The Portuguese Connection!

Could you imagine Indian food without tomatoes, potatoes and most importantly, chillies? No? Well, you can thank the Portuguese for that.

The Portuguese established trade colonies in India during the early 16^th century. Portuguese India spread mostly along the west coast of the country and also influenced Eastern India, specifically Bengal. The most noticeable Portuguese influence is in the cuisine of Goa. Goa’s most famous dish, the vindaloo, is a derivative of the Portuguese Carne de Vinha d’Alhos. Carne de Vinha d’Alhos is a pork dish made with the meat marinated in garlic and wine. Vindaloo is a modification with palm vinegar instead of wine and the addition of red chillies and additional spices.

Vindaloo is just one of the many Portuguese influenced dishes. There’s the Goanese Bebinca, dodol and kulkuls, Mangalorean sorpotel, Bengali Bandel cheese and shukto, and many varieties of puffs, pastries and buns found across India.

The Portuguese left their mark in cooking, most notably with the use of cayenne pepper, potatoes, vinegar, beets, bell peppers, carrots, cashews, cassava, pineapple, passion fruit, corn, cocoa,guavas, lima beans, litchis, peanuts, papaya, pumpkin, sweet potato and custard apple, among others.  Nowadays these food items are a mainstay of Indian cuisine, considered a part of Indian culinary heritage with ther actual origins being long forgotten.  The Portuguese also introduced pork to Indian cuisine.

The confluence of the various culinary arts resulted in a cuisine rich in flavors and covering a wide range of preferences in terms of taste and ingredients. This year make it a point to try out the various globally influenced food items of India and go on a culinary discovery that will surprise you at every turn. Happy New Year!

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A Celebration That Brings The Country Together

It’s the end of the year and time for celebrations! Christmas is a festival that calls for much fanfare across India. It’s not just Christians, but people from all walks of life put up trees, decorate their homes and celebrate this day.

Christmas fare in India is more or less the same as it is in most other parts of the world. Roast meat - ham, chicken, duck, beef, and in recent times, even turkey – is the centerpiece of the Christmas table.  Plum cakes or Dundee cakes also make an appearance. Rum soaked fruitcakes are the highlight of Christmas and noted bakeries or hotels often host a fruit-soaking event a month ahead of Christmas. Conventional Christmas drinks such as eggnog and mulled wine are also gaining popularity.

Along with the traditional food, local dishes and desserts are also incorporated during Christmas feasts. Sweet coconut filled dumplings, cashew candies, rice puddings, rose cookies and several regional delicacies are churned out this time of the year. Indeed, preparing for Christmas is more of a social event than just making a family meal.  Household specialties are made and distributed among neighbors, family and friends. The preparations, which often start a week in advance, lead to long gossip sessions and a memorable chance to catch up with each other.

In a country which is a huge melting pot of diversity, Christmas has achieved the impossible. It brings people of every caste, creed and religion together, even if it is for just one day in the year!

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Enjoy The Crunchy Indian Papad

The papadum or papad, as it is more commonly known, is a crunchy appetizer to be found in most Indian eating establishments. This crisp thin cracker is a favorite with Indian food lovers and why not? Papad packs quite a punch within its crispy goodness.

Papads are made from lentil flour. While these days papad is mass produced using machinery, the traditional method of making papad is by hand. Water and spices are added to lentil flour to make dough. After resting the dough for some time, it is rolled into a long sausage like shape. Threads are used to chop off small sections of the dough roll and these sections are rolled out till they are paper thin and almost transparent.  These are then sundried and packaged. Variations on the papad include potato flour papad or tapioca pearl papad.

While all varieties of papad are delicious, the lentil flour papads are most common and widely regarded as having a few health benefits as well. The spices in the papad, such as cracked pepper and asafetida, help in digestion. Moreover, the protein content from the lentils also help in contributing to the health aspect. However, these benefits come with a condition. Deep-fried papads, while delicious, are not at all healthy. Go for the oven roasted papads and do not consume more than a couple of them in a day. Papad dough is high in salt, so too many papads will have adverse effects on your health.

For those who find plain papads a bit boring, try out the masala papad. Masala papads usually has a mix of chopped cucumbers, onions and tomatoes on top. Chopped chili may also be added at times. 

Be warned though, masala papad is not for the faint of heart. Keep some yogurt on hand if the heat gets too much to handle. 

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Explore The Creamy Deliciousness of Kheer

So, last week we covered the hottest chili India has to offer. To soothe your palate, this week we move on to something sweeter – kheer. Kheer is the Indian style rice pudding flavored delicately with cardamom and at times saffron.

Kheer is very easy to make and is often made for special occasions including birthdays, festivals, marriages and more. The simplest kheer is made by thickening milk, along with rice, till it reduces to half its quantity and then sweetening it with sugar or jaggery and flavoring with cardamom. But, there are several variations on this recipe which change depending upon the region.

Odisha in Eastern India prepares a type of kheer made with tapioca sago known as sagukhiri. In West Bengal kheer is prepared with glutinous rice and sometimes coconut milk for a creamier texture. Kheer in West Bengal is known as payesh and can be also be made with semolina or vermicelli. While sugar is the more common sweetener used in both states, jaggery is also used at times, resulting in a more flavorful kheer with a brownish tint.

In Assam in North Eastern India, kheer is called payoxh and it is liberally sprinkled with dried fruits. Additionally, cherries are added to give the kheer a light pink hue. In Bihar, rice kheer is made with full fat cream, assorted dried fruits and saffron.

But, perhaps the largest variety of kheer is available in Southern India. Known as payasam, the Southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala collectively serve up a mind boggling array of kheer. While milk and coconut milk continue to form the base of kheer in these states, the rice can be replaced by any number of ingredients including, but not restricted to vermicelli, sago pearls, wheat, wheat semolina, bottle gourd, and sesame seeds.

Regardless of where it is from and how it is made, kheer is a delicacy to be relished. Try out different varieties of kheer if possible and you shall not be disappointed.

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Dare To Try The Ghost Chili?

Spice is the indispensible factor when it comes to Indian food. Our love for using chili and chili powder in our meals is well documented and suffices to say that a dish without the addition of chili in any form is simply unheard of.

Among the various varieties of chili cultivated in India, Bhoot Jolokia, or Ghost Chili, is the most revered and feared. This tiny (2.5 to 2.5 inches) chili is pure firepower! Ghost Chili had the honor of being named the world’s hottest chili in 2007, though that title has been passed on since. Still, at more than 1 million Scoville heat units, Ghost Chili delivers a heat punch strong enough to burn through your throat.

Why Ghost ? Because the effects of biting into the chili are not immediate! The burning sensation starts a few seconds after one has bit into the chili and it can last for 30 minutes at least. The heat of this chili is so potent that the Indian government has weaponized it to make gas grenades which can incapacitate a fully grown man.  And, the locals spread it on fences to keep wild elephants out of inhabited land.

Bhoot (meaning Ghost) Jolokia (meaning Chili) is cultivated in the North Eastern part of India. It is traditionally added to curries and chutneys of that region. A tiny bit of the chili is enough to flavor a dish. But, the locals have developed a high tolerance towards this heat and there are recipes which use handfuls of whole chilies to cook meat, especially pork. In recent times Ghost Chili has been commercialized into hot sauces, chocolate flavors and also used as a flavoring agent in jellies and spreads.

This chili may not hold the top spot for hottest chili anymore, but it is definitely not your run-of-the-mill variety pepper. Handled expertly, it imparts a perfume like flavor to any dish and can taste amazing without burning you up.

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How Indian Is Your Indian Food? Find Out....

Indians don’t just love their food, but also love talking about it. Indeed, Indian food has very interesting origins and facts connected to it. Here are a few lesser known facts of Indian food.

Coffee, as popular as tea – especially in Southern India, was introduced by the British. They were the first people to bring coffee into the country and subsequently its popularity spread. And not just coffee, tomato, potato, sugar and chili too are foreign introductions to Indian cuisine. Chili in fact gained so much popularity in India that Indian food has become synonymous with the use of chilies. One of the hottest varities of chili, the ghost chili, was cultivated in India to cater to the heat loving taste buds of India.

The country’s love for spicy food is evident everywhere. No wonder then that India is the largest producer of spices in the world.

Rajma, or kidney beans, is a very popular dish of India. It is a spicy bean curry similar to the American chili. Rajma with rice is a staple in Northern India though it is enjoyed in all parts of the country as well. But, very few people know that rajma is not of Indian origin. It was brought into the country from Mexico and then found a huge fan following in India.

India has the lowest meat consumption per person index in the whole world. Not surprising, considering that 40 percent of the Indian population is vegetarian and many do not even eat onion and garlic.  The upside to this is that India also has the widest range of vegetarian dishes in the world. 

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Get Your Spice Hit With Pickles

Adding a dollop or two of pickle is an Indian habit which transcends regions and states.  It is part and parcel of the Indian diet and the simultaneous melding of sweet, sour and spicy tastes add new flavor dimensions to any food.

It is a rarely known fact that pickling is a method of preservation that can be traced back to India. It is believed to have originated 4,000 to 5,000 years ago. The hot Indian summers meant water scarcity and consequently food production went down during summers. This gave rise to the need to preserve excess food grown in winter.

The art of making pickles, or achaar as it is called in India, was traditionally passed down through families by word of mouth. These days commercial pickles are readily available, but they almost never match up to the taste of homemade pickles.

Indian pickles are made from any variety of vegetables such as gherkin, bitter gourd, carrots, cauliflower, ginger, garlic, onion, jack-fruit and much more. Mixed vegetable pickle is also very common and is one of the most popular varieties in India.  Apart from these, there are also several un-ripened fruits which are pickled, including mango, gooseberry, tamarind and lemon. Some regions also pickles leafy greens while other places pickle chicken, fish, prawns and mutton too.

 Unlike western pickle, Indian pickle is not just ingredients preserved in brine. Indian pickling requires the ingredients to be first sun-dried thoroughly. Often salt is added to hasten the process of sun-drying. The sun-dried ingredients are then rubbed with dry spices and chili and bottled. The bottled stuff is topped with a lot of oil and then sun-dried some more

.

There are some pickle recipes which cook the spices and raw ingredients together instead of following the sun drying method. In fact, most commercial pickles are made by cooking. This saves a lot of time, but it compromises on the taste. Sadly, due to time constraints, more and more families rely on commercial pickles these days. But, if you do get a chance to try out homemade Indian pickles, do not miss it. It’s a spice explosion that will leave your taste buds tickling for days.

A word of caution though; pickles are high in oil and salt and should be avoided by people who are diabetic, high blood pressure, acidity and gastritis. 

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The Food Fiesta That Is Indian Weddings!

Everyone knows that Indian weddings are large, colorful and have lots of pizzazz. But, quite often the one thing that most people forget to mention is the food.

Food is an essential factor of the great Indian wedding. In fact, food is the essential factor at most Indian celebrations and it intensifies at weddings. Indian weddings often have as many as 15 courses starting with refreshing beverages and ending with desserts. Not just that, in many parts of India it is common to find several types of cuisines at a wedding. So, while you have your basic North Indian and South Indian fare, there are also live pasta counters, Chinese food station, Arabic delicacies and a choice of several Western desserts. Yes, Indian wedding food is lavish!

A surprising point of Indian wedding food is that a lot of it is vegetarian. In fact, in South India, Hindu weddings always have an all vegetarian spread and there can be as many as 100 dishes served at the wedding.

Northern and coastal Indian weddings will include meat, unless the families in question follow a vegetarian lifestyle. So, chicken, lamb and fish will always be there along with vegetarian curries and sides.

Cakes are traditionally not a part of Indian weddings unless it’s a Christian family. But, things are changing and several couples incorporate a cake cutting ceremony into their wedding these days. Not surprising considering that the mithai (sweets) is where the action’s at in Indian weddings. Any wedding worth its salt will have at least 3 varieties of sweets and the count can go up depending on the affluence and generosity of the host.

Calorie counting is not a strong point in any Indian wedding. Actually, it’s not a point at all. If you are invited to a wedding, it is expected that you will stuff yourself and go back home more rounded than when you came in. Anything less, would be an insult to the host! 

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3 Clever Tips to Pick the Best Indian Restaurant

Indian dishes have gained popularity on a worldwide basis. The spicy and healthy Indian food has become favorite of many nations like USA, UK, Australia and other parts of the earth. Many Indian restaurants have also opened up making it easy to experience the Indian taste. But many institutions do not really offer the authentic Indian recipes. Most foreigners are unfamiliar with the traditional cooking methods and unaware of the ingredients and spices used. Cheap Indian restaurant Sydney and in other places sometime just use Indian names in their menu to attract customers. But they are not really Indian dishes as they are not cooked or made in the Indian way.

How to Find the Best Indian Restaurant?

Follow our tips and you will be rewarded with original Indian dishes cooked in the Indian style. Also, experiment around and explore various Indian eateries around town.

Check the Menu

Many Indian restaurants will have a website with their menu. Browse the menu and see what dishes are on offer. Good Indian restaurants will even write the ingredients and details about each dish in their menu. You can compare them with original recipes and get an idea how authentic the restaurant is.

Customer Reviews

The websites sometime feature customer testimonials or reviews. You can also find restaurant review websites where people rate and leave feedback on eateries. Search with the name of the Indian restaurant to find out more about their food. Also, ask your friends around to see if anyone has eaten in that place.

Time taken to Serve

This is a tricky proposition. Many people get irritated and complain of slow service at restaurants. But in truth it takes some time to cook your food freshly not using ready made items. If a restaurant serves special dishes in minutes, something is wrong. Maybe they have prepared curries or ready made sauces which they use to quickly make your dish. But real cooking involves both preparation and care. It takes some time for the chef to present the authentic dish and serve you.
Bonus Tip - Travel to India

A surprising tip! Apart of the beauty of the land, you can taste the original flavor of Indian food. You will be able to make out which Indian restaurant is good or which is cheap Indian restaurant Sydney just by eating their food!

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Why is Indian Food so Popular All Over the World?

Indian food has earned a favourite place on the global platter. People all over the world are crazy for Indian food and overseas Indian restaurants are really earning a huge profit. But what makes Indian food so popular?

Of course anyone will know that Indian food is delicious and some recipes date back hundreds of years making them exotic and mystifying. But what are the other reasons? Even small Indian restaurants Ryde see a huge crowd of people who are dying for a taste of India. Let’s find out from experts why Indian flavour seems so tempting and irresistible.

Recently celebrity Indian chef Kunal Kapur was caught saying in an interview to a newspaper, “Indian food is gaining a lot of popularity with Indian chefs coming up with unique things abroad. For the Western world, all of these ingredients are, to an extent, alienating. They are very inquisitive to understand what it is.” Kapur has a few cooking shows under his belt, has been a judge in Master Chef America and featured in some travel shows. He also owns his own Indian restaurant in Dubai. He considers it’s the contribution of Indian chefs who are creating a unique fusion and innovative version of traditional and regional Indian recipes and serving them to the outside world.

We also have some interesting insight from Nidhi Mahajan, who recently exited from the show of Master Chef Australia. She had overwhelmed the famous judges of the show with her desi dishes and cooking skill. According to her, "Indian food has made its place on the global platform. People around the world love Indian food for its flavours and versatility.” In the same email interview she cited versatility and history of Indian food for its success. Indian cuisine is huge and, “each dish, each ingredient, has a history behind it and how it became a part of our cuisine," she said. She also viewed higher awareness about Indian food as another cause of its popularity. People are realizing Indian food is not fattening or unhealthy. Daily Indian cuisine is in fact health promoting and not at all oily, hot or time taking to cook.

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2 Delicious Indian Fritters that can be Made Instantly

India is the land of hot and spicy food. Like many countries, fritters are really popular in India and served along tea and drinks or just as appetizers. There are locally known as pakoda or pakora or bhajji. Today we are going to teach you the recipe of 2 quick and lip smacking Indian pakodas or fritters that can be prepared in a short time. It is the great alternative of ordering food from family Indian restaurant Sydney and surprise your guests instantly!

Bengali Onion Fritter

Ingredients
·         2 big onions
·         2 green chilies cut into fine pieces
·         ½ cup gram flour
·         ¼ cup rice flour
·         A pinch of baking soda
·         Salt and chili powder to taste
·         Oil

Process
1. Cut the onion into moderate pieces and add salt to it. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Take a bowl and add the rice and gram flour, onion, pieces of chili, salt and chili powder and add a little water. Mix well and prevent adding more water and keep the mix semi dry.
3. Heat some oil in a pan and add a small ball of the mix. Add in more and deep fry them till they are brown and crispy.

Cauliflower Fritter

Ingredients
·         1 cauliflower
·         ¾ cup corn flour
·         ¾ cup rice flour
·         2 tablespoon chili powder
·         1 tablespoon cumin powder
·         Salt to taste
·         ¼ tablespoon Asafoetida
·         ¼ tablespoon turmeric powder
·         Oil for deep fry

Process
1. Cut the cauliflower in separate medium sized pieces. Ensure every piece has moderate floret size.
2. Take a big bowl and boil the pieces of cauliflower in salt water. Keep it boiling for 2 minutes, remove it and drain the water.
3. In a bowl put in all the flour, salt and other ingredients. Do not put any water.
4. Now take the cauliflowers and dip it in the powder completely. The pieces will be wet enough to retain the mix. Otherwise sprinkle a little water to make the mix stick to cauliflower pieces.
5. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. Put the cauliflower pieces one by one and fry till golden brown.

Serving
·         As both items are deep fried, place them on paper napkin to drain extra oil
·         Sprinkle some chat masala on top of them
·         Serve hot with ketchup
You can also try these snacks in a family Indian restaurant Sydney if you are too lazy to make them yourself!

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Family Indian Restaurant Sydney

Indian chutneys are more than just a condiment to flavor food. Chutneys have a multi-purpose role in Indian cuisine. They are relishes, they can be main courses and they can act as dessert as well.
The word chutney is an extension of the Hindi word ‘chaatna’ which means to lick which is exactly howb chutneys should be enjoyed. You lick it off your fingers! Chutneys are a flavor bomb with spices and sweet, hot and tart tastes rolled into one. The main flavors range from seriously hot chutneys to sour ones, bitter chutneys and also sweet chutneys.

The original Indian chutneys were made of uncooked fruit ground into a paste with herbs and spices. With time the simple fruit pastes evolved into cooked forms of chutneys with vegetables joining the melee as well. Indian chutneys are meant to be had fresh and are not used as a means of preserving food, as is common in the UK.

A few basic chutneys such as mint or coriander chutneys are well recognised around the world as dips. These hot and flavorful chutneys work as meat sauce as well and add a new dimension of taste to food. Fruit based chutneys are either sweet or a little tart. Sweet chutneys are usually had after meals, as a part of dessert. The tart ones are enjoyed more as a side dish. Savoury chutneys, usually made from vegetables and herbs, are part of the meal itself. It is a tasty way to include greens in your diet.
There is however no hard and fast rule to enjoying chutneys. There are those who love a bit of sweet chutney along with a fiery chicken curry and others who’d rather lick a bowl of tart chutney after their meal, than go for a dessert.

Enjoy the chutney in all its forms for an Indian experience that is unique and delicious!

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Best Indian Food Restaurants in Sydney

Mughlai cuisine is a rich and fragrant variety of dishes which have their roots in the royal heritage of India. They consist of dishes which originated in the kitchens of the royal Emperors of the country. In fact, most of North Indian cuisine is predominantly influenced by the Mughal style of cooking.

Mughlai is a delicious fusion of Persian cuisine and ancient Indian cuisine. Though the name Mughlai suggests that this cuisine was brought to Indian by the Mughals, it was actually introduced much earlier during the Delhi sultanate period (1206). The Mughal empire, which started with Babar in 1526, reintroduced this cuisine, fused it with existing food traditions and came up with a new style of food which combined Persian style of cooking with Indian ingredients. This fusion food went on to become the Mughlai cuisine as it is known today. Among all Mughlai food, kebabs and biryani are probably the ones which have accrued most popularity worldwide. Some other Mughal influenced dishes include tandoori, koftas, naan, halwa and korma.

Mughlai food is characterized by rich aromatic spices and liberal use of nuts and dried fruits. The tastes may range from mild creamy gravies to hot, spicy flavors. So, while you start off your meal with a hot shorba (soup), the main course can be a spicy tandoori chicken and finish off with a creamy halwa for dessert.

Saffron, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and cloves are the used in almost all the dishes. Gravy bases range from a mix of fried onion and garlic paste to light cream, milk or nut paste. Gravy is usually abundant in Mughlai food, pairing it well with rice or breads.

Although Mughlai food is available throughout most of India, the best Mughlai restaurants are in Northern India, specifically in Delhi and Lucknow.

Food lovers must make it a point to try out Mughlai cuisine at least once in their lifetime. Not only is it steeped in royal history, the food tastes mind-blowingly delicious!

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What is Australia’s Favourite Indian Dish?

Do Australians love Indian food? We raked up the internet for statistics, news, articles and opinions of Australians to discover one thing – Australians Love Indian Food! The sumptuous and lip smacking Indian recipes have gained a huge popularity in the country from the 1960s. Australia has a strong Indian population of 5, 00,000 and there are many Indian restaurants andIndian takeaway Ryde and in other cities. An Australian hotel industry website lists around 230 Indian restaurants operating just in Melbourne! You can imagine how fast the craze for Indian food is growing!

Australia’s Favourite Indian Dishes

The most favorite Indian dishes of Australians consist of Butter Chicken and Beef Vindaloo. Vegetarians go for Veg Korma and Dhal (lentils) which are always popular in India. Australians generally liked their spices low, but now have become more adventurous in exploring the Indian flavor. Recently many Australians participated in a question on Quora deciding Australia’s most loved Indian Dishes. It turned out Indian bread called Naan and rice preparations like Pulao and Jasmine Rice are much preferred. The Kiwis also like to order quick and delicious Indian snacks like Samosas, Bhajjis, Pappadams from Indian takeaway Ryde which they enjoy heavily. Items like Chicken Tandoori, Chicken Tikka, Lamb Rogan Josh, Veg and Chicken Korma are also hugely popular. 

The New Trend in Indian Dishes

Indian restaurants have been successful in making their place in Australia since the 1970s. But recently the trend has shifted towards bringing in the regional dishes of India to Australia. Most of the restaurants are owned by Indians who are now experimenting with the traditional Indian recipes. Special dishes from various parts of the country are being introduced in a completely new form and heightened taste by the magic of Indian chefs. You can find special South Indian or North Indian food and also specialties of other regions.

Rise in Popularity of Home Cooked Indian Food

The supermarkets in Australia now stock Indian spices and ingredients. You will also find ready to make sauces where you just need to add the meat or vegetables. Now you can have the pleasure of indulging in the original Indian taste right at your home!

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Have You Tasted These 5 Amazing Indian Traditional Dishes?

India has been the land of spices and flavor from the beginning of its civilization. Indian food is famous all over the world and every Indian restaurant in Sydney becomes crowd packed in the evenings for their delicious dishes. Today we are going to list 5 lip smacking traditional Indian dishes that you must try at least once in your life.

Biryani

A recipe cooked by the Mughals is now popular everywhere in the world. Marinated meat is prepared in aromatic rice flavoured by different spices including saffron and turmeric. It is cooked for a long time over low heat to achieve the mouth watering taste.

Ideal for: Big dinner parties and gatherings for a fulfilling meal.

Dhosa

This simple yet light dish from South India is also a craze in the country itself. An outer layering of rice batter is turned crispy and filled with vegetables like potato, carrot, etc. It is then rolled and served with traditional South Indian chutneys and Sambar.

Ideal for: Light yet filling breakfast, snacks or food on the go.

Gulab Jamun

Now a change of taste! We are talking about a yummy sweet which comes in a cute ball shape. It is made of dried milk and cooked in sugary syrup and served hot.

Ideal for: The perfect dessert or pop one anytime when you get the sugar rush!

Chicken Tandoori

Even the mention of chicken tandoori makes you drool! It is one of the most ordered dishes in any Indian restaurant in Sydney. Chicken is marinated for many hours in a paste made of curd, spices, and other ingredients. It is then traditionally roasted in a clay oven which renders its authentic flavor.

Ideal for: Great appetizer; also makes a lovely combination with drinks.

Palak Paneer

The Palak Paneer is one of the most favourite dishes for Indian vegetarians. Cottage cheese is cooked in a tasty curry of tender spinach and other spices to create a unique dish. It is tossed up with onions, cumin and ginger in the end. Order yourself a plate next time you visit an Indian restaurant in Sydney.

 Ideal for: Forms a nice pair with rice or can be eaten with bread. 

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