Culinary Focus – Indian Cuisine – An interesting mix of herbs, spices, culture and religion
When we think of Indian cuisine, we often think of aromatic dishes flavored with herbs and spices, and that thought is usually correct. Indian cuisine is definitely known for its strong flavor and strong aroma due to the variety of herbs and spices that they use in their dishes.
Indian cuisine also varies from region to region. This is because there have been many factors that helped shape the evolution and history of Indian cuisine, depending on the region, as noted above.
Indian cooking techniques and methods date back to around 5,000 years ago. It has been shaped both by the land and by the product that comes from a specific region; therefore, there are different regional Indian cuisines. Aside from this, his religion has also greatly influenced his cuisine. Another factor that significantly influenced Indian cuisine is the merchants and travelers passing through the region. They leave behind new ways of cooking as well as new dishes and new ingredients that the locals incorporate into their kitchen. The rulers who ruled also influenced Indian cuisine. But what is most fascinating is that the identity of the original Indian cuisine was never lost. In fact, it has retained its uniqueness, and all those influences have only made the kitchen better and richer.
The normal diet consists of meat, usually game meat, and they also make use of fruits and vegetables. The use of spices has been used for a long time in Indian cooking, and this dates back to around 3000 BC. When religions like Buddhism and Hinduism grew in India, vegetarianism became predominant and flourished. In fact, the prohibition of eating beef has become the long-standing feature of Hinduism, and this practice continues to this day.
In the Middle Ages, travelers and traders introduced tea and spices to India. Much later, Indian cuisine was again influenced by invaders and conquerors from Central Asia and the Afghan region. It was also during this time that condiments became a part of Indian cuisine, particularly the use of saffron. In the 18th century, when the British came to India to rule the land, a marriage between the two cuisines and the two cultures occurred, and it was coined as the Anglo-Indian cuisine. So it was not surprising to see that traditional British cuisine such as roast beef had an Indian influence by using local Indian spices such as red chillies and curry. Raj traditions also emerged, one of which is the tea tradition.
If one thing can be said about Indian cuisine it is that although many international cuisines have greatly influenced the traditional recipes and methods of Indian cooking, it has always retained its authenticity and originality. Furthermore, it has preserved its culture and history, particularly when it comes to avoiding the use of pork or beef in its dishes for religious reasons.
As stated above, there are a variety of regional Indian cuisines that helped shape what it is now. These regions are Awadhi, Mughlai, Bengali, Rajasthani, Konkani, Udupi, Malabari, Punjabi, Hyderabadi, Sindhi, Marwari, Chettinadu, Dogri, Kashmiri, and Marathi. These regional Indian cuisines differ in the ingredients used as well as the methods used to cook their dishes, and each regional Indian cuisine will be discussed in brief detail in the following articles.
Ingredients used in Indian cooking
* The following list is by no means exhaustive. It is only intended to be a reference source.
Legumes and Vegetables: Bengal gram, black gram, green gram, lentils, split gram, soybeans.
Condiments and Spices: Asafetida, cardamom, chili, clove, coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, mace, nutmeg, oregano, pepper, tamarind, turmeric, walnut.
Nuts and Oilseeds: Almond, cashew, ginger, coconut, peanut, flaxseed, mustard, pistachio, safflower, sunflower.
Cereals and Grains: Millet, barley, buckwheat, milo, corn, ragi, rice, semolina, wheat, wheat flour.
Vegetables: Onion, garlic, spinach, peas, tomato, chickpeas, potatoes.
Meat: Chicken, lamb, lamb.
Seafood: Prawns, shrimps, lobsters and a variety of seawater fish.
Classic Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients:
* 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 400 g of chopped onion
* 600g of chopped tomatoes
* 1 kg of chicken breast, without skin and cut into 2.5-4 cm cubes
* 4 tablespoons of Patak Tikka Masala paste
* 2 tablespoons thick plain yogurt
* salt to taste
* 150ml of cream
* a large pinch of dried fenugreek leaves (optional)
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
* juice of ½ lemon
* a pinch of sugar
Process:
1. In a bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of Patak Tikka Masala paste and the yogurt. Add the chicken, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you have time.
2. Heat oil in a large heavy-based skillet over low heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté for about 10 minutes until lightly browned.
3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of Patak’s Tikka Masala Paste and cook for 2 minutes. Drizzle on a little water if the sauce starts to stick.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and butter. Cover and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, stirring at regular intervals, until the butter separates from the sauce.
5. Remove chicken from marinade and add to sauce. Continue cooking for about 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
6. Add salt and sugar to taste and add the cream.
7. Finally add the dried fenugreek leaves and squeeze the lemon juice. Sprinkle with the chopped coriander and serve hot with Patak Naan bread.
Classic Chicken Korma
Ingredients:
* 450 g diced chicken breast
* 100g onions, sliced
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 tablespoon of sliced almonds
* 25ml double cream
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
* 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
* 1 chopped tomato
* 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
* 1/2 teaspoon ginger root, finely chopped
* salt to taste
* 3 tablespoons Patak Korma paste
Process:
1. Heat the oil in a skillet and sauté the sliced onions. Add the fennel seeds and fry for 1-2 minutes.
2. Add the black pepper and chicken and continue cooking for a further 3 minutes, then add the Patak Korma paste and tomato.
3. Cook 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, spraying with water if mixture begins to stick to pan.
4. Add ginger, half of the coriander leaves, almond flakes and cream. Cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes and serve hot, garnished with the remaining cilantro.