Indian cuisine is one of the few ancient cuisines of the world, dating back around 5000 years. Each state and region in the sub-continent has a different set of food staples and dishes. The country is also well known for its vegetarianism.
Indian cuisine can be broadly categorized into 4 different regional cuisines. The cuisines of the Southern states and cities (includes Chennai & Bangalore) has rice as a staple, with dosas and idlis famous as breakfast food. Traditional meals here are served on banana leaves, with many different kinds of rice and side dishes, along with spicy chutneys and sweets and puddings like payasam.
In the West (with Mumbai and Gujarat) the dishes are sweeter and sometimes spicy too. The meal comes in the form of a thali or plate full of side dishes and vegetables, along with the roti flat bread). The spiciness varies in different parts of each of the states in the west, with the Konkan coast in Maharashtra leading the spicewagon on account of its fiery tasting dishes.
The Eastern part which includes Calcutta isn't all that gung-ho on vegetarian food, and they're primarily fish and seafood lovers. But it is the north (with Punjab and New Delhi) that is really the calling card, as far as western perception of the cuisine goes. Punjabi food (paneer, lassi, sarson ka saag, etc.) and tandoori restaurants are famous all over the world.
The food from India's north, which is common to Pakistan and bears similarities with Pashtun cuisine in Afghanistan and Jammu & Kashmir, is most famously represented in thousands of London curry houses. To be noted that many of the curry dishes and chicken tikka masala, so popular in the UK, are not originally from India. These dishes have been created in the UK for the western palate and usually not found in restaurants in India.
Other variations of Indian cuisine that have spread across the world include the goat curry in the Caribbean, especially in Trinidad and Tobago. Another such variation is the Cape Malay Curry in South Africa, which has become sweet and fruity in its journey from India to Malaysia and on to South Africa. Restaurants offering local variations of dishes from India can be found in almost all major cities in the world.
A traveler in India will easily find restaurants offering local and regional dishes, since South & North Indian cuisine restaurants can be found all over the country. But people trying to get a taste of dishes from India while in Europe or the US are likely to find only curry or northern food like tandoori restaurants. As all the above information shows, there's a whole lot more to it than just curry or tandoori chicken, and the difference can be understood only after finding restaurants from some of the other regions.
Indian cuisine can be broadly categorized into 4 different regional cuisines. The cuisines of the Southern states and cities (includes Chennai & Bangalore) has rice as a staple, with dosas and idlis famous as breakfast food. Traditional meals here are served on banana leaves, with many different kinds of rice and side dishes, along with spicy chutneys and sweets and puddings like payasam.
In the West (with Mumbai and Gujarat) the dishes are sweeter and sometimes spicy too. The meal comes in the form of a thali or plate full of side dishes and vegetables, along with the roti flat bread). The spiciness varies in different parts of each of the states in the west, with the Konkan coast in Maharashtra leading the spicewagon on account of its fiery tasting dishes.
The Eastern part which includes Calcutta isn't all that gung-ho on vegetarian food, and they're primarily fish and seafood lovers. But it is the north (with Punjab and New Delhi) that is really the calling card, as far as western perception of the cuisine goes. Punjabi food (paneer, lassi, sarson ka saag, etc.) and tandoori restaurants are famous all over the world.
The food from India's north, which is common to Pakistan and bears similarities with Pashtun cuisine in Afghanistan and Jammu & Kashmir, is most famously represented in thousands of London curry houses. To be noted that many of the curry dishes and chicken tikka masala, so popular in the UK, are not originally from India. These dishes have been created in the UK for the western palate and usually not found in restaurants in India.
Other variations of Indian cuisine that have spread across the world include the goat curry in the Caribbean, especially in Trinidad and Tobago. Another such variation is the Cape Malay Curry in South Africa, which has become sweet and fruity in its journey from India to Malaysia and on to South Africa. Restaurants offering local variations of dishes from India can be found in almost all major cities in the world.
A traveler in India will easily find restaurants offering local and regional dishes, since South & North Indian cuisine restaurants can be found all over the country. But people trying to get a taste of dishes from India while in Europe or the US are likely to find only curry or northern food like tandoori restaurants. As all the above information shows, there's a whole lot more to it than just curry or tandoori chicken, and the difference can be understood only after finding restaurants from some of the other regions.
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