Indian Kitchen Photos

Indian Kitchen Photos

If you have eaten at an Indian restaurant, or have tried any Indian food, you will agree when I say that Indian cuisine is one of the richest and tastiest in the world, right? But, are you aware that this cuisine is divided into four, based on geographic regions? Yes, you read it right even if they belong to one cuisine; there are differences between the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Indian cuisine.

Let's start with North India. This region has extreme climates, and has an abundant supply of fruits and vegetables. The geographical position also indicates that people in this region have had strong interactions with people from Central Asia which of course would have influenced their culture and food.

• What is the style of North cuisine? Dried fruits and nuts are almost always used, while dairy products such as cream, cheese, yogurt, and ghee are common ingredients for sweet and savory dishes. Since the region has an abundant supply of vegetables, North India has a lot of vegetarian dishes.
• How about the staple foods? Bread is more prevalent than rice. Tandoori roti, naans, parathas and kulchas are some of the famous breads for this region.
• Important spices used are Turmeric, coriander, dry red chilies, cinnamon, and garam sala.
• Examples of popular North Indian cuisine are Tandoori chicken, Punjabi Chole, Khoya Burfi, Dal Makhani, and Lassi Patiala.
• Now, let's proceed with South India. The climate for this region is hot and humid, but because states are coastal, they experience abundant rainfall. Similar with the North, this region has a good supply of fruits and vegetables.
• The style of South Indian cuisine is hotter than the North. Rice is also the staple food, as opposed to the North where bread is more preferred. Sambaar and Rasam are some soups that are commonly combined with rice.
• As mentioned, their staple food is rice. Lentil is also part of their staple food.
• Important spices and ingredients are tamarind,, chillies, curry leaves, and mustard.
• Examples of popular South Indian dishes are Vadas, Dosas, Rasam and Payasam.

As for the East, it has the most abundant supply of rice in India. Vegetables and fruits are also plentiful. The geographical location indicates that Chinese and Mongolians may have influenced the Eastern Indian cuisine.

• People in this region make simple preparation for their cuisine. Frying and steaming being the popular techniques of cooking. In addition, East India is known to have the most dessert recipes.
• Similar with the South, Eastern Indians' staple food is rice.
• Spices and ingredients are almost similar with the South's except that milk and yogurt play a much larger role as these are needed for their desserts.
• Popular dishes include Momos, Sandesh, and Thukpa.
• Last but not the least is West India. As opposed with the other regions, West India's climate is hot and dry, limiting their variety of vegetables.
• West Indian cuisine is very diverse. Rajasthani (spicy and vegetarian), Gujarat (slightly sweet), Malvani (hot and sour dishes) are some examples of cuisines served.
• Staple food differs per cuisine as well.
• Popular dishes include Bhelpuri, Thepla, and Coorma.

So there you have it. Indian cuisine has been discussed by region. Remember though, that despite the differences, Indian food give that same rich and healthy flavor.

Indian Kitchen Photos