Indian cuisine is at the peak of popularity these days. A healthy diet, lots of vegetables, legumes and spices are the main conditions for preparing Indian traditional dishes. According to official statistics, 80% of Indians are vegetarians.
Meat dishes are present in Indian national cuisine, but there are not so many of them.
When going to India, forget about fast food, because we have selected 8 of the most popular national Indian dishes that every traveler should try.
tandoori chickens
In India, the cow is considered a sacred animal and in most states it is forbidden to eat, so the locals replace beef with chicken.
This recipe was first invented by the people of Punjab. Chickens are marinated in yogurt with the addition of chili and hot cayenne pepper and baked in a special tandoori oven that looks like a cauldron. Poultry meat is tender and juicy. Tourists who like this dish can buy a special spice mix called tandoori masala, which is sold in almost every grocery store in Indian resorts.
Dhal or Dal
Dhal is a traditional Indian soup made from chickpeas or peas, with the addition of onions and tomatoes. The dish consists of simple ingredients and is quickly prepared and turns out to be tasty and satisfying, which is why it is popular with locals.
In India, you can often hear how the word “dhal” is used to refer to any dish made from legumes. The locals joke that this dish has so many different recipes that you can eat it every day using different cooking techniques and adding new ingredients.
Curry vegetables and subji
The word “sabji” literally translates as “vegetables”. In India, sabji is a vegetable stew, served with rice and flatbread as a side dish.
The treat is prepared from those vegetables that are in the kitchen – onions, tomatoes, herbs, legumes, potatoes with the addition of curry sauce.
Biryani Rice
“Biryani” is a Persian word that translates as “fried”. The dish is somewhat reminiscent of our pilaf, only with a lot of spices. It is made with basmati rice, ghee, and a variety of seasonings.
Despite the fact that biryani rice is very popular in India, the dish was brought to the country by Muslims from Persia.
For those who love meat, lamb can be added to the biryani.
Indian flatbread
Indian cakes are very popular with the locals. Flatbreads can be filled with a variety of fillings – potatoes, vegetables, legumes, such as samosas, or empty, like chapatis or roti.
Be sure to walk through the Indian market and try puri – huge airy cakes fried in oil, as well as dosa, which look like pancakes rolled into tubes. They are often served with spicy chutney sauce.
Locals eat cakes only with their hands, without using cutlery.
Ghajar Ka Halva
The similarity of Indian halva with traditional Turkish delicacy is only in the name. Halva in India is made from semolina and butter, and it looks like a pudding. However, ajar ka halva is made from carrots and milk. You can add both regular 6% fat milk and condensed milk to the delicacy.
Most desserts in India are very high-calorie and sweet, always with the addition of spices. Another favorite dessert in India is laddu balls made from nuts, chickpea flour, spices, fried in ghee.
Thali
The word “thali” in Hindi means “plate”, and literally means a tray with various side dishes. Rice is usually placed in the center of the plate, supplemented with curry vegetables, roti and dal, and chutney, and other traditional snacks.
Homemade thali consists of an average of 5 courses. During the holidays, the plate is served with several dozen different treats.
Both tourists and locals are very fond of thali for its variety of tastes and relatively low cost.
Lassi
India is primarily associated with black tea. The traditional tea drink in India is masala chai, with the addition of milk and spices.
The second popular drink is lassi. A fermented milk product that includes yogurt, sugar, salt, spices, water and fruits. Whisk all ingredients well and add ice.
From alcoholic drinks, tourists can try feni. It is made in Goa from cashew nuts and coconut. Feni is a fairly strong drink with a slightly sweet taste, with a pronounced fruity aroma.
