Summer is upon us and Indians like to celebrate every summer by eating Indian food. But as I realized, it soon became very difficult to make an Indian dish that was palatable to Americans. The comfort food American children grew up with was often difficult to create in traditional Indian cooking. Indians have developed their own distinctive style of cooking very distinct from others in the world.
In the past few years, Indian food has experienced a Renaissance.ival styles of Indian food have evolved into a new fusion of taste and style. It is a new form of Indian food that is fast gaining in popularity. I have been toying with my plans to open a restaurant in San Diego called ‘Laria’s Rendezvous’ since late 2009. It is a relaxed environment where people mingle and share a good meal.
I remember a magazine article in which I was asked to comment on the India cuisine and spicy food in general. I decided to comment on some of the traditional dishes common to India and to reflect on the different ingredients used. It was then that I realized the ground this delicious food was full of.
One of the staples of Indian food is Ghee. This is a clarified butter which is made from a cow’s milk. The curd is strained to remove the whey and the oil is then left to cool. Black clarified butter is then made from the curd and the same type of mThink (soy yoghurt) is then added to ghee. This thickens and softens the cheese-like equipments, which have been cooked with dahi (yogurt) and other condiments like papadums, green chilies and coriander-saffron. The thickened cheese is then kept in cool shapes in the refrigerator for months. It is then cut into by a kind of knife called ‘chamelon’, which is a large rounded knife used to cut pieces of meat and other edible matters into thin strips.
Another important food of Indians is a type of Curry called ‘Kari’. This is a dish made from a mixture of rice and spices, like curry powder and chili powder. This is served with ‘tye’ which is a rice-based curry commonly consumed in this South Indian state. Kari will usually be served with ‘boiled dale’ which is another type of curry.
When it comes to the non-vegetarian dishes, there are so many to choose from that it becomes overwhelming. ‘Rajasthani Bhindi’ is a popular flour-less beef curry and is served with ‘sambar’ – a spicy and sour lentil soup. The red coloured curry gravy is made from red chilies. ‘garsh’ – a thick and spicy curry is another favourite. It is a spicy curry with a sourness. ‘Phirni’ – is a beautiful bread-like curry which can be eaten with just about anything. This is a beef and vegetable curry served with lots of garlic.
.’Malpua’ which is the Indian version of the popular ‘pizza’ is a delicacy and is also something you’d find in cheesy restaurants around the world. It is common for these restaurants to serve ‘Malpua’ on their menu as it is something that they have been making for years. The bread is cut out of a permeable dough, which is then cooked with the other ingredients. The finished dish is something that is really quite impressive, to say the least.
The spicy and crusty bread is actually a main course in itself in India. It is served with various stable based curry dishes like Goan chicken, Deter fried rice and pani puri. You can also find bread as a filler in some parts of India, like in the north-Indian states of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. However, bread is also a popular food for children and families in other parts of the country as well.
A common traditional food in India is basundi which is similar to Italian pasta. It is served flat and with various toppings.
Some common traditional food in India is vadas which are a form of Punjabi bread. They are made in such a way that every grain isularized.
Rajasthani Bhindi are available in packaged form and can be availed in restaurants or home.
