Western and South Indian Cuisines

The region of north and south stretches from deserts of Rajasthan and Kutch in Gujarat through Maharashtra into the coastal state of Goa and onward to the very tip of Kerala in South India. There is no specific winter cuisine in these states, although there are select dishes in colder parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat. South India has virtually no specific winter dishes, although the spicier ones flavoured with ginger and pepper could go a long way in warming one up.

The ancient princely state of Rajasthan gave rise to distinct styles of cooking, the royal cuisine of the kings who went on hunting expeditions and consumed the meat or the fowl that they brought back. Even today, Rajasthani princely feasts flaunt meat delicacies that are incomparable such as laal maas or red meat that gets its name from the red chillies it is cooked in and not the kind of meat. In contrast are the vegetarian Marwari community; their food is cooked in pure ghee, dried lentils, and beans from indigenous plants like sangria, ker, etc. are staples of the Rajasthani diet. Gujaratis have truly perfected the art of vegetarian cooking. From the simplest lentils and vegetables, they create a mouth-watering variety of food. Gujarat is known as the land of milk and butter. A Gujarati ‘thali’ dinner literally meaning a meal served on a platter is a delight not to be missed. An endless process of fresh vegetable cooked in aromatic spices, a variety of crisp, fried snacks and an array of delectable confections typically appear in the ‘thali’.

In Gujarat, during winter when green vegetables are available in plenty and at their best, a delicious vegetable preparation undhiyu is made using plaintains, tender green flat beans and pidgeon peas, potato, brinjal, and fenugreek flavoured dumplings. The whole is spiced with green garlic coriander and green chillies and slow cooked to perfection.

Maharashtrian cuisine is divided into various regional cuisines. As in most of the other states of India, rice is the staple food grain in Maharashtra too. Like the other coastal states, there is an enormous variety of vegetables in the regular dieat and lots of fish and coconuts are used. Grated coconuts spice many kinds of dishes, but coconut oil is not very widely used as a cooking medium.

The cuisine of Andhra Pradesh is reputedly the spiciest and hottest of all Indian cuisines including both the original Andhra cooking and the Hyderabadi cuisine with its Mughlai influence. Hyderabadi cuisine is rich and aromatic with a liberal use of exotic spices and ghee, not to speak of nuts and dry fruits. Lamb is the most widely used meat in the non-vegetarian dishes. The biryanis is one of the most distinct Hyderabad foods.

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