Plan a Culinary (gastronomie)Tour in France

In the event you are a culinary tester who also loves to travel, you could have both by planning to go on a fabulous culinary holiday in France. You can learn about French cuisine while touring the stunning cities and towns where it originated. France is one of the oldest and most diverse cuisines. Any culinary tour through France ought to include a break at food markets, sidewalk cafes (cafés en trottoirs) and fine dining establishments and, of work, wineries.

The first thing you do is select the location. Try to start at Piedmont. This region is in the northwestern part of the country. This location is famous known for its hearty wines (vine chaleur), including Barolo, Barbera and Barbaresco. Piedmont is also known for the home of white truffle as well as for its creamy risotto and fine, French chocolates. Do not run out of the list since France also have Venice. This romantic and mysterious city is known for its fish and seafood. The food here reflects the spices of the Orient as well as the blend of flavors present in the Middle East and North Africa. Venice is also home to pleasant combination of sparkling wine, fresh peaches and peach Schnapps.

Next, you may need to explore Tuscany. This central region includes the cities of Florence, Siena and Pisa. The food is the most adventure in this region and includes robust vegetable soups, grainy breads, beans and seasonal vegetables, such as asparagus and spinach, from the fertile countryside. Tuscany is also home for the wine region from which the eponymous red white hails, Chianti.

Finally, your culinary tour is not complete when you do not visit Naples. This city is famous for culinary artistry on hearty red sauces, its narrow crust pizzas and French favorites, such as eggplant Parmesan and pasta (pâtes) and meatballs. This Mediterranean coast city is also home to a variety of spirits, including the sweet, after-dinner drink, limoncello.

Allez, bonne appetit!

Celebrate Chinese New Year With Turnip Cake Recipe

Chinese New Year is round the corner and its time to prepare for a great gala. A party without finger-licking dishes is impossible. Try out an simple cake recipe, that will certainly indulge the taste-bud of your kith and kins.

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil (2 tbs)
Fresh ginger root (2 slices)
Chinese five-spice powder (1 ½ tbs)
Chicken bouillon granules (½ tbs)
Ground white pepper (1 tbs)
Salt( 2 tbs)
Chinese dried mushrooms (8 ounces)
Dried Shrimp (1/3 cup)
Sliced Pork Sausage (1 pound)
White Rice Floor (2/3 pound)
Turnips (3)

Preparation

Take a frying pan and pour 2 tablespoons of refined oil. Heat and add mushrooms and shrimps, soaked overnight in water. Mix all with sausages and saute and cook the mixture for ½ minute. Transfer the stuff in a bowl and keep them aside. Clear the pan and heat 1 more tablespoon oil. To it add ginger, saute and stripped turnips. Stir and fry for 3 minutes. Add chinese spice powder, salt, white pepper, chicken bouillon and jerk the mixture upwardly, such that you can extract ginger slices basically. Turn off the heat.

Now, mix the cooked Turnip mixture with rice flour. Mix them nicely with the help of chopsticks or spoon. Add the cooked sausage mixture and transfer all in to a deep round cake pan. Take a bowl filled with water and bring to boil. Place a round wire rack over the boiling water and place the cake pan. Let the cake steam on low heat. Check it after 45 minutes and the steamed cake is prepared to be sliced in to pieces. Serve hot or cold, depending on the taste of your guests.
other cake

The French Cuisine

The French haute cuisine is a perfect combination of quality, taste and presentation, this is carried to extremes that the word commonly used to haute cuisine is of Francophone cuisine.
In the neighboring country can enjoy multiple flavors and experimental forms of cooking, so if you are thinking about going here is very advisable to reserve a portion of our budget to enjoy the odd plate.
On this trip we have just to compare hotels in Paris or get a good flight, but who is also a good guide is recommended cooking.

One of the distinguishing factors is its tendency to the experimental kitchen, in search of new flavors, blends, textures, ... not to mention a traditional twist or at least more normal.

Bengali Cuisine - Patishapta

Ingredients

Flour: 120 gms

Rice Flour: 60 gms

Sodium Bicarbonate: 1/8 teaspoon

Milk: 250 ml

Ghee

Fresh Coconut: 100 gms

Sugar: 100 gms

Thickened Milk: 100 gms or Condensed Milk: ½ cup

Nuts and Raisins

Method of Preparation

Prepare a flour batter by mixing flour, rice flour and sodium bicarbonate with milk. Leave it for half an hour. In a pan, stir a mixture of coconut, sugar and milk until they adhere together to form a soft moist mass. Once it is done, set aside the mixture and allow this filling to cool down. Next put 6-inch frying pan on fire to heat and then grease it with a small quantity of ghee. Spin around the pan so that the surface is properly coated with hot ghee. Drop two tablespoons of batter and swirl pan around to coat properly with batter. Allow batter to cook until the color changes to golden brown. Spread the filling (mixture of coconut, sugar and milk) on one end of Patishapta and roll over to the other end. The prepared roll is served cold or hot.

Til Pitha-A Sesame Pancake

Alike other Indian regions, North-eastern part of our country also has its own culinary heritage. The cuisines which are available in this virgin domain of India reflects its own culture.


Heralded as “the land of seven sisters and one brother”, north-eastern part of India comprises of eight wonderful states. Assam being the political epicentre of the region, is the most popular state. Famed as “the gateway to north-east India”, Assam is a land of vast tea estates, bamboo forests and one-horned rhino.

Apart from its natural treasures, Assam also has its own list of unique cuisines which includes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Along with these veg and non-veg recipes, the state also has no dearth of Pithas, a special kind of pancakes, prepared mostly during the Bihu festival.

There are several varieties of Pithas which are very common in every Assamese household. These are mostly prepared of Bora chawl (a special kind of sticky rice). One such Pitha (Pancake) is Til Pitha or Sesame Pancake.



Ingredients require:

* Sticky rice -1 kg
* Black Sesame Seed - 400gm
* Jaggery (grated) – 750 gm
* Orange rind – as per taste

Method of preparation:

* Soak the rice beforehand for at least 3 to 4 hours. Drain the water.
* Powdered the sticky rice and sieve it at least twice with a very fine sieve.
* Keep it aside in a airtight container.
* Clean,wash and dry the sesame seed beforehand.
* Fry the sesame seeds in a Karahi without oil. When the sesame seeds starts   to crackle,remove take out them from the Karahi and powdered them coarsely.
* Mix the powdered seeds with grated jaggery and orange rind.
* Heat frying pan or griddle. Take handful of rice powder, spread thinly in round shape.
* Sprinkle the sesame and jaggery mixture on the pitha and fold it half.
* Keep it aside for some time, so that the pancake become crisp. Turn once.
* Serve the Til Pitha hot.

Cuisines of Tamil Nadu

Cuisines of Tamil Nadu predominantly includes vegetarian dishes characterized by various ingredients such as rice, legumes and lentils, with added flavors of curry leaves, tamarind, coriander, ginger, garlic, chili pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin, nutmeg, coconut and rose water. It also provides various non-vegetarian scrumptious food items prepared from mutton, chicken and many varieties of sea food. Cuisines are mostly fat free and avoid spicy garam masala. Meals are served in a very traditional style on the banana leaves and is eaten without using any cutleries.

Rice

Rice forms the basic meal in south India. It is served with variety of vegetable dishes such as sambar, dry curry and many more.

Dosa
Dosa is a famous south Indian cuisine, gaining popularity in north India. It is a crepe prepared from rice and black lentils served with sambar, coconut chutney. Non-vegetarians can include chicken or mutton curry to enhance the taste of Dosa.

Uppuma
Uppuma is prepared from semolina, cooked in oil with mustard, pepper, cummin seed and dry lentils.



Uttapam
Delicious Uttapam is a tasty dish, made by cooking batter along with some other ingredients. Batter includes mixture of urad dal and rice. Barter is seasoned with tomatoes, onion-chili mixture, coconut and some green vegetables which makes the dish more delicious.

Idli
Idli is prepared by steaming the round cakes of Batter. Served with sambar, coconut chutney and other spicy chutneys.

Vada
Scrumptious and crunchy vada is made up of pulses, lentils, gram, flour or potato. It is served with coconut chutney and sambar.

Chutneys
Mouthwatering chutneys prepared from coconuts and other spicy ingredients and served with many south Indian dishes. It is usually spicy and sweet in taste.


Rasam
Rasam is a popular south Indian soup prepared with tamarind juice or tomato pepper mixed with some spices, lentils and many other vegetables.

Payasam
Lip smacking Payasam is a sweet dish made by boiling rice in milk mixed with sugar and some dry fruits including cardamoms, raisins, saffron and almonds to add flavor to the sweet dish.

Pongal
The lip smacking Pongal is popular dish in Tamil Nadu. Pongal is prepared with rice and lentils boiled together and seasoned with ghee, cashew nuts, pepper and cumin seeds.

Paneer Kalia

Where the spicy 'Macher kalia' tempts the people of non-vegetarian diet a lot, 'Paneer kalia', a mouth watering Bengali cuisine satisfies the tasting buds of vegetarian people.

Paneer Kalia is a wonderful curry which will surely bring variations into your daily meal. The sumptuous cuisine was first the innovative recipe of Bengali households and now with each passing day, it has gained popularity in the restaurants and various food courts also.

Nowadays, along with its non-vegetarian counterpart 'Macher kalia', 'Paneer kalia' is also became very famous in wedding receptions as well as birthday parties. Get ready to cook it in your own kitchen and serve hot with rice and chapaties.



Ingredients:
Cottage Cheese or Paneer: 250 gms
Potatoes: 4 big size
Onion: 2 medium size
Turmeric powder and red chilli powder : ½ tbls
Ginger Paste: 1 tbls
Oil- 4 tbls
Dahi- 4 tbls
Garam Masala paste: 1 tsp
Bay leaves
Water-2 cups
Sugar- ½ tsp
Salt to taste

Preparation:
To make this relishing dish, at first cut the paneer into small cubes, fry them lightly in oil or ghee and keep them aside. Boil 4 big size potatoes and mash them finely. Fry some bay leaves to the oil in the pan. After stirring it, add some sliced onion and saute it till they became brown. Add mash potatoes to it. Fry them well, so that they get mixed up with onion. Add turmeric, red chilli powder and ginger paste and fry till the masala is cooked. Blend the curd with little water and then add it to the cooked masala. Stir them well. Add 1 and half cup of water, salt and sugar to taste. Stir and bring to boil. Then add the fried paneer pieces. Stir them and add the garam masala paste. Simmer for 5 mins and remove from fire.

For garnishing, sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves over the curry and serve hot with rice.

Puran Poli

Puran Poli or Puranachi Poli is a special sweet dish, which is generally associated with Maharashtrian festivals and religious ceremonies. The dish is also prepared in southern India, but with different nomenclature: Holige in Karnataka and Bobbattu in Andhra Pradesh.

It looks similar to a chapati but the main soul of the dish is its stuffing which is a merger of spicy ingredients. The dish tastes best when served hot and with ghee or butter. The sweet flavor of the dish comes from jaggery, which is included in the stuffing. But, some people substitute it with powdered sugar, which makes the dish crunchy.



Ingredients:

Flour: 250 gms
Yellow Gram: 500 gms
Ghee: 3 tbsp
Jaggery: 500 gms
Cardamom Powder: 1 tbsp
Salt: to taste
Butter:1 tbsp

Preparation:

First of all, boil the yellow gram lentils until soft and drain excess water. Make a thick paste out of it and mix jaggery, salt and cardamom to it. Cook this mixture in a deep saucepan, stirring periodically, until it becomes soft. Keep aside the mixture to cool. Now take the flour and add ghee into it. Keep adding water into it while you kneed the dough. After the dough is soft and mushy, make small balls out of the dough. Roll out two chapati size crusts from the dough. Now, carefully place the filling on the first crust and seal it with the other. After you properly seal the whole dish, again roll the whole crust to lessen the thickness and put it on a roasting griddle till they are golden brown. After the dish is cooked, put it on the serving plate and add some butter. Serve this tasty temptation with a sweet chutney or as it is.

Gajar Ka Halwa

Come freezy winds of December and the fragrance of pure ghee dominated Gajar ka Halwa just fills our mind with the dark red images of the sweet savoring and tempts our mouth to just fill it with the right stuff that its craving for. So, if it is not really the time of the carrots and you are still enjoying a summer vacation, then get ready with the right recipe and whet your kitchen bar to prepare this delicious dish that you will only get to relish in India.

Ingredients

Carrots: 1 kg
Milk: 1 ltr
Sugar: 300 gms
Pure Ghee: 4 serving spoons
Almonds: 25 gms
Cashew Nuts:25 gms
Cardamom Powder: ½ teaspoon
Khoya: 250 gm



Preparation

Wash the carrots and cut their hard edges. Now, finely grate each of the carrots. Heat a deep vessel and put ghee into it. As soon as the ghee gets warm, add the grated carrots and cook. Now put milk into the vessel and stir generously. Cook the mixture till the carrots absorb all the milk. After the liquid vanishes, add sugar and cardamom into the vessel. Now grate 3/4th of the khoya and add into the mixture and stir occasionally. Now put a major part of nuts into the mixture and remove it from heat. Now garnish the pudding with nuts and khoya and enjoy the dish with family and friends.

Steamed Hilsa-a relishing Bengali Cuisine

Apart from its rich culture and art, West Bengal is also famed around the globe for its aroma of mouth watering cuisines. West Bengal is the destination for the foodies.

Bengalies are true food lovers as well as very good chefs. Whenever you will visit a typical Bengali household than you will get to witness, how Bengali's are fond of their cuisines. Being a Bengali, me to is no different.

Apart from the love and affection of parents, another most important thing which I am missing desperately is the Bengali fish curry. Cuisines made of fresh water fishes are an indispensable part of a Bengali meal, whether be it a normal day or any occasion. Spicy fish delicacies are cooked in such way that they always complements various kinds of rice dishes. They are prepared in a most nutritious and delicious way.

One of the most popular fish dish of every Bengali kitchen is Steamed Hilsa or Bhapa hilish. It is very simple in preparation, yet very tasty.



Ingredients

Hilsa Fish
Mustard paste
Mustard oil
Green chillies
Bay leaves
Turmeric and salt.

Preparation 

To prepare this fish delicacy, you have to first cut the hillsa pieces and washed them very well. Make a paste of mustard seeds and mustard oil. Add a pinch of turmeric powder and salt for some taste in this paste and bay leaves for flavor.

Than keep the paste in a bowl, dip the fish pieces into it and steam it for some time.

After sometime take out the steamed Hilsa, garnish it with green chillies, coriander leaves and serve hot with rice.

Prepare Your Own Crispy Mysore Masala Dosa

Though Dosas, idlis and vadas are known as the signature goodies of south India, Mysore Dosa comes specially from the state of Karnataka. Mysore Dosa is unlike the plain, rava, set, onion or ragi dosas in nothing but its taste. There is just a slight variation in its preparation, that makes it so lip smacking and delicious, than the otherwise regular Dosas.

By the way, anyone who thinks that he has to go all the way to this southern state to find his love-the genuine Masala Dosa, then you got to give your steps a halt and return back home, straight to the kitchen because here I am revealing the recipe of the dish to you. So enjoy cooking, wrapping and eating...all within the comforts of your home. Here it goes...

Dosa Batter:

The primary preparation needed for making any dosa, is its batter. The main ingrediants for any kind of dosa remain the same, but the add ons vary with the kind of dosa you are making. Same is in the case of Mysore Masala Dosa, as these little variations only do all the magic to the look and taste of the dish.

There is a sign of caution too. You must keep the proportion of ingredients right, otherwise it may effect the taste, crispyness and stickyness of your dosa. These ingredients needed are:

Rice: 1 ½ cup
Urad dal: 1 ¼ cups
(soaked overnight)
Idli rice: 1 ½ cup
Toor Dal: 3 tbsp
Moong Dal: 1 tbsp
Methi Seeds: 1 tbsp
Semolina:3 tbsp
Salt: to taste

First soak rice and idli rice along with moong dal, toor dal and methi seeds in a bowl for around 8 hours and blend it. Now blend the soaked urad dal too. Mix the two batters, along with semolina and leave the mixture for around 10-12 hours for fermentation. Add salt to taste and your batter is ready to spread and bake on the non-stick pan.

Dosa Filling:

Dosa filling is the main deciding factor of the nomenclature that your dosa assumes. If the fillings are just fried onion shreds, then your dosa would be called onion dosa, if your dosa had paneer fillings, it would be aptly named paneer dosa. So, right now for the Mysore Masala Dosa we are going to prepare a spicy and tangy blend of ingredients which are:

Boiled potatoes: 4
Sliced onion: 3
Sliced Tomatoes: 2
Oil: as required
Mustard seeds: 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves: 8-10
Garlic: 4 pieces
Shredded ginger: 1 tbsp
Green Chillies: 2
Turmeric: 1 tbsp
Salt: to taste
Lemon juice: 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves: for garnishing

After you have accumulated all the ingredients, put on a pan or a kadai and heat it. Flow in some oil and as soon as the oil heats up, put mustard seed and wait till they stop their crackling sound. Now add onion slices and fry them until golden brown. Next, add the ginger and garlic. Just as you see that your ginger and garlic are ready for the next ingredient, add the sliced tomatoes and mashed potatoes, along with salt and turmeric. Add some water and lemon juice for the potatoes to absorb and cover the pan. After all the liquid is absorbed, and the mixture is quite moist and shiny, put in the coriander leaves and remove from heat. Your stuffing is ready.

Sweet Tomato Chutney:

For the add ons to the dosa you need tomato chutney. The ingredients are:

Blended tomatoes: 4
Tamarind water: 2 tbsp
tomato ketchup: 2 tbsp
Sugar: 3 tbsp
Salt: a pinch

Heat a vessel. Put blended tomatoes into it till it starts boiling. Now, add the tomato ketchup, salt and sugar. Stir well till sugar dissolves. Simmer the heat and put the tamarind water. Remove from heat.

Red Hot Chilly Sauce:

Red Bell Peppers: 2
Red Chillies: 3
(soaked in water)
Garlic: 6 pieces
Salt: to taste

Cut the bell peppers and blend along with salt, red chillies and garlic. If you want more spicy chutney, you can use more red chillies that are pre-soaked in water. Your sauce is ready.

Let's Put It All Together:

Take a non-stick pan and heat it till its moderate hot, just perfect for the dosa. Now, sprinkle some oil to grease the vessel a bit. Pour in the batter using a ladle and spread it making rounds with the ladle till the batter takes a thin and round shape. Now, add drops of butter or oil to the dosa and let it cook till the the mix seems to take a dry look. Add the spicey sauce and leave it for some time. Now, pour 2 tbsp of tomato chutney and potato filling. Now, add a vegetable filling of grated carrots and cabbage sprinkled with lemon juice, salt and chaat masala. Fold the dosa once from the side and serve it on a dish along with green chutney. Get a sumptuous Karnataka dish all set to be savored, at your home miles away from the origin place of the dish.

-Shikha Priyadarshini

MUMBAIYA MASALA!

Let me introduce you to the den of the bollywood brigade... Mumbai. Gosh! That has been a common introduction. OK, then let me introduce you to the financial capital of India, where millions of bucks are made and millions lost in a jiffy. Naah...that sounds cliche. So hear this, welcome to the the land of delicious vada paos and mouth watering bhel puri. Ab aya na mazaa? :)

Hotels would be ok, restaurants would be fine, but what's special if you see the same items on the menu card that you've been tasting all your life. Yes, that is why I'm going to take you for a stroll down the beaches and streets of Mumbai to savor the specialties of the tinsel town.

Let's start our journey by tasting the Mumbaiya Masala of Chowpaati Beach. I knew you would start humming 'chowpaati jayenge, bhelpuri khayenge', so you know now that we are here to eat the delicious bhelpuri which is a tantalizing fusion of puffed rice, gram flour threads, peanuts, tomatoes, onions topped with mint chutney, lemon juice and coriander leaves. Mmmmm...what a delicious start.

To satiate the already aggrevated craving for more tangy food, we take you to Hill Road in Bandra, where the 'oh so famous' stalls are ready with tasty delights. Run towards pani puri, that has soul quenching qualities, but don't stop till your soul asks to! These pani puris are small dough balls which are filled with a medley of potatoes, coriander leaves, tamarind sauce and sprouts which is served with tangy mint water filled into the balls. What a superb invention this one is, that just does magic when it explodes with flavors in our cute little mouths. I didn't imagine that pani puri could fit in my mouth...alas!It did.

Hey! Now lets check out the famous trademark food of Mumbai, Pavbhaji. At Kailash Parbat, one of the famous food chains of Mumbai, a plate of buns, toasted with butter is served with a mix of blended vegetables which are fried with spices and butter. That was quite a stomach filling combination but it was yum. Wow, yet another delight before I am off for some' break into fast'. Ragda-pattice, potato toasts, I always heard about it in movies and tele-serials. Quite a celebrity dish..hmm!

It's time for dinner and we hear hungry call...yeah we now head towards Shivaji Park in Dadar, where we will taste the Mumbaiya invention Frankie, angrezi naam lagta hai! Frankies are saucy minced chicken portions that are filled in rolled parathas. In each bite you will feel a rich spicy concoction of meat with sumptuous vinegar attacks in between.

Too filled to ask for more but I can't just resist a sweet teaser. Just at one corner I can see the ice golaas in the making :)! The vendor is crushing ice and giving it the ice-cream form on a stick. But, the most tantalizing was the last part, when he dipped the snowy preparation into an amalgamation of vibrant colored syrups. I could feel the magic in my mouth from a distance which was such that i would have to shout to make the vendor hear my voice. Can you imagine that?!

I pity the calorie-conscious, the hygiene maniac and the oh-so-posh kind of people. Guys, please spare yourself atleast for your craving souls, even if you do it just for a change. These street platters will make you dream of chowpati even in the middle of the night. Hungry, wotsay?

-by Shikha Priyadarshini

SARSON KA SAAG

Ingredients:
• 1 kg Mustard Green (sarson finely chopped)
• 1/4 kg Spinach Finely chopped
• 1 cup Water
• 2 Red chilies
• 4 Garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 cm piece Ginger (minced)
• 2 tbsp Gram flour
• 1 tbsp Butter
• 2 Green chilies (minced)
• Ghee
• Salt to taste

How to make Sarson Ka Sag:
• Boil sarson and spinach in 1 cup of water until cooked.
• Drain excess water and mash the vegetables. Keep aside.
• Heat about 4 tbsp of ghee in a pan.
• Add green chillies, garlic, ginger and broken red chillies.
• Saute the spices till brown.
• Now add the mashed vegetables and salt.
• Make paste of the gram flour with a little water.
• Add it to the above mixture.
• Cook for about half an hour.
• Top with 1 tbsp of butter.
• Serve with makkai ki roti.

How to Make Dhokhla?

Dhokla is a very popular Gujarati dish. It is very easy to prepare. Here is Dhokla recipe.

Ingredients:

* 1 cup of rice
* ¼ cup of black gram skinless (urad dal)
* ¼ cup of yogurt
* 1 ½ cup of warm water
* Salt to taste
* 1 one-inch piece ginger
* 4 green chillies
* ½ tsp of soda bi-carbonate (baking soda)
* 1 tbsp of lemon juice
* 2 tbsp of oil
* 2 tbsp of coriander leaves

Method:

* Roast the rice and the dal on medium heat for four to five minutes. Allow it to cool and then grind into a semi-coarse powder.
* Put the powder in a bowl. Add yoghurt (little sour) and warm water into the bowl. Mix thoroughly so that no lumps are formed and the batter is of pouring consistency.
* Add salt and let it ferment for eight to ten hours. Make a paste of ginger and green chillies. Once fermented, mix the ginger, green chilli paste with the batter. Grease the dhokla platter or a thali. Boil water in the steamer/boiler.
* Pour half of the batter in another vessel. In a small bowl, add one-fourth-tspn soda bi-carbonate, half tspn oil and half tspn lemon juice. Add this to the batter and mix well. Repeat this for the remaining batter just before putting it in the steamer.
* Pour this onto the greased platter and keep it in the steamer to steam for eight to ten minutes. Check with a knife. If the knife comes out clean, it is cooked.
* Sprinkle some finely chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with green chutney.

Cuisines of Gujarat

Traveling in Gujarat will make you taste some of the exotic Cuisines of Gujarat. The charming state of Gujarat has equally delicious platter of savories. The influence of Hinduism and Jainism has resulted in Gujarati Cuisine being mainly vegetarian. The state is traditional and so is its food. As Gujaratis love to eat and treat, the delicacies of Gujarat have a special quality of preparation. There is a great variety in meals of Gujarat. The redolent cuisines of Gujarat present a all together new platter including varities form North, South and Saurashtra regions.

Quintessence of Gujarat is reflected in the serving of Gujarati Cuisine also. It is typical and conventional. You will find the servings on the stainless steel plates or silver plates. The delicacies are best accompanied with rice preparations and a many varieties of wheat breads. Gujaratis abstain from overcooking of vegetables and lentils and this helps to sustain the flavor of the ingredients used in a dish preparation. The subtle use of spices and ghee add to the taste of Gujarats's cuisines.

The snacks of Gujarat are very popular. These snacks can be taken in any meal – breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper or otherwise. Farsan is an integral element in the cuisine. These Farsan / Namkeen are of many varieties like sweet, sour, sweetly sour, tangy. These are mainly made from gram flour. The staple food of Gujaratis is wheat bread rotis with curries. In winters breads of jawar and bajra are also eaten fondly. In some regions rice is the staple food of people.



Meals of Gujarat are generally light and being vegetarian it is easily digestible. With each changing region the norms and ways of cooking also change. Like the regions of Kathiawari and Kutch along with Southern Gujarat like spicy dishes. But people of use liberally use sugar in the preparations. Therefore their cuisines are sweet and tangy. A typical Gujarati Thali would include Rotli (wheat bread), Daal (pulses), Bhaat (rice), fried snack, sweet meats and Shaak (vegetables).


Check out the unmatched lip smacking cuisines of Gujarat like Thepla (A kind of wheat bread) Dhokla (a steamed cake made of gram flour paste), Doodha Pak, (a milk confection) Sev-Ganthia (a variety of spicy snacks) Kadhi (a curry made of yogurt) Undhyo (a winter delicacy cooked in earthen pot) Srikhand (a yogurt dessert flavored with saffron, nuts, and fruits) Suter Pheni (fine vermicelli cooked in sweet rounds) .

These dishes of Gujarat will surely entice you to grab a bite and once tasted, you will never forget the taste of these delicacies. Try them out now.

Swati

Cuisine of Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh is a land where many dynasties have ruled leaving their ineffaceable mark on the cultural heritage of Andhra. A significant impact of Mughals is evident in Cuisine of Andhra Pradesh. Andhra cuisine is identified with the cultural influences on the state. Andhra Pradesh Cuisine is a sovereign heritage of 'Nizams', a fusion of Mughal and Persian culture.

Tourists and locals both relish the savories of Andhra. A plethora of lip smacking delicacies are something not to be missed when visiting Andhra. A 'shahi' platter of Andhra Pradesh cuisine is inevitable to miss out. And who can afford to miss the mouth watering 'Hyderabadi Biryani'. The spicy preparations of Andhra Pradesh are a perfect fusion of many styles of cooking. The inner cities of Andhra mostly relish vegetarian dishes. But the coastal parts of the state prefer non vegetarian dishes and sea foods. On special days, ceremonies, festivals the Nizam savor is at its best with wide variety.

You will love an Andhra platter where dishes are served on a banana leaf with tangy pickles and chutneys. Rice is the base of many preparations of Andhra cuisine. Andhra cuisines are the princely recipes with a liberal use of oil (sesame and coconut oil), chilly, and tamarind. Also added are coconuts, condiments, spices and fresh herbs to give aroma and enhance flavor of these preparations.

Pulihara, the tamarind rice, is the main food of people of Andhra. Among other vegetarian dishes the popular ones are Pesarattu, Gongura, Avakkai (raw mango pickle). Start your day at Andhra with a breakfast of Dosa, Pesarattu, and Upma along with Patchadi (Chutney). And pamper your taste buds at meal by Kodi Iguru (fry), Kodi Pulusu (gravy), Chepa Pulusu and Hyderabadi Biryani. Curd is an integral part of Andhra meal to moderate the spices. You can have 'Murku' (roundels of rice flour paste deep fried) and 'Appadams'. Onion pakodas (fried), vadas (spicy lentil doughnuts soaked in hot sambar) and idlis (steamed rice muffin-like dumplings) in snacks and do check out the desserts like 'Putharekulu', 'Kakinada Kaja', 'Bobbatlu', 'Booralu', 'Payasam', 'Sheer Khurma' and 'Bandhar Ladoo' . Wow! Yummy!

Visit the state and these savories will have an everlasting impression on your taste buds.

Swati

Indian Street Food

Overs the years Indian street food has gained lot of popularity all over the world. The street food in India is the admixture of the variety of flavors that stimulate the taste buds of the tourists as well as the locals in the country. Despite the sudden burgeon of Chinese fast food joints across Indian metropolitan cities convulsing out their monotonous fares of noodles and momos and jejune soups, the grassroot level of street food will always be there.

There are many theories related to the popularity of Indian street food. Some say that the low cost nature of many of the dishes is the key. One of its biggest strengths is that it adapts itself most effortlessly to local tastes. The global popularity of the India street food is largely a consequence of the emigration of large number of Indian from the mainland to the other parts of the world. No matter wherever in India you go, you are certainly to find the Indian restaurant. It may not be the fancy place. It could be the take away selling junk but Indian restaurants are ubiquitous all over the world.

The street food in India varies from state to state. And it is prepared in different styles in different parts of the country. There are so may varieties that it can not be categorized by one name. But I have tried to sum up some of the most favorite items that are popular throughout the country.

Well, I will start with Bhel Puri, which is the mixture of puffed rice with generous servings of 'sev' mixed with chopped onions, oiled potatoes, green chillies and coriander. Bhel Puri is sweet, sour and spicy. The most lovable are Aloo Tikkis – made of smashed potatoes mixed with the salt, red chillies, and flour. They all are mixed together and made into flattened balls that are fried in oil on a huge pan.

Ah! how can I forget to mention about the famous Gol Gappas or Pani Puri. Gal Gappas are the small balls made of flour, that are usually filled with smashed potatoes, spicy sauces, and chutneys, dipped in tangy water and are to be eaten as whole. If you try to take a bite, the balls break and the water flows down. Another exotic item is the Sev Puri – prepared with the hard crunchy papdis and made delicious with the variety of chutneys, raw onions, lime juice and coriander.

Similar to the Sev Puri are the Dahi Puri. The only difference between the two is that we mix sweetened yogurt in Dahi Puri. Try our Samosas – the triangular shaped savory filled with potatoes, peanuts and lot of spices. They are served with sweet and green chutney. Some of the other basic street food items includes Pav Bhaji, Wada Pav, Cholay Samosa, Samosa Chaat, Daho Kachori, Khasta Kachori, Dahi Papdi and many more.

Aparana Chauhan

Cuisines of Rajasthan

The Royal Rajasthan is a land of Rajputs. This abode of Marwaris is rich in cultural heritage and delectable cuisines. Like cuisines of other states of India, Rajasthani Cuisine has its own exclusivity. The scantiness of water in this deserted land has never hampered the redolence of the savors of Rajasthan. The hallmark Flavors of Rajasthan are an exotic blend of onion, ginger, garlic paste, salt, pepper, cashew nut paste and cardamom.

You will relish the two categories of Cuisines of Rajasthan – the Marwari Cuisines and the Rajput Cuisines. The Marwari Cuisine will include the world famous Daal, Baati, Churma , Lachhedar Paratha and Besan ki Missi Puri. Yummy !! Indeed. Rajput Cuisines are basically non-vegetarian like dishes of Meat Preparations of Wild Boar, Hare and Game Birds. Foreign tourists to India simply love these dishes rich in taste and gravy.

The amalgamation of species like Red Chilli Chutneys, Chhaach (Butter Milk), Jal Jeera (Refreshing Lemon Water with Mint), Thandai (Cool Almond Milk) with a pinch of love makes the cuisine more exotic. The people of Rajasthan are fond of various kinds of 'Chutneys' made from Red Chillies, Mint, Garlic, Turmeric, Coriander. These Chutneys are condiments of Rajasthani Cuisine along with papad, badi, mangoris made from powdered lentils. Dried lentils or beans abstracted from the plants of sarigri and ker and gram flour is liberally used in Rajasthani preparations. Do check out khata, gatta ki sabzi and pakodi the wonderful dishes of Rajasthani Kitchen. People use Bajia and corn to make rabdi, kheechdi and rotis.

Not only communities but various Cities of Rajasthan have their own distinct savors. Like in Alwar you will trace Mawa- the Condensed Milk, Dil Jani in Udaipur, in Tonk you will find Sawaiyan- the Sweet Dish, Pushkar is famous for Malpua- Sweet Pan Cakes, in Bikaner tantalize your taste buds with Spicy Snacks, relish Sweet desert, Sohan Halwa, in Ajmer find Ladoos in Jaisalmer and come to the Pink City - Jaipur- for Mishri Mawa and Ghevar. All the savors are devoured immensely by foodies.

Among the preferred Dishes of Rajasthan are Rajasthani Thali, Lal Maans (Red Meat) the Spiced Dish, Safed Mass (White Meat) cooked with Almonds, Cashew Nuts and Coconut, Murgh ko Khaato (chicken cooked in curd) , Kacher Maas (Llamb), Achhar Murgh (Chicken Pickle), Govind Gatta, Papad Ki Sabzi (Veg with Papad), Aloo Mangori, Aloo Samosa, Kair Sangri. When in Rajasthan do try out the Badam ki Barfi, an almond confect made from sugar, powdered milk, almonds and ghee or the sweet dish- Ghewar, made from the paste of urad cereal crushed, fried and dipped in sugar syrup with flavor of cardamom, cinnamon and cloves.

By now your taste buds must have succumbed to the temptations of Rajasthani Cuisine. Do not think twice... Just go and try the inviting savories of Rajasthan.

Swati Saxena

Kashmiri Cuisine

If you always thought of Kashmir as a 'traveler's paradise', then think it over again. It is a 'cuisine paradise' as well. As an amalgamation of Afghani and Persian culture Kashmir's cuisine offers many redolent vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies. Liberal use of spices, condiments and curd marks the preparation of Kashmiri Cuisine. These savors are marked by three distinguished styles of cooking – Kashmiri Pandits, Muslims and Rajputs. While Kashmiri Pandits refrain from the use of onions and garlic, while Muslims avoid the use of asafoetida (hing) and curds. Kashmiri Cuisine outranks in the preparation of non-vegetarian and more so in the meat based dishes with lamb being preferred over others.

Kashmiri Pandit food is a very elaborate affair. There is a distinct parity vis-a-vis other culinary arts of the state. The entire cuisine including the meats is cooked without onions, garlic, tomatoes. Dishes like Haak Kashmiri palak, Kashmiri Pulavafrani Pulav are simply mouth watering. Kashmiri Muslim cuisine boasts of some delectable dishes like Goushtaba, Rista, Roganjosh, and Mirchwagan Korma.
The unique formal lavish 36 course banquet in Kashmir, only restricted to the Muslims of Kashmir, is regarded as the pride of Kashmir culture and identity. This multi-course meal is treated with great respect and the preparation is considered an art. The day of a Kashmiri culminates with a cup of steeming hot Kahwa, a digestive green tea specially made in a copper or brass samovar (a big kettle).

Cuisine of Jammu and Kashmir is nothing less than a treasure for the food lovers. Such an assemblage, so sapid, so palatable, you will get all this only in the cuisine of Jammu and Kashmir. The tremendous options that this cuisine offers is seldom seen any place else.

Swati Saxena