eat dessert after your filling meal, a good choice is Kulfi. This is Indian Ice Cream, which usually comes in several flavors, two common flavors being mango and pistachio.
Well, there you have it! This should give you enough information to be confident enough to give Indian food a try.
Malika Harricharan is a writer and marketer living Atlanta, GA. She is of Indian heritage and was born in Bombay (Mumbai) India. She spend part of her life in the Northeast United States before moving to the South.
Whether it be at her day job or outings with friends, Malika has always been the go to source for event planning as she is always in the know about the hot new restaurant or club. After years of making restaurant recommendations to friends and colleagues, she finally decided to start sharing her expertise with others via her blog - http://atlanta-restaurantblog.com
Although she loves eating and experiencing new cuisines and restaurants, she admits to not being the greatest of cooks, but is always willing to try a new recipe. Some of her other interests besides dining out are exotic travel and photography.
http://atlanta-restaurantblog.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Malika_Harricharan
Monday, 1 February 2010
6 Indian Food Myths and Truths - What is True and What is Not?
Many first-timers to Indian food and cuisine carry age-old thoughts (read myths) about the food of India. In the article below, get to know the facts and background of some myths and some truths about Indian food.
All Indian food is spicy
Though Indian cooking is hot and spicier compared to European or Western cooking, there are many regions in India where the food is bland, even sweet. If you to try something less-hot, go taste some Gujarati dishes.
Gujarati cuisine has a touch of sweetness in almost all of its dishes. Traditional South Indian cooking (except Andhra Pradesh) is generally less-spicier than other regions in India. Kashmiri cuisine also incorporates sweet tasting dishes in its menu. So when someone tells you Indian cooking is spicy, don't entirely believe them.
Indian food is only vegetarian
This is partly true. Hindus, being the majority community in India, are mostly vegetarian. However there are so many different sub-sects with the Hindu religion, that many of them follow their own food practices.
Contrary to popular belief, many Indians are meat-eaters and cook them well too. Chicken dishes are perhaps the most popular meat in India. Cow is considered a sacred animal and is avoided by Hindus though Muslims and Christians eat beef. Sea food is also popular in coastal regions like Goa, Mangalore, Kerala, West Bengal and others.
There is no variety in Indian cooking
Many, especially foreigners and first time visitors to India, are of the opinion that Indian food doesn't have so much of choices. Indian cuisine is perhaps the most varied food-culture in the world!
With more than 29 states (counties), each region in India has its own unique style and flavor. Add to this, the many ethnic groups that have their own recipes for generations. While North Indian regions prefer Roti (Indian bread) as their staple dish, South India has rice as a must in the daily menu. Some specialty regional cuisines of India include Udupi cuisine (from Karnataka), North-eastern cuisine, Chettinad cuisine (from Tamil Nadu) and Marwari cuisine, to name a few.
Indian food = Chicken Tikka
This is a popular myth made famous by ethnic Indians in England. Chicken Tikka was originally a Persian dish brought to India by the Mughals. This was later adopted by the people of Punjab (in India and Pakistan). They created their own version of Chicken Tikka and took the recipe with them when many of them migrated and settled in Britain. Though it is highly popular in UK, it is not so much in India where it has to compete with hundreds of other local dishes.
Indian food is all about Curry
Curry is something that was again made popular by British-South Asian ethnic groups. in While Curry abroad may refer to a thick and spicy gravy dish, India takes a different meaning altogether. In South India, Curry may refer to a vegetable side-dish that is often served with rice.
These are generally fried vegetables without the gravy. Curry, in Tamil Nadu, South India actually means meat - either as a gravy or as a fried dish. Origins of British curry come from the Tamil word for Kari. In North India and other popular forms of Indian cooking, the word curry is not as popularly used. Sabji or Masala are common terms for gravy dishes in Indian cuisine.
Indians eat food with their hands
Sometimes shocking to a visitor to India is the practice of eating food with hands. This is true as Indians consider eating with their hands as tastier as well as ritualistic. Also, most Indian dishes are difficult to be eaten with forks and spoons. Many Indians today use their hands as well as forks & spoons.
You will also find that in certain Indian regions, food is served on a banana leaf or an areca nut leaf. These traditions have been passed on to families since many generations and many modern Indian continue to follow then regardless of caste differences.
Try these delicious Indian Recipes at http://www.IndianFoodKitchen.com. Indian Food Kitchen provides lots of Indian recipes, food facts, videos and more...
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roshan_M_Kumar
All Indian food is spicy
Though Indian cooking is hot and spicier compared to European or Western cooking, there are many regions in India where the food is bland, even sweet. If you to try something less-hot, go taste some Gujarati dishes.
Gujarati cuisine has a touch of sweetness in almost all of its dishes. Traditional South Indian cooking (except Andhra Pradesh) is generally less-spicier than other regions in India. Kashmiri cuisine also incorporates sweet tasting dishes in its menu. So when someone tells you Indian cooking is spicy, don't entirely believe them.
Indian food is only vegetarian
This is partly true. Hindus, being the majority community in India, are mostly vegetarian. However there are so many different sub-sects with the Hindu religion, that many of them follow their own food practices.
Contrary to popular belief, many Indians are meat-eaters and cook them well too. Chicken dishes are perhaps the most popular meat in India. Cow is considered a sacred animal and is avoided by Hindus though Muslims and Christians eat beef. Sea food is also popular in coastal regions like Goa, Mangalore, Kerala, West Bengal and others.
There is no variety in Indian cooking
Many, especially foreigners and first time visitors to India, are of the opinion that Indian food doesn't have so much of choices. Indian cuisine is perhaps the most varied food-culture in the world!
With more than 29 states (counties), each region in India has its own unique style and flavor. Add to this, the many ethnic groups that have their own recipes for generations. While North Indian regions prefer Roti (Indian bread) as their staple dish, South India has rice as a must in the daily menu. Some specialty regional cuisines of India include Udupi cuisine (from Karnataka), North-eastern cuisine, Chettinad cuisine (from Tamil Nadu) and Marwari cuisine, to name a few.
Indian food = Chicken Tikka
This is a popular myth made famous by ethnic Indians in England. Chicken Tikka was originally a Persian dish brought to India by the Mughals. This was later adopted by the people of Punjab (in India and Pakistan). They created their own version of Chicken Tikka and took the recipe with them when many of them migrated and settled in Britain. Though it is highly popular in UK, it is not so much in India where it has to compete with hundreds of other local dishes.
Indian food is all about Curry
Curry is something that was again made popular by British-South Asian ethnic groups. in While Curry abroad may refer to a thick and spicy gravy dish, India takes a different meaning altogether. In South India, Curry may refer to a vegetable side-dish that is often served with rice.
These are generally fried vegetables without the gravy. Curry, in Tamil Nadu, South India actually means meat - either as a gravy or as a fried dish. Origins of British curry come from the Tamil word for Kari. In North India and other popular forms of Indian cooking, the word curry is not as popularly used. Sabji or Masala are common terms for gravy dishes in Indian cuisine.
Indians eat food with their hands
Sometimes shocking to a visitor to India is the practice of eating food with hands. This is true as Indians consider eating with their hands as tastier as well as ritualistic. Also, most Indian dishes are difficult to be eaten with forks and spoons. Many Indians today use their hands as well as forks & spoons.
You will also find that in certain Indian regions, food is served on a banana leaf or an areca nut leaf. These traditions have been passed on to families since many generations and many modern Indian continue to follow then regardless of caste differences.
Try these delicious Indian Recipes at http://www.IndianFoodKitchen.com. Indian Food Kitchen provides lots of Indian recipes, food facts, videos and more...
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roshan_M_Kumar
A Little About Indian Food Cooking
Indian cuisine is considered as one of the most exotic yet tasteful cuisines in the whole world. If you are up for something different, then Indian foods are a must-try. The flavors are so rich and the spices are so intense. No wonder why all kinds of people, whether you are brought up in a Western or Eastern culture, are so into Indian cuisines.
Unfortunately, instead of making their own Indian food recipes at home, they would rather order it in some restaurant serving Indian cuisine. Why? More often than not, they usually thought that in order to create the best tasting Indian cooking recipes, one must have all the local spices from India. Aside from that, many people also thought that in order to unleash the real Indian flavor and aroma of the food, it would take them so many hours to prepare for the ingredients which can be quite a tough work.
But the truth of the matter is, Indian cooking is as easy as your cooking your favorite Italian recipes. You do not have to be an expert in the kitchen or hardcore Indian food enthusiast. The ingredients as well as the spices that you will need in order to create the delectable Indian recipes are actually within your reach. You can always find an alternative to the exotic Indian zest while you get the same oomph at the same time.
To create the Indian food recipes right in your home, make sure that you have the basic ingredients that are essential in Indian cooking. One of the main basic ingredients in an Indian cuisine is the red onion. Make sure that you always have an onion in your kitchen that would add that zest in your Indian recipes. Aside from that, you must also include the three important G's when cooking Indian foods. This includes the Ginger, the Garlic, and the Green chillies. You may also include coriander leaves, popularly known as the cilantro leaves. These are the basic ingredients that allow you to start your way having your own Indian cuisine.
But of course, the stronger the spices are, the more Indian your cuisine will be. To easily get that Indian zest, don't forget to include fresh red chilli as well as chilli powder. There are also those who use garam masala to create authentic Indian recipes as well. It is a combination of various spices such as cumin seeds, black pepper, coriander seeds, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom.
You see, cooking Indian food is not that hard as long as you have the right spices, which can be easily availed in the market or can be planted in your backyard.
Munus Shankar is a chef and the author of Indian Food Recipes, an online Indian Recipes and Cooking Website offering plenty of free Indian recipes and cooking tips.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Munus_Shankar
Unfortunately, instead of making their own Indian food recipes at home, they would rather order it in some restaurant serving Indian cuisine. Why? More often than not, they usually thought that in order to create the best tasting Indian cooking recipes, one must have all the local spices from India. Aside from that, many people also thought that in order to unleash the real Indian flavor and aroma of the food, it would take them so many hours to prepare for the ingredients which can be quite a tough work.
But the truth of the matter is, Indian cooking is as easy as your cooking your favorite Italian recipes. You do not have to be an expert in the kitchen or hardcore Indian food enthusiast. The ingredients as well as the spices that you will need in order to create the delectable Indian recipes are actually within your reach. You can always find an alternative to the exotic Indian zest while you get the same oomph at the same time.
To create the Indian food recipes right in your home, make sure that you have the basic ingredients that are essential in Indian cooking. One of the main basic ingredients in an Indian cuisine is the red onion. Make sure that you always have an onion in your kitchen that would add that zest in your Indian recipes. Aside from that, you must also include the three important G's when cooking Indian foods. This includes the Ginger, the Garlic, and the Green chillies. You may also include coriander leaves, popularly known as the cilantro leaves. These are the basic ingredients that allow you to start your way having your own Indian cuisine.
But of course, the stronger the spices are, the more Indian your cuisine will be. To easily get that Indian zest, don't forget to include fresh red chilli as well as chilli powder. There are also those who use garam masala to create authentic Indian recipes as well. It is a combination of various spices such as cumin seeds, black pepper, coriander seeds, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom.
You see, cooking Indian food is not that hard as long as you have the right spices, which can be easily availed in the market or can be planted in your backyard.
Munus Shankar is a chef and the author of Indian Food Recipes, an online Indian Recipes and Cooking Website offering plenty of free Indian recipes and cooking tips.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Munus_Shankar
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