Indian food is a favored cuisine in many parts of the world. Its rich aromas and diverse flavors make it popular with food lovers no matter what country they originate from. However familiar you or your dining partner may believe yourselves to be with the items offered on an Indian menu, there are still many misconceptions about the palate-pleasing fare and the traditions and ingredients involved in cooking it. Don’t let any of these myths keep you from enjoying Indian food to the fullest.
Myth #1: Curry is the Main Course of Every Indian Meal
Curry is often the first type of dish that comes to mind when people think of Indian food. Those who are really knowledgeable when it comes to Indian cooking, however, recognize that curry is actually a broad term used for a variety of dishes that can differ greatly in ingredients and taste. Curry powder is a combination of spices that is better known as garam masala throughout the different regions of India and is usually the one characteristic that each curry recipe has in common, although, each mixture will be modified depending on the cook and the recipe. So while these special blends are definitely not used in the preparation of every Indian dish, they are sometimes added in to exaggerate fragrance and flavor.
Myth #2: Every Indian Food Dish is Hot and Spicy
Though spices are a big feature of many Indian dishes, there’s no need to completely forgo the cuisine just because you may be worried about having more sensitive taste buds. Not all Indian foods are immersed in a large assortment of spices. In fact, it’s common for there to only be one or two added in just to complement the main ingredients and enhance savoriness. Don’t immediately abandon the idea of Indian food even if you aren’t keen on heat and spices, especially since you can adjust a recipe and tone down the flavor where needed or order one of the milder versions that many Indian restaurants offer.
Myth #3: Indian Food is Unhealthy and Fattening
As with most any other kinds of food, you can choose to be as self-indulgent or nutritious with Indian food as you choose. Because this cuisine takes great pride in the tradition of using fresh ingredients and a lot of vegetables, it’s easy to be healthier by cutting out quite a bit of the oils used in cooking and opt to enjoy the numerous dishes that are made by steaming, roasting, boiling or grilling the components instead. There is also medicinal value found in several of the herbs and spices customarily used in Indian food.
Myth #4: Indian Recipes are Complicated to Master
Trying your hand at mastering the art of Indian cooking in your own kitchen isn’t as difficult as many assume it to be. There can be a lot of time and detail involved when making certain Indian courses, but most of the favored and well-known dishes can be simply added to your normal everyday meal preparation routine.
Myth #5: Indian Restaurants Only Cater to the Vegetarian Crowd
India is largely viewed as a vegetarian country, not only because of religious beliefs but also due to the abundant use of vegetables in most of the food that is served. Despite this, there are plenty of meat options to be found on an Indian restaurant menu, including the popular Tandoori chicken, seafood and lamb.
The diversity of Indian food allows there to be a little something for everyone, and if given the chance, may be just what you’ve been looking for to satiate your appetite.
Featured images:
- License: Creative Commons image source
- License: Creative Commons image source
- License: Creative Commons image source
Tiffany Olson loves anything food related and also loves to share information with others via guest blogging and social media. When she’s not writing you’ll usually find her in the kitchen cooking or taking long afternoon naps.
