Food In India

Indian cuisine is a specialized art and it would be wrong to say that only rice and curry constitutes the Indian staple. The reason being that cuisine in India not only differs from region to region but may even differ from household to household! Curry made anywhere in India is gravy but the interesting fact is that there are over 500 variations of it in the country. Chillies give a distinct flavour to Indian food but surprisingly it is not a vegetable originally native to India. Another interesting bit of information is that some of the great culinary traditions of India originated in the royal courts of the Mughals. The delicious Mughlai food is always meat- based. The tandoor or clay oven is a great Indian innovation used to make delicious dishes. It is used as a stove and has made its way to other shores as well. Delicacies prepared using a tandoor can be tasted in restaurants all over the country.

The cooking styles and flavours of every region of India is unique and differs from each other. While Kashmir is famous for its 24-course banquet- the Wazwan; coastal Goa, Kerala and Bengal specialize in fish, seafood and coconut-based dishes. Gujarat and Tamil Nadu are the best states to taste vegetarian specialities. Bengal, Bikaner and Delhi are particularly famous for sweets. Such is the diversity available in Indian cuisine that it is not possible for a tourist to taste all Indian delicacies in a single visit to the country.

Continental, Chinese and western cuisines are easily available in many restaurants of India. Some restaurants, particularly those in the metros also specialise in speciality cuisines such as Thai, Spanish, French, Mexican, Italian, South Asian and Mediterranean. Tourists need not go only to the restaurants in starred hotels, several stand-alone restaurants in towns and cities also offer a range of cuisine. (See individual city sections for details.)

Train Compartment India | Recent Trends in Travel | Money Matters | Travelling By Air | India By Rail | India By Road
Business Travel | Indian Mission Overseas | Accommodation | Special Interest Tourism | Food In India | India Tourism Offices
On Arrival into India | Topography and Seasons | Customs | Etiquette and Customs | Map of India