subject: Indian Cuisines - A Succinct Discussion On The Misconceptions And Facts [print this page] There are many myths and misconceptions about Indian food. Lets just take a brief look at a few of them. This will be interesting.
Indian Food is always spicy: This is the general consensus among foreigners. Not true at all. While Indian food usually is more spicy, there's lots of cuisines where the recipes are even sweet and bland. So if spicy is not your preference you could try those cuisines, for starters Gujarati cuisines are perfect for individuals who dislike spicy food.
Gujarati cuisine has a touch of sweetness in almost all of its dishes. Traditional South Indian cooking (except Andhra Pradesh) is usually less-spicier than other regions in India. Kashmiri cuisine also incorporates sweet tasting dishes in its menu. So when someone tells you Indian cooking is spicy, don't entirely believe them.
Indian recipes are only vegetarian: That's partly true. Hindus, being the majority community in India, are mostly vegetarian. However there are so many different sub-sects within the Hindu religion, that lots of of them follow their own food practices.
Contrary to widespread belief, many Indians are meat-eaters and cook them well too. Chicken is perhaps the preferred meat in India. Cow is regarded as a sacred animal and is avoided by Hindus though Muslims and Christians eat beef. Sea food is also popular in coastal regions like Goa, Mangalore, Kerala, West Bengal and others.
Many first time visitors say Indian food is all masala that has a typical strong flavor and lacks variety. This is so wrong. Indian cuisine is probably the most varied cuisine in the word.
This is actually a misconception around the world and even in India. Chicken Tikka did not originate in India. It was brought into India by the Mughals and has its origins in Persia.
Indian food is all about Curry: Curry is something that was again made popular by British-South Asian ethnic groups. While Curry abroad may refer to a thick and spicy gravy dish, India takes a different meaning altogether. In South India, Curry may refer to a vegetable side-dish that is often served with rice.
Indians eat food with their hands: Sometimes shocking to a visitor to India is the practice of eating food with hands. This is true as Indians consider eating with their hands as tastier as well as ritualistic. Also, most Indian dishes are difficult to be eaten with forks and spoons. Many Indians today use their hands as well as forks & spoons.
You will also find that in certain Indian regions, food is served on a banana leaf or an areca nut leaf. These traditions have been passed on to families since many generations and many modern Indian continue to follow then regardless of caste differences.
