1an cu1s1ne

Common misconceptions about Indian food are that it's too spicy, oily or takes too long to make

Indi an cuisine is more than 7,000 ye ars old and has survived many cultural and geographical changes. It has evolved significantly over tl1e years, gaining in richness and variety iliroug h tl1e influence of vario u s traveUers and invaders over ilie years, rather than losing its identity

Early Indians ace nantral food, w hile frui t, wild berries, meat and fish were che main foods of the nomadic people But now witl1 modernisation, development of communica tio n , i nfrastructure, information technology and globalisation, global food is easily available such as pastas and spaghetti from Italy, tl1e ever-popular ch01v111ei11 from China, tacos and enchiladas from Mexico, continental pizzas and burgers, French Aambe, ro name just a popular fe\\r.

But most of us thinJ( t hat Indian food is coo spicy o r oily, and involves a long and tedious cooking process. So i s thi s really true or a misconception? Another factor iliac .inHuences popular perception of l.ndian food is chat many people's exposure to this cuisine is in restau.rants th at o ften prepare dishes jusc co make tl1em tasty and easy co prepare. Here are some the misconceptions abom Indian cuisine.

Indian curries

All Indian foods are n or 'curries ' as most of tl1e people mink. Curry is a word that was invented b y tl1e British co describe a dish tl1at is made with a b lend of several spices Curry powder is a b lend of differen t spices, and is not the key i ngredient to every Ind ian dish. \Xlbar is often used however, is a b lend called gara!fl 111asala, which is added to man y dishes but not all, and often in combination with other spices and Havou.rs. Each is different, and a lot of fami lies like to make their own.

Hot and spicy

Although Indian food o ften contains a lot of spices , chis doesn't make every dish spicy. Ch illies are just an option when making an Indian dish, and can easily be o mitted or added as per your l iking and ta ste. Another misconception is that there have co be four to five, o r even more co ndimems and spices in every dish However, chis is not true as sometimes even one condiment can enhance and Aavour a dish, such as roasted and ground cumin seeds in ntilas.

High in fat, rich and oily

A dish can vary depending on who makes it, like any o tl1er cuisine. A lot of Indian cuisine might seem rich, but this doesn't necessarily mean fac; as with any national cuisi ne, lndian food also has its rich and decadent dishes.

When preparing Indian food at home, omit as mucb fat as you like, adding just as mucb oil as you prefer, depending on your choice.

Crean1 can be replaced with yoghurt. Ghee or clarified butter is also not an essential ingredient in any food and agai n , the quantity depends on you. You can also prepare rhe dish by ro asting, steaming o r grilling and therefore cutting om added fat while retaining maximum nutrition.

Of course, hldian cooking also includes a Joe of vegetabl es a nd spices such as ginger, garlic, nu:meric and chilli, all of which have medicinal qualities. Not co mention the fre sh nes s o f ingredients in Indian cuisine.

Long and tedious

Though ] ndian dishes may appear compl ex, there is really n o additional process in cooking them, than there may be wi th any other meal. Nor is tl1e cooking time an y longer. Most Indians like to prepare their foods from scratch , even d own co preparing their own masa!tis rather than using co mmerci al produces or pre- mi.. es. This is what adds more time ro d1e cooking process, but helps you to eat healthier food and avoid preservatives. le is just like preparing the bread, sauces and meat at home co make a simple hamburger. Try out a recipe like cbicken o r fish tikhi and yo u 'll see h ow simple it is co make delicious Indian food. Most grocery sco res would have the ingredients needed co prepare these simp le dis hes. Like all cuisi nes, there are techniques to learn for proper cooking, bm once learned, man y popular Indian dishes can be fixed quickly and easily. Also, standard d is h es a nd utensils can be L1sed co fix meals with no special equipment required.

All Indians are vegetarians

Although Indian food has ve ry refined, delicious and diverse of vegeta rian dishes, there are also locs of wonderfuUy prepared mea t dishes as weU. India's religious b elie fs and cul ttu:e have inHuenced d1e evolution of many o f irs dishes. Cows are considered sacred by Hindus, but goat, chicken and fish are quite popular Even a meat- eater can enjoy Indian vegecacian dishes. As per the food py ramid, half of your dietary inta ke should be fruit and vegetables, you.r intake of protein sh ou ld include beans and nuts, and your meat porti ons should be l ean and small. This is a perfect march for an Ind ian food diet.

All Indian foods are similar Traditio n, echnicit:y, geographic location, relig ion and individual preferences all play a major ro le in Indian cuisine Each region and culnire in lndia has its own unique specialties and exclusive style of cooking. Use of ingredients is influenced by race, religion, history and geograp h y, and each person preparing the dish adds thei r own special much and flavour ro it. Punjab is famo us for its 71/akki ki 1·oti and saag, the use of dairy products and also for its use of the tandoor. Whereas in the arid areas of Rajasd1an and Gujarat, a great variety of dai s and preserves (acha rs) are used co sub stitute the lack o f fresh vegetables and fruit. Goans boast of delicac ies like cangy pork vindaloo, the ever-popular Goan fish cmry witl, rice, whereas Bengal's greatest contr ibution to the food heritage of India is a magnificent spectrum of sweets mad e fro m mil k and cued. RasognlltJ g11/ub jmmm, cbam challl, 111altti s1md1vich, chentt 11111rki, mwrka!i, rtfihhog - me list of moutl1-ware.ri ng delicacies is endless. Dosa, id/i, wda and bonda w id1 sambbar from d1e soutl1 are famous aU over India. Soud1 Indian chutneys are made o f tamarind, coconut, peanms, dal , fenugreek seeds, and cilantro. Do we still ch.ink Indian food is aU the same? lndian food has become steadil y more prevalent in recent years d1roughouc the western world , bringing with it bocb p opularity and misconcepti o ns. Knowing the actual options available, yo u can prepare a healtl1y m eal to c over tl1e various tas t es of your guests, and enrich the quality of food in your pers o nal diet.

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