September 21, 2016
We all have our favourite Indian dish. Whether it’s a chicken madras alongside some onion bhajis and vegetable samosas, or a lamb bhuna with a delicious naan bread to mop it all up with- everyone has a preference when it comes to curry. We all know about the majority of the side dishes, and which drinks are best with which curry, but what you might not know is how vastly Indian food can differ throughout the country.
India offers a diverse culture, and with it comes different types of cuisine within each of its regions. Many of us may not know the difference between an Indian dish from the north and one from the south, but we’re here at Nawaab to take you on a tour of India’s versatile cuisine, and give you a quick rundown of their differences and the histories behind them.
The different cultural identities throughout India are identified within its cuisine. Factors such as religion and regional particularities offer a major influence on the food that each region provides, and it’s within Northern India that you’ll find the food you are most familiar with. It is identified through its constant use of dairy products, such as milk, paneer and yoghurt. Snacks wrapped in pastry are the typical northern snack, and you’ll also find British favourites such as naan bread and tandoori chicken in the north.
If you have a sweet tooth, then maybe Eastern Indian cuisine is right for you. Dishes from the east are predominantly known for their incredible desserts, such as rasgulla, and their other dishes can be identified through their use of mustard seeds and poppy seeds.
Western Indian cuisine is split into three other regions- Gujarat, Goa and Maharashtra. Gujarat is known for its vegetarian dishes and its sweet flavours. Goan cuisine uses ingredients like pork and beef more often than the other regions, and can also be identified through its use of vinegar.
You may struggle to find some southern cuisine in an Indian restaurant, as it is extremely different to the other regions. Southern Indian cuisine consists of dry curries which include vegetables and spices, as well as stew-like curries such as rasams and kootus. Apart from its soupy curries, the south is also known for its fried snacks- such as dosas and utthapmas- which are both delicious rice pancakes but the latter are thicker.
At Nawaab, we are a leading Indian restaurant in Manchester, and provide a wide variety of Indian food for you to try. Please contact us to book a dinner that can give you a tasting tour of India!
