INTRODUCTION TO INDIAN FOOD:
Indian Food – excellent, love it, flavorful, healthy, tasty, spicy, seasonal, aromatic, nourishing, well balanced, sensual – these are some terms used to describe Indian Food. Cooking Indian cuisine requires the uses of a combination of aromatic spices like Cayenne Pepper, Turmeric, Coriander Powder and Garam Masala which is a combination of Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Cloves, Black Cardamom and Nutmeg. Each family has their own recipe of making Garam Masala. In addition of these Spices, Fresh Ginger, Garlic, Onion and Green Chili Peppers with Cilantro and Mint are used in most preparations. Indian food is not necessarily spicy – by toning down the amount of Cayenne Pepper and Garam Masala, the food can be cooked with flavors with being overly spicy. Northern Indian Cuisine is rich in dairy products like Paneer (Cottage Cheese), Ghee (Clarified Butter) and Dahi (Plain Yogurt). The Indian equivalent of a grill is a Tandoor which is a wood or coal burning clay oven. Kebabs, Tikka’s and Naan’s are cooked in the Tandoor. Items cooked in a Tandoor might use the tandoori prefix on the menu indicating cooked in a Tandoor. Hopefully this brief introduction to Indian cuisine has got your interest perked up to taste real Indian food.
