Indian Palace Restaurant

Anyone who appreciates light, vegetarian recipes that taste good and original, are discovered, sooner or later the Indian cuisine. Especially the many spices give the vegetable and legume dishes their distinctive touch.

Vegetarians for religious reasons

Different than ours in India has a millennia-old tradition of vegetarianism. About 80 percent of Indians belong to the Hindu religion, which includes the belief in reincarnation. Therefore, an animal shelter the soul of a people. Killing animals is therefore unthinkable for many Hindus; to eat meat would be tantamount to cannibalism. Hindu monks strive even to crush not even an ant. Because of this long tradition has developed in India to cook without meat to a high art.

All kinds of vegetables

Though hardly in Indian cooking foods of animal origin are used, it is extremely versatile. In addition to hot curries and pulses in all its variations it offers a refreshing yogurt dishes and crispy pancake. The great diversity of the Indian diet results from the different customs of many ethnic groups: Sikhs from the Punjab to cook and eat differently than the Muslims of Uttar Pradesh. Hindus from Kashmir known as Syrian Christians in other specialties or Kerala Catholics from Goa. Beef is prohibited for the Sikhs, the Muslims do not eat pork, Hindus and reject all animal products from other than milk, but eat all the vegetables.

Diversity is a top priority

The Indian cuisine has an incredible variety of different vegetables and fruits. In addition to the known process for us carrots, tomatoes, beans, pumpkins and Indian coal, various green leaves and abundant fruit and starchy tubers like Jack fruit tree or yam. Even unripe chickpeas, papayas and mangoes are considered a delicacy in some regions. Just for eggplant there are at least 15 different methods of preparation, in which roasted the vegetables either, mashed, fried, boiled, stewed, grilled, stuffed, pickled, eaten hot or cold.

Rice is always there

Main component of each meal is rice. It is morning, noon and night eating. In India, several hundred varieties of rice are known, is especially popular in the north of the grown Basmati rice. We have also shelled it in health food stores and health food stores to buy. The rice is swollen with twice the amount of water for several hours and even then boiled and salted. He may still be lumpy, as he usually is eaten with the hands.

Fladen replace spoon

Besides rice simple Indian meals consist of chapatis and dal always. Chapatis are small, thin pita breads are baked from whole wheat flour and water on hot plates or pans. They are freshly prepared on the table and serve simultaneously as a bread substitute and spoon. Dal is a puree of cooked legumes, which is served as a sauce with your meals. Comes particularly in poor households in addition to rice almost exclusively Dal on the table. The puree is flavored with various spices cooked mostly from lenses, but also from beans and peas. Indian cooks prefer hulled and split yellow and red lentils, cook quickly. But also from all over the lenses can be produced delicious Dals, when she touches with sufficient water and swell as long as leaves until they fall apart. Peas and beans are also into dumplings, pancakes and delicious processed sweets.

For each dish its own spice mixture

Many people are shying away from the Indian cuisine, because it has the reputation for being very sharp. Indeed, dear Indians, particularly in the south, the fiery pungency of chili peppers. If you like it mild, you can prepare all meals with less or without chili. The other spices may be missing, however. What you do not need is for Indian cuisine, curry powder. This standard mixture is intended only for foreigners. An Indian cook makes her masala spice mixture that is always fresh and their fit together for each court. Caring for a typical Indian flavor especially Cuminkörner (cumin) and fennel seeds. They are often roasted and ground before they get into food. Cardamom is either cooked as green tea in capsule or rice or, in the form of individual seeds to the food. Also, cinnamon sticks, cloves, nutmeg, coriander seeds, ginger (dried and fresh), and sesame Kurkomapulver (turmeric) are needed for sweet and savory dishes. To preserve the flavor and the spices will not spoil as fast to keep the Indians in general, the whole seeds and capsules. It was not until just before using them in a mortar or a spice mill are crushed. Together with some rice or wheat, they can also grind the grain mill. Some spices can be found with us only in Asian stores. This includes black cumin (Kalazheera), black cumin (Kalonji), black mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida (asafoetida), which is produced from the resins of different roots and tubers has a strong truffle flavor.

Yogurt sweet and salty

Although in Hinduism cows are considered sacred and must not be slaughtered, their milk is considered a special treat. In addition to cow's milk, depending on the region also buffalo, goat, sheep and camel milk is distributed. Since fresh milk in the warm parts of the country not long will, it is processed mainly to yoghurt. The sour milk product is a component of savory dishes like sweet and is eaten both cold and warm. Mixed with water and ice cubes to lassi, yogurt is also a popular drink. For roasting, the Indians use either oil or ghee frequently, which is a clarified butter, in which the water is evaporated. Ghee can be readily replaced with butter or lard can also be prepared yourself.

Conclusion: The Indian cuisine has in times of ethnic food, especially for the makings of a cult of vegetarian food!

Source: www.dge.de