Indian food has been the preferred food choice of Indians and people from across the world because of its unique aroma and healthy spices. No other food offers the delight of cardamom-scent holding Sambhar curries that are served as South Indian side dishes, the spicy Tandoori fried chicken, and fried fish, the mouth watering chole masala of Punjab, the unmatched flavor holding Biryanis of Hyderabad or the divine, sweet and amazingly crisp yet subtle Jalebis of North India.
The food items listed above are just a showcase. The real depth and versatility of Indian food is still not explored yet completely. The diversity of India is exhibited in its food also and shows the pattern and trend of cultural growth in India that has grown through ages after assimilating various castes, creeds, religions, regions and demography.
Religious impact on food is greater in India than in other countries. Beef is not consumed in North India, but the cow’s flesh is consumed in some South Indian parts of India including Kerela. Curry, tandoori, tikka are some exclusive Indian food terms that are now famous in all parts of the globe, especially in the developed world. In South India, lots of spices are used in preparing dishes. Pepper, chilies, cumin, clove, cardamom, coconut, turmeric, etc. are the most widely used spices. In Punjab and in other North Indian states dairy products are used to a wider extent and more hard spice forms called as Garam Masala in Hindi are used for preparing sensational and very thick curries that are also a food specialty of the area.
Latest study in the area
A new study was conducted in order to know why the Indian food is more delicious and good to taste than other food items of the world. The study reveals that Indian food cooking process is more scientific rather than interpretational. The study was done by students of Indian Institute of Technology Located in Jodhpur and is titled as “Spices form the basis of food pairing in Indian cuisine”. The study findings say that Indian food is cooked by using radically different kinds of spices and other ingredients that provides for its unique and better taste. Earlier people thought that overlapping of similar kinds of spice mixtures led to the great taste of Indian food, as in the West. The study analyzed around 200 recipes from around 381 recipes that were more popular in India. Some key findings of the study are listed below.
- The Mughlai Cuisine was found to have more number of ingredients than all other cuisines. The sub-cuisines of the Mughlai cuisines were more similar to each other.
- Every ingredient studied had its own set of chemical substances that provided for its unique flavor and aroma.
- 9 out of 10 top ingredients used in recipes were spices. Major spices included green pepper, cayenne, coriander, tamarind, garam masala, ginger, garlic, ginger and garlic paste, cinnamon and clove.
Conclusion
The only drawback of the study was that it did not give any clue about the ingredient transformation during cooking. For example, South Indian starters and other dishes have certain ingredients that undergo a transformation when they are cooked. Still the study showed the uniqueness and healthiness of Indian food. Spices provide for better Gastro Intestinal Tract health and using them in moderate amounts improves digestive health. Also, the unique, superior and superb taste that the spice- rich foods of India offer is unmatched and is splendid!