Indian food
The Indian cuisine includes many different regional dishes and cooking styles that from the Himalayas to the southern tip of India rich. Curries and the variety of spices are characteristic of the cuisine of the entire subcontinent .
The diversity of Indian cuisine reflects not only the enormous size of the country, but also its religious and cultural history. In Indian cuisine you can find many elements of oriental cuisine such as pilaf , but also western influences from the former colonial powers such as tomatoes , potatoes and chilli .
Characteristic elements
Vegetable food plays an important role in Indian cuisine. Many Hindus eat mainly or exclusively vegetarian , but the renunciation of meat is not a dogma . However, the consumption of beef is taboo , as the cow is of particular importance in Hinduism . In the Muslim population, this taboo concerns the consumption of pork . Members of the lowest stratum of the caste system are less affected by these religiously based restrictions, but many live in poverty and eat what they can afford - a factor that also explains the low meat consumption. About 20 percent of the population in India are strictly vegetarian; about 30 percent are considered regular meat eaters.
For a large number of Indians, however, meat generally plays a subordinate role on the daily menu and is often only a small side dish in terms of quantity. The main sources of protein in Indian cuisine are dairy products and legumes, such as peeled red lentils , bush peas and chickpeas . Apart from the purely vegetarian diet, which usually excludes the consumption of eggs , chicken is popular across all caste and religious boundaries.
Curries and other dishes are characteristic of the cuisine of the entire subcontinent and are characterized by a complex and subtle use of various spices such as real coriander , turmeric , green cardamom (rarely also black cardamom ), cumin , fenugreek, etc. Basic foods include rice , wheat, and legumes. However, the kitchen from north to south and from west to east sometimes shows great differences as well as large and small partial kitchens. Nevertheless, some rough directions can be determined: In the north, a lot of wheat is grown, which there, mostly processed into atta and consumed in the form of flatbread , is also the most important staple food. Examples of the numerous types of bread are chapati , naan or deep-fried puri . In the south and east of the country, however, rice is often the preferred staple food. The long-grain Basmati variety is particularly well known in German-speaking countries. In India, however, medium-grain varieties such as Sona Masuri are more popular for everyday nutrition. In some southern Indian states, finger millet is also a staple food that is consumed in the form of ragi ball , for example .
Kitchen practice
The characteristic kitchen utensils of Indian cuisine include:
- Degchi , a large casserole made of copper or aluminum
- Tandur , an oven for preparing tanduri dishes
- Karahi or also called Kadai or Karai , a small wok-like pan with two handles. The dishes prepared in it are called Balti and served in the pan.
- Mortar or electric spice grinder
It is traditionally served on the thali , a large metal tray with smaller metal bowls on it. The rice or flatbread comes directly on the tray, the individual dishes such as curries in the bowls. In many traditional households, home-cooked main meals are delivered to work. In Tiffin tableware, the Indian version of Henkel's , it is also used by the dabbawalas delivered. In addition to hygienic and health concerns, the fact that some Brahmin families in particular prefer to consume food prepared by caste members also sometimes plays a role . In South India, the dishes are often served on a banana leaf instead of a thali.
Regional cuisine
North India
North Indian cuisine, especially that of the Mughals , is the most famous Indian cuisine in the western world. Characteristic features are a heavy use of dairy products such as yoghurt or ghee , and a relatively high proportion of meat dishes, mostly goat or lamb . The use of nuts and spices such as cumin and saffron is due to the oriental influence . Typical dishes are made from the tanduri, a clay oven in which not only naan and chapati, but also the well-known tanduri chicken are prepared. Another specialty are the samosas , which are also widespread in Pakistan , and are varied and aromatic filled dumplings. Most dishes are rather spicy and have a saucey consistency that comes from long cooking times.
East India
East Indian cuisine is known for its desserts and sweets. Above all, the Bengali cuisine has produced many dishes that are now common across the subcontinent, such as the well-known khir , an aromatic rice pudding, or sandesh, a confectionery-like specialty. Typical spices are mustard oil , fennel seeds, black cumin and cumin, which are used whole (i.e. unground) with restrained heat (see Panch Phoron ). Similar to North Indian cuisine, many nuts are also processed, especially for sweets.
In East Indian cuisine, as in South India, rice is one of the most important staple foods. In addition, you can find a lot of vegetables and - otherwise rather unusual in India - freshwater fish .
South india
In South India, rice is one of the most important staple foods. It is not only used as a whole grain, but also in the form of flour for the preparation of idli or dosa , among other things . The tropical climate is responsible for the use of a large number of different vegetables and fruits, but fish and seafood are also used. Also characteristic is the use of coconut , grated in chutneys or in the form of coconut milk or coconut oil. The most common dishes include the sambar and biryani lentil dish served with rice , a rice dish made with vegetables and sometimes meat.
The south Indian cuisine is characteristically spicy due to the high use of green and red chillies, but also the pepper from the southwest Indian Kerala, as well as garlic and ginger . In addition, many dishes are seasoned with curry leaves and tamarind , such as the spicy rasam .
West indies
The West Indies are characterized by the very different cuisines of Goa , Maharashtra and Gujarat , which also differ greatly geographically. Goa, located on the coast, uses a lot of fish and seafood, which are also on the menu of the Hindus here. Due to the historically high proportion of Catholics in Goa, it is also common to eat pork, such as the well-known specialty Vindalho . Maharashtra's cuisine is characterized by its very fertile landscape, which offers a variety of fruits and vegetables. In addition, millet , especially sorghum, is widely used. The Gujarat region has the highest proportion of vegetarians on the subcontinent, which means that the most varied vegetarian dishes come from this cuisine. The extreme climatic conditions in the region, which range from the dry and hot desert climate to the wet and warm climate during the monsoon season, also have a major influence . The kitchen is usually heavily seasoned. Typical dishes are varied and made from legumes, such as dals .
Common preparations
Indian cuisine has been known in Great Britain since colonial times; from here it spread to continental Europe after the Second World War. In Germany, Indian restaurants first opened in some major cities in the 1960s; smaller towns followed in the 1980s. The development of India into a holiday destination had a considerable influence on the spread of Indian cuisine, and Indian immigrants also made the dishes popular. The selection and especially the sharpness of the dishes in the restaurants was adapted to German eating habits.
The internationally best-known Indian dishes became popular under the collective name of curry . The word curry is used to describe various dishes, but outside of India it is also the established term for a ready-made mixture of spices , curry powder . Its name was derived from the preparation of the same name common in India, which most closely resembles a ragout . In contrast, the various spice mixtures are called masala (for example Garam Masala ). There is also the curry tree , whose aromatic leaves are used in Indian cuisine.
Vegetables and legumes
- Dal (legumes)
- Sambar (legumes, vegetables and tamarind)
- Alu gobhi (potatoes and cauliflower)
- Palak Panir (Spinach and Panir )
- Malai Kofta (fried vegetable balls in cream sauce)
Meat, fish and egg
milk
- Ghee (clarified butter)
- Panir (a firm cream cheese )
- Dahi (Indian yogurt )
- Koah or Khoya (boiled milk with a creamy consistency)
- Malai (a cream-like dairy product)
- Raita (cold yogurt-based sauce)
- Lassi (yogurt-based drinks)
rice
- Biryani
- pilaf
- Idli (steamed cakes made from rice and beans)
- Dosa (rice and bean pancakes)
- Paniyaram (balls made from rice and beans)
- Appam (rice pancakes)
- Idiappam (steamed rice noodles)
- Puttu (steamed rice semolina)
Grain (bread)
- Chapati or roti (fried or baked flatbread)
- Naan (baked flatbread made from yeast dough)
- Puri (deep fried flatbread)
- Bhatura (deep fried flatbread)
- Paratha (layered and fried flatbread)
- Ragi Ball (spherical, made from foxglove flour)
Spice side dishes
- Chutney
- Pickle (pickled vegetables)
- Papadam
- Pan ( betel nut rolled up in a leaf - similar to chewing tobacco ; taken after a meal)
Snacks
The snacks typically sold on the roadside in India are summarized under the umbrella term chat :
- Samosa (deep-fried filled dumplings)
- Pakora (pieces of vegetables fried in a batter made of chickpea flour)
- Masala omelette (a spicy omelette)
- Namkin (a mix of fried and seasoned snacks)
- Dalmoth (snacks, nuts and dried fruits)
Desserts
Fruit is often eaten for dessert in India. However, there are also a number of desserts, the basis of which is often Khoa and Nalen Gur (sugar syrup), or they are flavored with Gulkand .
- Halva (variety-rich dessert - e.g. gajar halva, carrot butter)
- Khir (rice pudding)
- Kulfi Falooda (ice cream)
- Modaka
- Gulab Jamun (fat pastries made from Khoa in syrup)
- Rasagolla and Ras Malai (Khoa confectionery in syrup)
- Laddu (confectionery made from chickpea flour and butter)
- Firni (rice dessert with rose water and almonds)
- Barfi Badam (confectionery)
- Bengali Sweets (mixed milk-based confectionery - e.g. Sandesh)
- Petha (North Indian confectionary made from wax gourd )
beverages
- Fruit juices
- Chai (sweetened milk tea)
- Masala chai (chai with spices)
- Coffee or Kapi (sweetened milk coffee)
- Lassi (yogurt drink)
- Toddy , Fenny (fermented drink made from palm juice)
- Arrak ( distillate from rice or palm juice)
literature
- Lizzie Collingham: Curry: A Biography . Chatto & Windus, London 2005, ISBN 0-7011-7335-1 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ USDA.gov: Passage to India ( Memento from November 26, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF, 488 kB)
- ↑ Indian food culture
- ^ Maren Möhring: Foreign food: The history of foreign gastronomy in the Federal Republic of Germany. Oldenburg, Munich 2012, p. 108f