What is traditional Indian food?

Traditional Indian food is a roller coaster of wonderful spices and delicious flavors!

Eating habits of Indian culture are based on ancient culinary traditions. While many Indians are vegetarian, there are dishes that include meat such as chicken, beef, or lamb. Pork is often excluded due to religious requirements. India is a huge country, so traditional dishes variate depending on the region. Here in Shalimar, we love exploring many cultures of India creating different dishes for you to enjoy, and with our food delivery service, you can enjoy them in the comfort of your home! Now we will go over a few regions of India and their traditional dishes so you can have a better idea of what traditional Indian food is.

In south Indian cuisine, the different states offer their own delicious variants of meals. To get a better understanding of south Indian food, think about steamed, spiced, and coconut flavored dishes. One of their traditional breakfast items are paper-thin crepes made of fermented rice and/or lentil batter called Dosas and depending on how you serve them, their name can change. Masala Dosas are stuffed with mash potatoes and onion while Rava Dosas are made from semolina. It is usually accompanied by a delicious lentil soup called Sambar and coconut chutney! A popular dish for lunch/supper are Uttapams. A fermented rice and lentil batter is ladled on to griddle resulting in a fluffy and delicious pizza/pancake hybrid that can have different toppings such as tomato, onion, carrots, coconut, and more. Like most South Indian dishes, it tastes great with chutneys! One of my favorite Indian snacks are banana chips and for a heavier meal, I love Biryani! It is a delicious dish made with rice cooked with meat, veggies, and wholesome spices such as turmeric, cardamom, bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, and pepper. While this is a dish made in the whole country, the ones from the south are my personal favorite ones. For dessert, you can find a delightful sugary rice pudding called Payasam made with milk topped with cashews, almonds or cardamom. 

Continuing with Indian food!

We’ll talk about their rich and aromatic gravies, stir-fries, slow-cooked meat, and amazing desserts. North Indians really like dairy, so one of the most popular dishes is their stuffed Baati. This bread snack is cooked in ghee and usually, it is stuffed with paneer. A traditional way to eat them is to smash the Baati and then pour ghee and chutney! Another example of their love for dairy is their Shahi Paneer, this is a vegetarian cheese curry prepared with paneer cheese, onions, almond paste, and a tasty tomato cream sauce usually accompanied by naan, roti, or puri (Indian bread). For meat lovers, Rogan Josh is a lamb curry where the pieces of lamb are traditionally stewed in a rich gravy made with onions, garlic, yogurt, ginger, and different aromatic herbs and spices. Like many Indian dishes, it is accompanied by basmati rice and flatbreads. 

As you can see there is a huge variety of Indian food and we strongly suggest you try it all of Shalimar Cuisine of Indian!

Walking into Shalimar is like walking into a restaurant in India itself. With traditional decor and aromatic scents of curry and tandoori radiating throughout. Our kitchen has the finest chefs who use only charcoal in the clay over to create the authentic taste of tandoori dishes. Exploring many different cultures of India, our chefs create various cuisines found in different parts of India, offering wide assortments of delicacies.

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