Indian Cuisine

Welcome back! This week I have decided to look at Indian food. Indian food uses lots of herbs and spices, as well as wheat and basmati rice.

The food throughout India can vary depending on where you get it.

A traditional South Indian food is Masala Dosa. The batter is made by soaking rice and lentils in water for approximately five to six hours. Then the batter gets cooked in a skillet. Once the batter is fully cooked you add a filling. A typical filling is potato and onion curry. The Masala Dosa finally gets dipped in Chutney to complete this very tasty and traditional dish.

In Northeast India, a staple dish is smoked pork. This surprised me because smoked pork seems like a more American dish as opposed to an Indian dish. Smoked pork can include a variety of things such as bamboo plants and raja mirchi. Raja mirchi is supposedly one of the hottest chilies in the world. Smoked pork is usually consumed on or with rice.

In Western India, there is a very popular street food dish called Vada Pav. This dish is a vegetarian option. It contains a potato patty, chili, and an abundance of other spices. These ingredients are then rolled into a bread roll called pav. This street dish originated in Maharashtra and has now spread throughout the country. Another common vegetarian snack option in Western India is Dhokla. Dhokla is made from rice and chickpeas. The rice is a batter that is fermented and mixed with chickpeas before it is steamed. Mustard seeds and coriander are typically garnishes on top of the popular snack Dhokla.

In Kerala (Southwest India), beef is very popular. A beef roast is one of the most common beef dishes cooked in the Southwestern region of India. This dish is also usually served with Parotta. Parotta is a type of bread that is native to Kerala.

Chaats are savoury snacks that can be found throughout India. They originated in North India but have spread throughout the country. These snacks are often on a base of puffed rice and filled with peas, vegetables, and spices.

Next week, I will delve into the foods of the wonderful country Japan.

(Masala Dosa) (Dhokla)