October 30, 2020
The rich history of Indian cuisine is something that takes a lot of skill to grasp. After all, there are certain techniques that have been passed down over hundreds of years and perfected from region to region in order to create the multitude of versatile dishes we know and love today. In fact, Indian chefs have certain culinary terms that describe the way that the food is cooked. Read on as we go over a handful of them…
Baghar: Adding the spices to hot oil at the very start of the cooking process is known as baghar, or tempering. In fact, it can also be carried out at the end too when the chef pours the tempered oil over the top of a dish such as daal. It allows the flavours to be infused and retain their sharpness.
Balchao: Pickling is something that is carried out all over the world. Known as Balchao in India, chefs will often pickle ingredients like aubergines, cucumber and green chilli’s in a mixture of sugar, vinegar and spices for 1-3 days.
Dhuungaar: Smoking meat allows it to retain juices and flavour with an intensity that alternative cooking processes cannot compete with. It is known as Dhuungar to Indian chefs and involves placing spices and ghee on top of hot coals; a lid is placed on top to allow for the most authentic finish.
Sekna: Chapati and roti is usually cooked on a wired rack known as a sekna and is used when flatbread is baked directly on top of a fire. In fact, it is an age-old technique that has been passed down over generations in India and allows the bread to cook with precision and flavour.
Here at Royal Nawaab, our chefs have the skills and experience necessary to craft authentic Indian dishes from scratch. The culinary techniques listed above play an important role in this process as it is impossible to recreate traditional Indian food without them. To find out more information about our cooking practices, get in contact with the best restaurant Manchester has to offer today!
