Discover the Truth behind the Indian Food Myths

There is certainly no denying the fact that whether you had your first date with the Indian food or have been its long time lover you surely can’t get enough of the dishes. However many people from Western cultures especially first-timers to Indian food, carry baseless age-old thoughts and mysteries about the food of India. Well, such myths vary from complexity of preparation to the healthiness of Indian meals and what not.

Well, let’s get to know some of the top Indian food myths and the real truth behind them:

 

All Indian Cuisines are spicy

Undoubtedly Indian cooking style is spicier than its Western counterparts, there are a lot of regions in India where the food is completely bland and even sweet. For instance Gujarati food is not at all spicy and possesses a touch of sweetness in almost all its dishes.  Then of course conventional South Indian cooking (except Andhra Pradesh) is usually less-spicier than other regions. Even Kashmiri food incorporates sweet tasting dishes in its menu. Thus, the above mentioned notion isn’t really true.

 

Indian Food preparation- Not everybody’s cup of tea

Due to its rich, complex flavors, Indian food appears to be extremely challenging to cook or difficult to cook well. A novice cook might find it hard to master the Indian cuisine, but that holds true for world’s other cuisines as well. As far as gaining expertise in cooking Indian foods is concerned you can start of by familiarizing yourself with the ingredients and the basic cooking techniques.

 

Indian food is primarily vegetarian

However this notion is slightly true as Hindus (the majority community in India) are mostly vegetarian but there are various different sub-sects with the Hindu religion who follow their own food practices.

Contrary to the common belief, many Indians are meat-eaters and brilliant cooks as well. Chicken dishes are perhaps the most sought after dishes in India. Cow is considered a sacred animal so beef is obviously avoided by Hindus.  Also the sea food is rage in the coastal areas like Goa, Kerala, West Bengal etc.

 

Indian Food is Unhealthy

Few Indian dishes do constitute a fair deal of oil but just like other dishes one can easily adapt the recipes to his own liking and taste. Moreover, rich, oily foods are not the sole options available on an Indian menu but are rather quite diverse. The style of cooking and ingredients vary from region to region and numerous dishes are also cooked using the healthy means of preparation like boiling, steaming, roasting etc. Apart from that there are various delicious and healthy Indian cuisines which enable you to have a guilt-free diet.

 

Indian food is all about Curry

A majority of foodies who are unfamiliar with Indian cuisine often believe curries to be synonymous with the cuisine. While curries are an integral part of the Indian cuisine, they account to a meager portion of the food available in India. Curry was actually popularized by British-South Asian ethnic groups. Also whereas Curry abroad refers to a thick and spicy gravy dish, in India it is completely different. In South India, Curry infers to a vegetable side-dish which is served with rice. In North, the word curry is not at all popular rather terms like Sabji or Masala are used for gravy dishes in Indian cuisine.