Saturday, May 15, 2010

Some of the Myths and Truths About Indian Food

People all over the world think that Indian foods are spicy in nature and hence they are mostly afraid to even try some of the dishes. It is not so. Only in certain regions of India the food is very spicy. The use of spices in the right proportions in the foods gives it a unique taste and not spicy. If you come across any spicy food then you might have tried a certain dish from specialty restaurants for a particular region. For example food items in restaurants that specialize in Andhra regional foods are spicy and hot. Some of the foods in the eastern part of India are sweet in taste. So if you come across any person who says that Indian foods are spicy, they are wrong. They might have tasted one or two items from a particular region or taken food from the wrong restaurant.

Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods are available in India throughout India. There is common belief that Indian foods are vegetarian. This is not so. India has people of different religions and the food varieties you find in them are also many. You can easily find chicken, meat, beef, and sea foods anywhere. Sea foods are popular in the coastal regions of Kerala, Goa, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and others.

There is a myth that there is no variety in Indian food. If you say so then chances are that you might have tried only a few items in North India or South India. There are many varieties of dishes for breakfast, lunch, brunch, snacks, and dinner. The problem is you don't find many dishes overseas. Some of the tasty dishes are available in only particular regions and there are no chefs to take that flavor globally. If you think that only tandoori chicken, roti and its combinations are Indian food then you are definitely wrong. You have a lot to explore in Indian foods. Many think that every Indian food will have curry in it. The term 'curry' itself has different meanings in different parts of India. But mostly it is referred to as the gravy globally. It is not so. Even a vegetable fry is referred to as curry in South India. In southern region it refers to meat.

Many people hesitate to try Indian foods thinking that they have to use their hands to eat them. It is not so. Some of the Indian foods are easy to eat with your hands. If you can, you can use spoons and forks and it is left to your convenience. Many Indians do eat their food with spoons and forks too. In the Southern region foods are traditionally served in banana leaf. You can even request to serve them in plates.

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