Dining in India

The unforgettable aroma of India is not just the heavy scent of jasmine and roses on the warm air. It is also the fragrance of spices so important to Indian cooking – especially to preparing curry. The word ‘curry’ is an English derivative of kari, meaning spice sauce, but curry does not, in India, come as a powder. It is the subtle and delicate blending of spices such as turmeric, cardamom, ginger, coriander, nutmeg and poppy seed. Like an artist’s palette of oil paints, the Indian cook has some 25 spices (freshly ground as required) with which to mix the recognized combinations or masalas. Many of these spices are also noted for their medicinal properties and, like the basic ingredients, vary from region to region. Although not all Hindus are vegetarians, vegetable dishes are more common than in Europe, particularly in southern India. Broadly speaking, meat dishes are more common in the north, notably, Rogan Josh (curried lamb), Gushtaba (spicy meat balls in yogurt) and the delicious Biryani (chicken or lamb in orange-flavored rice, sprinkled with sugar and rose water). Mughlai cuisine is rich, creamy, deliciously spiced and liberally sprinkled with nuts and saffron. The ever-popular Tandoori cooking (chicken, meat or fish marinated in herbs and baked in a clay oven) and kebabs are also northern cuisine. In the south, curries are mainly vegetable and inclined to be hotter. Specialities to look out for are Bhujia (vegetable curry), Dosa, Idli and Samba (rice pancakes, dumplings with pickles, and vegetable and lentil curry), and Raitas (yogurt with grated cucumber and mint). Coconut is a major ingredient of southern Indian cooking. On the west coast there is a wide choice of fish and shellfish: Mumbai duck (curried or fried bombloe fish) and pomfret (Indian salmon) are just two. Another specialty is the Parsi Dhan Sak (lamb or chicken cooked with curried lentils) and Vindaloo. Fish is also a feature of Bengali cooking as in Dahi Maach (curried fish in yogurt flavored with turmeric and ginger) and Malai (curried prawn with coconut). One regional distinction is that, whereas in the south rice is the staple food, in the north this is supplemented and sometimes substituted by a wide range of flat breads, such as Pooris, Chapatis and Nan. Common throughout India is Dal (crushed lentil soup with various additional vegetables), and Dahi, the curd or yogurt which accompanies the curry. Besides being tasty, it is a good ‘cooler’; more effective than liquids when things get too hot.
Sweets are principally milk-based puddings, pastries and pancakes. Available throughout India is Kulfi, the Indian ice cream, Rasgullas (cream cheese balls flavored with rose water), Gulab Jamuns (flour, yogurt and ground almonds), and Jalebi (pancakes in syrup). Besides a splendid choice of sweets and sweetmeats, there is an abundance of fruit, both tropical – mangoes, pomegranates and melons – and temperate – apricots, apples and strawberries. Western confectionery is available in major centers. It is common to finish the meal by chewing Pan as a digestive. Pan is a betel leaf in which are wrapped spices such as aniseed and cardamom.
Besides the main dishes, there are also countless irresistible snacks available on every street corner, such as Dosa, Fritters, Samosa and Vada. For the more conservative visitor, Western cooking can always be found. Indeed, the best styles of cooking from throughout the world can be experienced in the major centers in India.
Tea (or chai) is India’s favorite drink and many of the varieties are enjoyed throughout the world. It will often come ready-brewed with milk and sugar unless ‘tray tea’ is specified. Coffee is increasingly popular. Nimbu Pani (lemon drink), Lassi (iced buttermilk) and coconut milk straight from the nut are cool and refreshing. Soft drinks (usually sweet) and bottled water are widely available, as are Western alcoholic drinks. There is a huge variety of excellent Indian beer. There is also good Indian-made gin, rum, brandy and wine. Bottled water, essential for visitors, is sold everywhere in India, but make sure the bottles are properly sealed.
Restaurants have table service and, depending on area and establishment, will serve alcohol with meals. Most Western-style hotels have licensed bars. Visitors will be issued All India Liquor Permits on request by Indian Embassies/High Commissions, Missions or Tourist Offices. Various states impose prohibition but this may change; check with the Tourist Office for up-to-date information. In almost all big cities in India, certain days in the week are observed as dry days when the sale of liquor is not permitted. Tourists may check with the nearest local tourist office for the prohibition laws/rules prevailing in any given state where they happen to be traveling or intend to travel.

Nightlife
India has generally little nightlife as the term is understood in the West, although in major cities a few Western-style shows, clubs and discos are being developed. In most places the main attraction will be cultural shows featuring performances of Indian dance and music. The Indian film industry is the largest in the world, now producing three times as many full-length feature films as the USA. Mumbai (Bombay) and Kolkata (Calcutta) are the country’s two ‘Hollywoods’. Almost every large town will have a cinema, some of which will show films in English. Music and dancing are an important part of Indian cinema, combining with many other influences to produce a rich variety of film art. Larger cities may have theaters staging productions of English-language plays.