6 Indian Food Myths and Truths - What is True and What is Not?

Many first-timers to Indian food and cuisine carrycuisines of India include Udupi cuisine (from Karnataka),
age-old thoughts (read myths) about the food of India.North-eastern cuisine, Chettinad cuisine (from Tamil
In the article below, get to know the facts andNadu) and Marwari cuisine, to name a few.
background of some myths and some truths aboutIndian food = Chicken Tikka
Indian food.This is a popular myth made famous by ethnic Indians
All Indian food is spicyin England. Chicken Tikka was originally a Persian dish
Though Indian cooking is hot and spicier compared tobrought to India by the Mughals. This was later
European or Western cooking, there are many regionsadopted by the people of Punjab (in India and
in India where the food is bland, even sweet. If you toPakistan). They created their own version of Chicken
try something less-hot, go taste some Gujarati dishes.Tikka and took the recipe with them when many of
Gujarati cuisine has a touch of sweetness in almost allthem migrated and settled in Britain. Though it is highly
of its dishes. Traditional South Indian cooking (exceptpopular in UK, it is not so much in India where it has to
Andhra Pradesh) is generally less-spicier than othercompete with hundreds of other local dishes.
regions in India. Kashmiri cuisine also incorporatesIndian food is all about Curry
sweet tasting dishes in its menu. So when someoneCurry is something that was again made popular by
tells you Indian cooking is spicy, don't entirely believeBritish-South Asian ethnic groups. in While Curry
them.abroad may refer to a thick and spicy gravy dish, India
Indian food is only vegetariantakes a different meaning altogether. In South India,
This is partly true. Hindus, being the majority communityCurry may refer to a vegetable side-dish that is often
in India, are mostly vegetarian. However there are soserved with rice.
many different sub-sects with the Hindu religion, thatThese are generally fried vegetables without the
many of them follow their own food practices.gravy. Curry, in Tamil Nadu, South India actually means
Contrary to popular belief, many Indians aremeat - either as a gravy or as a fried dish. Origins of
meat-eaters and cook them well too. Chicken dishesBritish curry come from the Tamil word for Kari. In
are perhaps the most popular meat in India. Cow isNorth India and other popular forms of Indian cooking,
considered a sacred animal and is avoided by Hindusthe word curry is not as popularly used. Sabji or
though Muslims and Christians eat beef. Sea food isMasala are common terms for gravy dishes in Indian
also popular in coastal regions like Goa, Mangalore,cuisine.
Kerala, West Bengal and others.Indians eat food with their hands
There is no variety in Indian cookingSometimes shocking to a visitor to India is the practice
Many, especially foreigners and first time visitors toof eating food with hands. This is true as Indians
India, are of the opinion that Indian food doesn't haveconsider eating with their hands as tastier as well as
so much of choices. Indian cuisine is perhaps the mostritualistic. Also, most Indian dishes are difficult to be
varied food-culture in the world!eaten with forks and spoons. Many Indians today use
With more than 29 states (counties), each region intheir hands as well as forks & spoons.
India has its own unique style and flavor. Add to this,You will also find that in certain Indian regions, food is
the many ethnic groups that have their own recipesserved on a banana leaf or an areca nut leaf. These
for generations. While North Indian regions prefer Rotitraditions have been passed on to families since many
(Indian bread) as their staple dish, South India has ricegenerations and many modern Indian continue to follow
as a must in the daily menu. Some specialty regionalthen regardless of caste differences.