The first thing that comes to your mind when you hear Indian cuisine is definitely SPICES! The Natural Spices of India are loved and known worldwide. A country as large as India has so many states and regions. Each is diverse and different from the other. Be it the Vada Pav from the streets of Mumbai or the Kheer Kadam from Kolkata, the variety is endless. Indian food has a variety of flavours that come together in a single dish. In addition, there’s a lot of texture no matter how easy the dish is. However, there’s something special about Royal Indian cuisine.
Different regions and religions call for different eating habits. Some people are hard-core vegetarians while some just live on non-vegetarian food. Even foreign cuisines taste a lot different in India. For instance, the Chinese noodles you get on the Indian streets will have Indian spices and preparation. Our Indian Masala is what makes us stand out. Each region has their own unique blend of spices. In addition, how can one miss out on the essence of saffron in Indian dishes? Finally, the desi ghee! Any Indian dish is empty without the addition of pure desi ghee. That’s the secret to the flavourful foods of India.
The vast change in eating habits in every corner of India is shocking. While North Indians need their flatbread, South Indians get their energy from rice. All you need is a traditional Indian Thali and you are good to go! Be it the Dal or the curries, having them placed all around your Thali is the Indian way of eating. Indian sweets cannot be missed while talking about the Royal Indian cuisine. Each state has its own speciality! You are truly missing out if you haven’t had the Rasgullas of Kolkata.
What is Royal Indian Cuisine?
Well, Indian street food is something all of us have an idea of. What is the royal Indian cuisine though? India didn’t come to be what it is today post-1947. Indian culture is ancient. Our country has seen it all: civilisations, kings, invaders, colonialism and democracy. If you have seen period drama, you know how the Royals eat! The gorgeous palace had its royal kitchens serving the best food. We Indians know how to royally treat our guests at home.
Even today, every state has a variety of dishes that are credited to imperial times. For instance, how about the famous Hyderabadi Biryani? From the Royal Kashmiri food to the Mughal delicacies, India is a land where food lacks no variety. In fact, the Indian food industry thrives on its variety. The Kashmir Wazwan is extremely different from the Rajasthani Dal Baati Churma. There is absolutely no comparison between these two dishes.
Each royal dish has a well-thought name behind it too! Who hasn’t heard the words Shah and Nawabi used an endless amount of times in food dishes? However, the royal cuisine is only accessible to us due to five-star hotels and chefs. These chefs are particular about the ingredients as well the cooking methods.
Did you know that dumplings were a part of Indian cuisine too? A dish called the Mossuru Bhutti is a rice dumpling from the Chola cuisine. Awadhi cuisine is another popular yet underrated Indian cuisine.
Not a lot of Indians have an idea about the endless amount of Royal Indian cuisine which came from the Nawabs of Awadh. The chefs from Patiala’s royal household have over 140 recipes for just Pulao! Isn’t that shocking? Several cities in India have to date held their food heritage close in its most authentic form