Popular Indian Foods and Dishes

Indian food is as diverse as the geographical conditions of India and varies from region to region, strongly influenced by the various climatic conditions. Although Indian food is synonymous with curry, which forms an inevitable item, the basic food depends upon the grains that are predominantly grown in that region.

For instance, North India grows a lot of wheat and hence North Indian food comprises naan, bread and chapattis made from the flour of wheat and is similar to the tortilla of Mexican food that is made from corn. Chapatti is a slim Indian bread which is prepared by kneading the wheat flour and rolled and then baked. There are a variety of dishes made from the same wheat flour with slight variations-when the wheat flour is deep fried it is puri and when less oil is used, it is known as roti and a thicker and bigger puri is called bhatura and when served with plain or stuffed potatoes, onions and a variety of vegetables, it is paratha.

In south India, the predominant food is rice, since it is the staple crop grown in abundance. The various items prepared using rice along with white lentil includes idlis and dosas which have attracted and become famous among people from far and near. Pongal is another breakfast item made from rice along with a dal.

In western parts of India like Maharashtra and Gujarat, the breakfast comprises of dhokla and sheera along with a cup of tea. Basically, Indian foods form a complete balanced diet and are healthy in nature. The essence of Indian food are the spices which offer a lot of flavor and it also varies from region to region and is used in both vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes.

Usually Indian food is accompanied by pickles, pappads, dessert and chutneys. Indian food has also embraced cuisines that have been brought by the invading conquerors, for instance, biriyani has been imported from the mughals and has become quite popular among the Indian foods. This is a non vegetarian recipe and has been mastered by the nizam of Hyderabad. Tandoori style of cooking is a significant part of Indian food and is found in most of the Indian restaurants. Garam masala is a hot and furious spice that adds taste to these items. But the best tea is obtained in the eastern part of India where Darjeeling is known for it. Coconut and bananas are also famous in the eastern parts and are grown in large quantities.

India is a vast country with a lot of diversities and so is the Indian cuisine but can be adjusted to the personal preferences, as are the people of India who are strong and yet flexible.