The Indian cuisine

With all its exotic ingredients, unfamiliar dishes, and tongue-tingling flavors, Indian cuisine can be both exciting and intimidating. 

“It’s such a complete world of taste. You combine all the techniques from other cuisines and add magical spices to get a titillating food experience,”

“Indian cuisine uses the whole palette of flavors spicy,sour,sweet,and hot all at the same time making it something that wants to jump off the plate"

Indian cuisine has an added bonus for vegetarians: For them, it’s one of the friendliest cuisines around. Judicious use of spices and sauces breathes new life into the likes of potatoes, cauliflower, peas, and eggplant. And a meal of hearty-but-healthy palak paneer (a spinach-and-cheese dish) with a side of naan (a pita-type leavened flat bread) will convert even the biggest meat lovers.

Indian cuisine encompasses a wide variety of        regional and traditional cuisines native to India. Given the range of diversity in soil type, climate, culture, ethnic group and occupations, these cuisines vary significantly from each other and use locally available spices, herbs, vegetables and fruits. Indian food is also heavily influenced by religious and cultural choices and traditions.There has also been Middle Eastern and Central Asian influence on North Indian cuisine from the years of Mughal rule.Indian cuisine has been and is still evolving, as a result of the nation's cultural interactions with other societies.

Punjabi Cuisine

Think of Punjab and you can imagine its earthy heritage of lush green fields and robust lifestyle. What makes Punjab different from the other states is its culinary treasure, it is a state synonymous with food. Punjabi food is a lot like Punjabis - rich, robust and full of life. Bold textures and hearty ingredients are what make Punjabi cuisine so popular all across North India.

One of the most impressive things about Punjabi food is its variety. While meat lovers can never have enough of the evergreen Butter  Chicken, Bhuna Gosht, Tandoori Chicken and Amritsari Machchi, vegetarian fare is equally delightful. Sarson ka Saag, Chole Bhature and Dal Makhni are just a handful of vegetarian Punjabi specialities with fans across the globe. 

Punjab is home to authentic tandoori food.  It is believed that the 'tandoor' originated in Persia and was introduced to India by the Arabs. Back in the day, people living in the Punjab region were the first ones to learn the art of cooking with the tandoor. It is believed that tandoori chicken was invented in Peshawar as recently as the 1930s and became popular thereafter.

It is interesting to know that a couple of star Punjabi delicacies like the Butter Chicken and Dal Makhni, were an outcome of culinary experimentation. It is believed that both the dishes were the brainchild of Kundan Lal Gujral (founder of the famed Moti Mahal restaurant). The idea triggered off when he invented the famous makhani gravy to preserve the chicken tikkas that would sometimes dry out in the absence of a refrigerator in those days. He would just simmer those tikkas in a buttery tomato gravy, which gave birth to the legendary butter chicken.

Despite being the land of five rivers, you won't find much seafood on the menu. Fish is their favourite but not in curries. Deep fried and skewered fish delicacies are quite popular, including Machch ke Sooley, Fish Kebabs, Fish Tikkas and Amritsari machchi.

Since the state boasts of being one of the largest consumers of milk, you will never sit down to eat in Punjab without a glass of lassior chaach by your side. Moreover, being a wheat producing area, Punjabis are known for experimenting with breads. naan, rumali roti, kulchas (stuffed bread) and paranthas are some of the popular bread varieties here.

People in Punjab are also passionate about cooking with gheeand butter. Most star curries are cooked in 'desi ghee' and breads to go with them are served 'makhan mar ke'. Spices are like garam masala, coriander powder, cumin and carom seeds are used generously.  The key is to perfectly balance the different flavours, so that no single flavour becomes overwhelming.

Rajasthani cuisine

From golden deserts, majestic forts to a rich cultural heritage, such is the land of warriors.Rajasthan has always thrilled us, from the bright colors displayed against the pale backdrop of heat to the sparkling desert sand. Food forms an essential component while describing any place and it's often a reflection of its topography coupled with the socio-historical culture.


A large part of the state is inhabited by the Marawaris, who prefer vegetarian food. You can stumble across some of the most tempting shakahari bhoj in different parts of the state. Pyaaz kachori remains as one of my staple favourites. Known as the land of Rajputs, the state is evidently under a heavy influence of Rajput delicacies including fiery hot meat curries and mouthwatering desi desserts. Rajastani cuisine uses a lot of ghee. If you happen to be in Rajasthan anytime soon, don't miss out on dal baati churma, pyazz kachori, gatte ki sabzi, papad ki sabzi. For those who live on meaty delights, laal maas, safed maas, banjari gosht are a must try.

Rajasthan is a dry area, hence a lot of food preparations use less water and more of milk, curd, butter milk or cream as substitutes. This is peculiar to most of the Rajasthani delicacies and renders a special creamy texture to the food preparations. Rajasthanis are also heavily dependent on lentils, grains and gram flour. Apart from mutton and chicken, wild boar and hare are also used into preparing some of the most authentic and dangerously spicy curries.

Surprisingly, sweets are not an after meal affair in Rajasthan, rather they are served along with the main meal. Specific sweets are popular in each region - Mawa Kachori of Jodhpur, Rasogullas of Bikaner, Ghewar of Jaipur, Malpuas of Pushkar and so on.

Gujarati Cuisine

The traditional Gujarati food is primarily vegetarian and has a high nutritional value. The typical Gujarati thali consists of varied kinds of lip smacking dishes. Gujarati cuisine has so much to offer and each dish has an absolutely different cooking style. Some of the dishes are stir fry, while others are boiled. Gujarati food is more often served on a silver platter. Gujaratis use a combination of different spices and flavors to cook their meals and this is what makes their food truly exotic. 

Gujarati food is highly energy efficient and thus do not cause much of fuel wastage. The staple food of Gujarat consists of homemade pickles, chhaas (buttermilk), salad etc. main course includes vegetables which are usually steamed and dal. Vaghaar is a blend of spices, which is purified in hot oil and then added to the dal. To prevent the body from becoming dehydrated, lot of salt, sugar, tomato and lemon is used. 
The traditional Gujarati thali mostly encompasses rotli, dal or kadhi, sabzi also known as shaak and rice. People in Gujarat eat one or the other type of curry along with rice and roti in almost every meal Gujarati dishes usually have a very subtle taste that makes it truly distinct from other Indian cuisines. Lot of emphasis is laid on maintaining hygiene while cooking. Most of the Gujarati dishes are sweet, while others have a quite larger concentration of sugar as compared to salt and spices. Sometimes, jaggery is used as an alternative to sugar.

Gujarati cuisine differs from season to season depending on the availability of vegetables. People in the urban areas are starting some new eating trends. In the summer season, spices such as black pepper and its constituent spices are used in lesser quantities. People fast on a regular basis and limit their diet to milk, nuts and dried fruits. 

In the modern era, more and more youngsters have started developing taste for oily spicy food. Even, the modern chefs are coming up with fusion food concept by combining Gujrati food and Western food. Desserts, which were in the ancient times offered only on festivity or some special occasions, have now found their way in the daily meals. 

Maharashtrian Cuisine

Beaches and mountains, caves and temples, forests and cities - Maharashtra is blessed with an abundance of natural wealth and cultural heritage. Food is an integral part of Maharashtra’s cultural heritage, and no visit to the state can be considered complete without sampling a variety of its specialties.


Maharashtrian cuisine is a zesty and spicy one, which makes abundant use of aromatic and flavourful ingredients like peanuts, sesame seeds and chillies. There are several traditional snacks like Poha and dishes like Usal, which Maharashtrians enjoy having frequently. Zunka is one of the most famous dishes, where the zunka is made using besan flour and had with hot bhakri. They also love rice, and feel dissatisfied if they do not have at least a little rice with the meal. 

Apart from plain steamed rice, which is enjoyed with spicy accompaniments like Methi Pitla or Amti, rice is also enjoyed in the form of lip-smacking dishes like Dodkyacha Bhaat , Masala Bhaat, Tendli Bhaat, etc. The snack-lovers look forward to the monsoon, to enjoy hot Bhajias and Vada Pav made even more delightful with the addition of green chillies and Dry Garlic Chutney. Enjoy sweets like Modak and Puran Pol . Enter, to fall in love with Maharashtrian cuisine…

Thanks to its varied landscape, the culinary heritage of Maharashtra too varies as you go from the golden sands of the Konkan, up through the gentle Deccan plateau, to the scorching heat of Vidarbha in the east. Unlike many other Indian cuisines, one rarely finds traditional Maharashtrian food in Indian restaurants outside the state, although it has as just much to offer. Subtle and understated, the flavours of Maharashtrian food are heavily dependent on the seasons - raw mango (kairi), kokum and coconut make their appearance in the heat of summer, deliciously crispy gram-flour batter coated, deep fried vegetables in the monsoon and rich sesame and jaggery based sweets in the winter. Fish curries and rice are a staple in the coastal belt, while spicy mutton curries are a favourite in the east. Every festival is an occasion to cook, and naturally eat, something special to that season. And of course, the street food traditions like the ‘Bhel Puri’ and sandwiches of Mumbai are without parallel. 

Every meal should take you on a journey of exploration, and there is as much to meet your taste buds as there is for your eyes to feast on with the traditional cuisine of Maharashtra!

Bengali cuisine

The cuisine of Bengal is as rich and distinct as the state itself. The rule of Nawabs has deeply influenced Bengali food which is a combination of subtle and fiery flavours. There are certain European influences also like the snack food tradition and foods like chops and cutlets that are British in origin but are prepared and served in most Bengali households.


West Bengal is famously known as the land of maach (fish) and bhaat (rice). Bengalis share an irrevocable relationship with these two foods that are a staple in almost every household. Since countless rivers surround the state, fresh sweet water fish are a major attraction with rohu, pabda and koi being the popular ones. Interestingly, there are more than forty types of fresh water fish that are popularly served in Bengal.

A much-loved local delicacy in Bengal is an oily fish known as 'Hilsa' or 'Ilish'. The tenderness of the flesh, unique taste and silvery appeal make it the 'queen of fish'. In fact, hilsa holds great cultural importance in Bengal and a pair of hilsa fish (Joda Ilish) is usually bought on auspicious occasions. On the vegetarian platter, one would mostly find tubers, gourds and roots. Vegetables like plantains, potatoes, water lily roots, brinjal and beans dominate the menu.

Bengali cuisine is a blend of sweet and spicy flavours. The delicate balance between the main ingredients and the seasoning plays a starring role. The simplest of meals gain an exquisite identity on adding 'phoron' or a traditional mix of pungent spices. The 'panch phoron' is used generously and it includes a combination of five spices - cumin, nigella, fenugreek, aniseed and mustard seed.

What sets Bengali curries apart are the distinctive flavours of mustard oil, poppy seeds and turmeric with sweet undertones that warm spices like cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and mace impart. Luchi is a deep-fried bread that is preferred here and is prepared using both refined and whole-wheat flour. Mishti Doi, a kind of sweetened yogurt with rich notes of jaggery is a usual accompaniment. All said and done, the robust fish curries and the sinful Bengali sweets easily steal the spotlight.

Konkani and Goan food

Konkan cuisine is strong in spice, red chillie powder, corianders, and prepared with coconut oil. It is prepared using a deep purple berry that has a pleasing sweet and sour taste, kokum and raw mango as souring agents along with tamarind and lime.

Goan food has many similarities with Portuguese food and this is mainly because of Portuguese inhabitants who lived there for almost 450 years. Goans didn't take after their prominent use of garlic in every dish, but definitely latched on to their flair for bread-making. You'll see that Goans often swap their regular bowl of steamed rice with soft and warm bread. Spices, fish and coconut have dominated Goan food for centuries and it's only in the last few years it has started to be featured with new, more innovative ingredients like fenni and vinegar.

Konkan cuisine is of two styles, first one is Brahmin cuisine, which uses little spice and more of coconut based ingredients. Another version is known as non-Brahmin style, prepared with lots of spice. Konkan cuisine would find prepared with peanuts, sesame and coriander as the main spicing agents if one goes a bit further towards inland.

Lots of charcoal grilled onions, which are either used chopped or ground along with masalas after being grilled are used in Konkan cuisine. Coconut is also used in various forms as raw grated, fried grated, coconut paste and coconut milk.

A trip to the beach can cure a bad mood and so can Goan food.

Goa's got everything a hot tourist destination does: sun, sand, beach and most importantly, good food. Authentic Goan food is one of the biggest reasons tourists flock to this glorious state. It's spunky; it's got personality and is seriously addictive!

Goan food is extremely different from the food of other regions and this can be attributed to its rich and diverse cultural heritage. It's a potpourri of flavours: beef, pork, coconut, jaggery, cashew and an endless variety of seafood. A lot of Goan dishes like Prawn balchao and Sorpotel are well known and relished around the world. 

South Indian Cuisine

The smell of crisp vadas, the sound of spluttering mustard seeds, the taste of hot piping sambar made with fresh and pulpy tamarind, and the touch of feather-light, soft idlis - South Indain food appeals to all senses, is aromatic and delicious!

Dosa and chutney are just a brief trailer to an otherwise long, colourful, rich and absolutely fascinating journey that is South India. With its 5 states, 2 union territories, rocky plateau, river valleys' and coastal plains, the south of India is extremely different from its Northern counterpart. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh each have their own culture, languages and by way of that many different cuisines.

But before we get into details like ingredients and cooking techniques, let's talk about some aspects that are common to those that live in the South. Firstly, most people eat with their right hand and leave the left one clean for drinking water. Also, licking curry off your finger does taste really good! Rice is their grain of choice and lentil and daal are equally important. Sambhar, which is made with lentil, tamarind and buttermilk is also common to all South Indian states. But each has its own version.

Andhra Pradesh: The spiciest of all South Indian cuisines, the food from Andhra can leave you panting, gasping for air. A large part of Hyderbadi cuisine is similar to that of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, but the Hyderbadi cuisine has a personality of its own. Nawaabi kebabs, saffron-smelling biryani, creamy haleem and crumbly keema - they'll put you in a state of trance.

Tamil Nadu: The food of Tamil Nadu is mild spiced, mostly vegetarian, light but absolutely sensational. This is with the exception of Chettinad food, which is top of the pile. It's also known to be extremely spicy but the kind that stems from pepper and not chilli. It also boasts of heavy local spices like star anise, kalpasi (stone flower) and maratti mokku (dried flower pods), freshly ground spices including cumin, fenugreek, fennel, clove, bay leaf, turmeric and tamarind.

Meats, seafood, vegetables, grains and fermented rice are used regularly. Being blessed with a long coastline, a variety of seafood like fish, crabs, lobsters and fresh prawns adorn a Tamil table.

Kerela Cuisine

The cuisine of Kerala, a state in the south west of India, is linked to its history, geography, demography and culture. Kerala cuisine offers a multitude of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes prepared using fish, poultry and red meat with rice a typical accompaniment. Chillies, curry leaves, mustard seeds, tamarind and asafoetida are all frequently used.

Kerala is known as the "Land of Spices" because it traded spices with Europe as well as with many ancient civilizations with the oldest historical records of the Sumerians from 3000 BCE

Coconuts grow in abundance in Kerala, and consequently, coconut kernel, (sliced or grated) coconut cream and coconut milk are widely used in dishes for thickening and flavouring. Kerala's long coastline, numerous rivers and backwater networks, and strong fishing industry have contributed to many sea and river food based dishes. Rice and cassava (Tapioca) form the staple food of Kerala. All main dishes are made with them and served along with Kootan; the side dishes which may be made from vegetables, meat, fish or a mix of all of them. The main dish for lunch and dinner is boiled rice. The Kerala breakfast shows a rich variety; the main dishes for which are made from rice flour, or fresh or dried cassava.

In addition to historical diversity, cultural influences, particularly the large percentages of Muslims and Christians, have also contributed unique dishes and styles to Kerala cuisine, especially non-vegetarian dishes. The meat eating habits of the people were historically limited by religious taboos. Brahmins eschew non vegetarian items. However, most modern-day Hindus do not observe any dietary taboos, except a few of those belonging to upper castes who do not consume beef or pork.^[3]Most Muslims do not eat pork and other items forbidden by Islamic law. Alcohol is available in Kerala in many hotels and over a thousand bars and liquor stores, but state authorities plan to close the vast majority of these outlets in a ten-year plan to combat problem drinking that began in 2014.^[4]

North East Indian cuisine

North East India or the Seven Sisters of North East as they are fondly called boast of rare natural beauty and amazing God given wonders. However one facet of North East that is rarely publicized in their tourist adverts is the range of delectable cuisine which they offer. Each state in North East has something special to offer to the culinary landscape of India. Most of the dishes are made of locally sourced ingredients and therefore make for a wonderful change of taste to the average jaded palette.

Sometimes taste of casual street food is better than a glamorous night out at a fine dining restaurant. And Northeast India has a street food culture that is as vibrant as its heritage and as beautiful as its people. From lanes packed with humble carts serving speciality dishes, to rows of eateries that overflow onto roads, the streets of Northeast India are a gastronomic kaleidoscope.

Order any dish from a street eatery in the Northeast and it’s likely to be packed with an abundance of flavours that come at a minimal price. Contrary to popular perception, Northeast food is way more varied than just momos and noodles, although these too can taste divine.

Manipur is known for its simple seasonal stews while Meghalaya is more famous for its spicy meat and fish preparations. Nagaland, on the other hand, is better known for its bamboo and pork fare and Mizoram prefers subtly flavoured, boiled food rather than the fried kind. The influence of neighbours like China, Myanmar and Thailand can easily be seen in the cuisines of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, while Tripura is better known for its bursting masalas, a trait it shares with the rest of the country. Assamese food ranges from spicy to bland, with rice being the centrepiece of this cuisine.

In short, the street food in Northeast India is extraordinary but you definitely need some prior knowledge about what the region is best known for. Here are 8 amazing local delights from Northeast India that will leave your palate demanding more. Let the culinary adventure begin!