Indian Cuisine Blends Vegetables and Spices into Something Magical

Although it seems complex with all the spices and exotic-sounding ingredients, Indian cuisine is actually simple and hinged on just a few fundamentals. One crucial piece is the assortment of spices that are unique to Indian cooking: turmeric, curry, ginger, cardamom, red chili powder, coriander, carom seeds, cloves, and nutmeg. These will give your dishes that distinctive taste and will make them more authentic. If you are still intimidated, you can opt for the shortcut and just get yourself some garam masala. This mix of all the above ingredients will take all the guesswork out of the equation and allow you to dive right in.

You have to learn how to toast spices if you want the full Indian dining experience. Using a cast iron skillet, toss around some chili or curry powder for 2 minutes. Take note of the change in color and aroma - this just means that it's working. Be careful not to burn it and also be aware that the smell can be quite intense and overwhelming to those not used to it.

Learn how to use a few basic ingredients like garlic, black raisins, and tomatoes. Potatoes, eggplant, spinach, cauliflower, peas, and beans are also staples of the Indian diet. Meats, poultry, and fish are only sparingly used. In fact, most Indian dishes are vegetarian. Beef is extensively used by Indian Muslims while it is not used at all by Indian Hindus because of their religious beliefs.

Sautéing or stir frying makes vegetables more appetizing before they are mixed in the dish. Fresh yogurt is quite popular as a marinade and as a coating for dishes about to be cooked in a tandoori oven. This clay oven is very popular produces some of the most popular Indian dishes. The yoghurt makes dishes richer and tones down the intense heat of some splices.
Curry is very popular and has infinite variations. Every region - and perhaps every cook - has a distinctive version of the dish. Some have received the recipe from their mothers and grandmothers, making that version a family tradition that gets handed down from generation to generation. Using a crock pot will ensure that your crock pot beef curry will always be tender and delicious.

Many prefer to warm over dishes rather than serve them freshly-cooked. Many prepare them a day ahead and just heat them before serving. Their reasoning behind this practice is that spices need time to blend in with one another and that staying in the fridge or freezer gives them time to harmonize, so to speak. And with several spices being used in a typical dish, the last thing your stomach needs is for them to clash.

A complete Indian meal is served with chapatti and naan, breads perfect for sopping up rich curry sauces. And it is brought to a sweet finish by indigenous Indian desserts containing coconut, coconut milk, almonds, various dried fruits, and pistachios.