India is a vast country with lots of different culture in every direction of the country and this also brings tons of mouth watering different Indian foods . Indian Cuisine are mainly divided into three cuisines North Indian cuisines , south Indian cuisines and North Eastern states cuisines. In north Indian cuisines chole batura , different dishes of paneer , Paratha , different types of sabji are mainly popular but if you consider eastern India like bengal and odisha there are fish dishes and in Western India vegeterian dishes are mainly popular . But In Southern India, there are other types of dishes like dosa , idli, uttapam , puttu , idiappam , and different kinds of chutney are special . Coconut and peanut and rice and urad lentil are one of the prominent ingridents in this types of dishes . Some of the very popular indian foods are described below .
Phuchka /Golgappa / Panipuri :
This panipuri is made mainly by wheat flour or suji(simolina) and then fried in oil and put into sun for making it more crunchy . specially in the evening time where people are going out this phuchka is sold . This vendors mainly go from one place to another place to sell golgappa . They mainly put this golgappa in a air tight area to make it crunchy . when they sell they first broke the top park of this round ball with finger and stuffed different items and finally dipped into the flavoured water and served the customer in a triangular conical shaped pot made by dried leave .
Panipuri or Phuchka or Golgappa are the different name of a indian snacks which are filled with potato paste or chickpeas , peas , onions and filled with different flavoured water . Mostly the the water is prepared with Tarmind and added different spices . According to the taste, people ask the vendor for more or less chillie or sour flavour (tamarind ).
This snacks has different name and taste according to the area . In Mumbai it is called Panipuri , in Delhi it called the Golgappa and in Kolkata it is called Phuchka and in Hyderabad it is called gup chup . In all north India the taste is more or less same but in Tamilnadu this are not so spicy and little sweet .
They give you one after another until you ask them to stop . sometimes this tarmarined water overflow the serving pot . After you formally finish they give you a dried phuchka without dipping in water . Some times some seller make special water where more lemon is mixed with the flavoured water to finish the feast . It tastes little different .
In Gujarat I see in every panipuri they filled it with different flavoured water . It is unique in this Panipuri culture and mostly panipuri are made of suji in this part .
There are also different types of golgappa like dahi panipuri , Batasa panipuri (It is made specially in Uttar Pradesh ) , garlic panipuri , pakodi (in Gujarat and madhyapradesh) . Now a days new experiments happens with the food . Some people Making it with mayones , some with anar lots more . If you are a foreigner and visit Indian you should not miss it . It is a indian food that loved by almost all Indians . Somebody avoids it for higene purpose . But if this is your issue then you can go to big hotels and Restaurent . But eating it in the street is a complete different experience . Specially young ladies are surrounded the shopper and he serve one after another in a circular manner . Some Young boys go there to see beautiful girls , at last is your luck.
Dhosa :
Dosa is a south indian pan cake made of mainly by the batter of urad dal and soaked rice . There are also another type of dosas made of Bazra , ragi and other elements . First the rice is soacked with urad dal then it is grinded and make smooth batter . Then in the hot pan put the batter and make a round or oval shape and fried with oil . sometimes there is a staffing of potato and other elements , this dosas are called the Masala Dosas .
There are lots of different types of Dosas like plain dosa (without stuffing) , Masala dosa , Ragi Dosa , Onion Dosa , rava dosa . Now a days there are some new varieties of dosas are coming like paneer dosa . cheese dosa , szchuan dosa and many more . Dosa are mainly popular throughout the India but mainly in the southern states people consume it on daily basis .
Dosas are always served with sambar and different types of chutney like coconut chutney , peanut chutney , tomato chutney
Chole Bature :
Chole bature is a special type north Indian dish mainly popular in Delhi , Punjab and Haryana . There are mainly two parts of the dishe . first one is the chole which is the kabuli chana (big chickpeas) curry made of garam masala , cumin , corrionder , tomato sauce and different indian masala . The second one is the bature which is a fried bread . First the wheat dows are made in the round shape by hand or belan (a wooden instrument to make the shape) and then it is fried in Hot oil . Sometime they put some special masala so that the chole looks dark color .
After that this chole and batura are served with chopped onions , corrinder leaves and lime . In Normal shops this dish cost less than a us doller (80 INR ).
Idli :
There is a special variety of idli which I found very tasty which is called the podi idli . Where this idli are soaked in the ghee and then a gray powder is spread over it . this idli is called the podi idli . There are also different types of idlis like rava idli , mini idli , methi idli and ragi idli .
I request you to taste idli in the shop of murugan idli in chennai (near high court) this is the most softest idli i ever eaten .
This is a special dish mainly consumed in southern India . First the urad dal and rice are soacked in the water and then grinded and put some easte in it and keep it for the whole night to fermented .
Specially in the morning this batter are put in a specialished round shaped plate and put into the steamer . After few minutes of steaming the idlys are ready . It is served with the sambar and the coconut peanut chutney .
Hydrabadi Biriyani :
Hydrabadi Biriyani is one of the identity of the the food culture of the city . In every nooks and cornor of the city you can find it .
This is a rice dish and it is served with a masala chutney and raita . There is different variety of Biriyani some are made of chicken and some are with motton and some with beef which are mostly popular among muslim population .
Some of the Famous shop of biriyani in Hyderabad are Babarchi and Paradise . In my mind Paradise biriyani is the best among all .
uttapam :
Uttapam is a south indian flat round shaped thick Pan cake where in the above there will be onions , tomatos , green chillies and maybe corriender leaves or something like that . Then put the oil from the above fried it in medium flame . The batter to make this uttapam are same as of Dosa . This is served with penut chhutney and Sambar .
It almost looks like a desi Pizza . One Uttam in moderate restaurant is cost between 1-2 USD . It is a heavy meal and one uttapam may satisfy your hunger .
Medhu Vara :
Medhu vada is a south indian crunchy donut shaped fitter . In the outside cover it looks very crunchy but in Inside it is soft .
It is mainly made by the urad dal grinded batter mixed with the chopped onion , black paper , curry leaves , chopped chillies and ginger paste . First mix them all then take a small batter and make hole in the middle with the thumb finger and put it in the hot oil . It will be deep fried in the oil for quiet some time and put into the paper to soacked the extra oil .
After that, this will be served with the sambar , peanut chutney or the green chutney .
Amritsari kulcha :
Amritasari Kulcha is one of my favourite dish in India . The high quality kulcha are mainly found in the Amritsar Punjab and it is a stuffed bread made in tandoor oven . When they served they put a big chunk of butter above it . As you eat the butter melts . As I am writting , my mouth fills with water , such a tasteful it is .
It is mainly a stuffed bread made in tandoor oven . The staffing is made of potato , chickpeas , onions , chillies , cumin and other spices . before it was put into the tandoor oven the upper part of the bread are filled with corriender leaves and cumin. After it was taken out of oven it was served with chana masala and a chutney(it taste sour and sweet and has lots of onions ) .
One kulcha in a moderate ambiance charge you around 1 USD in Amritsar city
Puttu :
Puttu is a dish mainly found in the southern state of Tamilnadu and kerala of India . Mainly in the mornning as a breakfast it was served . It is mainly made by the rice flour and grated coconut .
Fitst mix the rice flour and grated coconut in 4:1 ratio. For mixing water , it is added by some drops by hand but not pouring water on the mix . Then this process follow again and again until the mixture is made but It should be crumbly but not dough . You can also add jiggery to make sweet puttu .
Now in the puttu maker (it is long pipe like structure which is sit above a pot where the water is boiled ) first add some grated coconut in the first layer then in the second layer it is filled by the previous made mixture and in the above grated coconut and like this until the whole cylinder is filled .
Now this pot is put above the water boiler and steamed for 6-8 minutes . After that when the pot is little cold the cylindrical puttu is served on the plate and it is served with chana curry . some eat this puttu with banana and papad (It it like chips ).
You can get a plate of puttu in moderate place under a USD .
Malabar Parota :
Malabar Parota is a multi layered parota which is mainly popular in kerala and also in Tamilnadu . First the wheat dough is made and then small layered dough is prepared and soaked in oil or ghee to make it soft .
After an hour and later this dough are made in the size of parota and fried in oil . After frying this parota , press it by both hands keeping the parota in centre so the layerers are seperated .
After that mostly this parotas are served with kerala curry .
Idiyappam :
This is a morning or evening dish of southern state of kerala and Tamilnadu . This are sized like idli but made with rice noodles . This are served with coconut – penut chutney with sambar .
For making it you need a noodle Press which generates the rice noodles . First add rice flour into a hot boiling water then stir it with wooden spatula and after that when it cools a bit make the mixture smooth by hand . Then add this dough into the noodle press. Now create the noodles into idly shape over the idly Pan . When this work finished you steam it in a steamer for 5-8 minutes . Now the idiyappam is ready to serve .
In normal shop a plate of idiyappam will cost between .5 USD – 1 USD .
Gatte ki Sabji :
Now is the part of preparing the gravy . First in the Hot oil you put cumin , long leaves , corriender then after some time you put chopped onion with different indian masala and fried it until the onion becomes brown . Now add curd (mixed with different indian masala ) and mix it well inside the pan . Then add the gatte and cooked for 10-15 minutes until the gatte becomes bigger by soacking the curry . Now it is ready to serve . You may put some corriender leaves to garnish it .
It is mainly eaten by the roti , parata or puri . In normal restaurent it is priced between 2-3 USD .
Gatte ki sabji is a traditional mouth watering Rajasthani Dish . Where gatte is prepared with the besan (cheakpeas flour) mixing with curd , salt , turmeric powder , corriender powder , red chillie powder , cumin poder and water . Mix all well (use very less water ) to Prepare the dough . Now take a small portion of the dough and make it cylindrical shape by rolling with both the hands like in the image . Now boil it in the medium heat and make it ready for chopping . Now Chopped it into small pieces to make the gatte for preparing the dish . But the name of the dish is a contradiction as there is no green vegetables used in It . (Rajasthan is mainly a deserted state where green vegetables is vey less .
Appam :
Appam is a popular dish in Indian state of kerala and Tamilnadu . Also it was widely eaten by the sri Lankan people . It is a Idly type of thing but made in a oval pan not in steamer .
First we take rice and sock in water for 5-6 hours then it is grinded properly . Now take a little bit of batter and put into a flat pan and stir it well until it becomes thick .
Now add this paste with grated coconut and some cooked rice and and grinded it in a mixey . After that this paste is put into the previous batter and mix it well and keep it fermented for eight hours . Now in the morning it is totally ready for making appam .
Now put this batter in the oval pan and rotate the pan such a way that the batter stick to the every part of the Pan . Now keep the lid of this Pan for 1-2 minutes and now the Appam is ready .
Price of a one plate of Appam will cost between .5 – 1 USD .
Postor bara :
Postor(poppy seed ) bora is a famous bengali side dish which is a type of fritter will be served with the cooked rice and lentils .
For making it first sock the poppy seed in water then grinded it and make a paste . then you can add some chopped onions with it and mix it to taste better . Now take little chunk of it and put into hot oil . deep fry it in medium flavour for five minutes . Now this bora (round shaped snacks) are ready to serve .
Normally it is not found in restaurent because now a days the price of poppy seed increases very high . In Bankura city I get two small bara at the rate of 1 USD . But those bora are half the size shown on the picture .
Malai kofta :
Malai kofta is an another famous Rajasthani dish which you can eat in the lunch time or in Dinner with paratha , puri , chapati , jeera rice or fried rice . This is a dish where kofta (a deep fried round balls made of the mixture of mashed potato , paneer , wheet flour , powder of black paper , chopped corriender leaves , green chilli and grated ginder ) floats on the curry and served with malai(milk cream) .
The gravy of the malai kofta is made of tomato , green chillie , ginger , kaju , cordemon , long leaves , cloves , cinemon , cumin and dififferent Indian masala . When this gravy is fully prepared then the kofta are put into this to soak the juices . After fifteen minutes it is ready to serve .
In a moderate restaurent one plate of Malai Kofta is cost around 3-4 USD . In my view it is one of the tasty curry in northen India.
Makhan Malai :
Makhan Malai is a unique types of delicasy which is found specially in the winter times in the state of Uttarpradesh , Delhi . It has different names in the different cities of uttarpradesh like Malaiyo in Varanashi , Nimish in Lucknow and Doulat ki chat in Delhi . It is a foam types of sweet thing mainly made from bufello milk . a cup of Makhan malai may be weight just 10 gram . when you put in mouth it just dissolved . Fantastic thing to try in winter times .
First we make boiled the saffron mixed bufello milk when it is cold mixed cream with it and keep it in a cold place for the whole night . The other ingridents mixed with this mixture are cademom powder and sugar . In the morning it was prepared automatically and when served they put rose water and maybe some anar or different chopped fruit .
You can mainly found this inside the streets of Varanashi , Lucknow and old delhi . A small cup of Makhan malai will cost 1 USD .
kachori :
Kachori is a types of fried bread which is filled with different items . Like in some places fillings are prepared by mixing the paste prepared with chickpeas flour and different Indian masala . In Bengal the sweet peas paste is mixed with different masala to prepare the filling of this Kachori . There is also different types of kachori like Piyaz(onion) kachori , Dal kachori , Raj kachori , Khasta kachori , Radhaballavi and many more .
Normally a plate of kachori and potato sabji is priced around .5 USD .
Rajma Chawal :
Rajma chawal is a simple north Indian dish with only two ingridents part 1 is cooked rice and and part 2 is Rajma(a big types of lentil) curry .
Cooking Rajma is a little time-consuming. First, soak it in water for 4-6 hours. Then, cook it in a pressure cooker for 30-40 minutes. Then, put oil in the pan, and when heated, put the cooked rajma on it. Now put different Indian masala, tomato sauce, and some boiled potato. Smash the potato to make the gravy thicker. After that, it will be served with cooked rice.
You can get Rajma chawal in a very affortable cost around half a doller . It is mainly popular in the Indian state of Punjab , Haryana and Delhi .
Jhal Muri :
Jhal muri is a snacks specially popular in the West Bengal and odisha . This is made of muri(puffed rice ) mixed with chopped onion , peanut , chanachur(fried snacks) , fried chickpeas , chopped green chillies , oil , fried cumin powder , chilli powder , achar and something like that and then mixed well and served in a paper packet . Last and final touch they add a sliced coconut with it .
It is normally served in train or busy market and priced around .25 USD .
Summary :
For India it is said that it is a country of Unity in Diversity . In india you can found different cultured people with their unique cultural identity , unique types of dresses , unique types of festival and off course unique types of food . Mainly indian foods are combination of three different types of cuisine North Indian cuisine , South Indian cuisine and North East Indian cuisine . But you go to any state or specicific area of a state you can see unique culture of food . Also same dish is made in different style on the different parts of India .
