Introduction
Let’s explore the world of Indian cooking techniques and tricks adopted and developed in the kitchen of the world’s most diverse and flavourful cuisine. In this blog we will be talking about the various tips and tricks embraced in the Indian cooking techniques and also learn about the different ways to cook such delightful and rewarding cuisines.
Basics of Indian Cooking Techniques
If you are willing to master the basics of the Indian Cooking techniques these are some well known Indian Cooking Techniques that you must know to get familiar with Indian cooking styles.
- Tadka – The term tadka basically means tempering or heating up the different kinds of Indian spices in ghee or oil. The reason behind this is to infuse the aromatic flavours of rich Indian spices into the oil or ghee and when added to the recipe it gives the most amazing flavour to the dish.
- Tandoori – A tandoori is cooked in a tandoor that is basically a clay oven fired with burning wood or even in charcoal fire. The tender meat is marinated in various spices giving it an unique flavour and then it is placed in that clay oven to get cooked giving it a hot smoky flavour with a mouthwatering taste that you can’t resist.
- Bhunao – This style of Indian cooking is nothing but sauteing and stir frying at a very low heat to relieve the food from its moisture and caramelising it. Some of the most famous Indian curry dishes are cooked in this way giving us a beautiful and tasteful experience with just one bite.
- Dum – This is one of the oldest techniques to cook classic Indian dishes. So here the food is cooked on a low heat using up the steam that is trapped inside the pan or cooker.
- Dhungar – It is an unique technique that you will find only in Indian kitchens. Dhungar or dhuanaar is a technique where the food is cooked with live coal infused with smoky flavours. The live coal is mixed and added to the container and kept in the food. Then after adding hot oil and ghee a smoky essence is created.
- Bhapa – Also known as the pot in pot heating technique. A perforated food container is used to steam the food in water and then you can add moulds to boost the steaming process or even a banana leaf is used sometimes.
- Talna – Talna or the process of deep frying is an age-old method. It was believed that if the food is deep fried it will increase the shelf life of the food in case of travelling long distances.
Understanding the spices in Indian Cooking Techniques
Indian Cooking involves some rich quality spices that add up to the whole taste of the food prepared. Instead of using different spices, a spice blend is prepared known as the garam masala that is a signature spice blend used in almost every Indian dish. So let’s learn a bit more about the famous Indian garam masala.
So what is a garam masala basically? Well, it is an Indian spice blend that is adding to Indian cuisine for a better taste and colour. Various spices like cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds, cardamom, mace, cumin seeds and peppercorns are taken in a pan and heated up or toasted that releases the aromatic flavours and then it is powdered. As the name suggests, “garam” means Indian word for heat or hot and “masala” means spices. So basically it means “warming spices” or “heated up spices” that helps to keep the body warm and increases metabolism.
Ingredient Spices | WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? |
Coriander seeds | They are the base of any garam masala. Apart from adding volume to your dishes it also helps in digestion and helps to maintain a balance of the “pitta dosha” in the human body. |
Cumin seeds | These seeds are a great digestive catalyst and also helps to get rid of toxins in the body and adds an earthy aroma to the garam masala. |
Cinnamon | Cinnamon is widely used in almost all Indian dishes to add some more flavour to it. It is mostly used in all types of curries and stews. |
Cloves | A very important warming spice that helps to increase the metabolism of the body and remove toxins from the body. |
Mace | Popularly known as javitri in India, this spice gives the garam masala a strong aroma. It is actually a flower. |
Black cardamom | Most of us are very familiar with the word “elaichi”. But black cardamom is basically masala elaichi not used in many dishes but can be added for a strong flavour and a smoky aroma. |
Bay leaf | We Indians call it the “tej patta”, You will find a bay leaf in almost every rich Indian dish that gives a taste and aroma boost to the masala. |
So, you can say garam masala is one of the or rather the most important “trick” of the Indian Cooking Techniques and without garam masala added to your dish, it won’t be a signature and classic Indian dish.
Some common tips & tricks in Indian Cooking Techniques
- Learn to make rotis soft.
- Make creamy curries without using packeted creams.
- Learning to boil chanas or chickpeas.
- Making an all-in-one curry.
- Learn to reduce excessive salt from a curry.
- Add oil when the water is boiling.
- How to make parathas soft and kachoris crispy.
- Making of garam masala.
- Making the perfect dal with perfect flavours.
Conclusion
As we have learnt from this blog, understanding the tips and tricks of Indian Cooking Techniques takes a lot of time and experience in order to be familiar with all kinds of spices used in Indian dishes and various styles in cooking those dishes. Cooking is an art and you need to have a heart to learn and love cooking.
FAQs
Q 1. What are popular Indian dishes?
Answer : Popular Indian dishes include
- Biryani
- Chicken Tandoori
- Shahi Paneer
- Dosa
- Prawn coconut curry
- Dal makhani
- Gulab jamun
- Chaat
- Jalebi
- Tikka dishes
Q 2. What is a national dish in India?
Answer : There is no such specific national dish in India due to diverse cuisines from various types of cultures throughout the nation.
Q 3. Is Indian food healthy ?
Answer : Indian cuisine is a mixture of a variety of spices and a lot of those spices have their own health benefits. So yes, it can be said that Indian food is healthy in spite of the usage of a lot of spices and oil. But, not all Indian cuisines are healthy if consumed daily.
Q 4. What is the secret ingredient of Indian food?
Answer : The answer to this is garam masala, the perfect blend of all rich quality spices makes Indian food stand out from the rest of the world.
Q 5. What is the secret of Indian curry?
Answer : Hing is the secret of Indian curries and their delightful flavours.