India loves its mangoes and currently it is the mango season. I had put up a photo article in my other blog on mangoes last year. Here I am repeating it. Please click at the following link to access the photo article.
http://anaap-shnaap.blogspot.in/2014/07/khas-aam-special-mangoes-by-kjschatrath.html
Though a Punjabi by birth, but having lived in Odisha for a long time, I have come to love Odia food. Having a travelled a bit around the world and tasted food in different countries, I am convinced that Odia cooking is one of the best in the world. It is a cuisine where the original looks, aroma and taste of the food is retained while cooking.The cooking is never drowned in excess of onions, tomato paste or spices.
After all, Lord Jagannath’s kitchen in the Puri Temple in Odisha is said to be the best kitchen in the world- by its sheer size, variety and taste of food items.
Biryani is a dish of Indian origin, specifically considered to be dish of Nizam (Ruler of the erstwhile State of Hyderabad. Deccan). Hyderabadi biryani originated after blending of Mughlai and Iranian cuisine in the kitchens of the Nizam. Hyderabadi Biryani is of two types: the Kachchi (raw) Biryani, and the Pakki (cooked) Biryani.
The Kachchi biryani is prepared with meat marinated with spices overnight and then soaked in yogurt before cooking. The gosht (meat) is sandwiched between layers of fragrant long-grained basmati rice,[6] and cooked on dum (steaming over coals), after sealing the handi (vessel) with dough. This is a challenging process as it requires meticulous attention to time and temperature to avoid over- or under-cooking the meat.
In a Pakki biryani, the meat is marinated for a shorter time, and cooked before being layered with the rice and cooked in a dough-sealed vessel. In Pakki Aqni (with cooked gravy), the ingredients are cooked before baking.
The gravy is enriched with mace, ittar and kewra. Saffron and cardamom are also used.
There is also a vegetarian version of the biryani, which is made using vegetables such as carrots, peas, cauliflower and potato and cashew.
A biryani is usually served with Dahi chutney (yogurt and onions) and Mirchi ka salan- a green chili curry. Baghara baingan (roasted Eggplant) is a common side dish. The salad includes onion, carrot, cucumber, and lemon wedges.
I had ordered mutton biryani. The sparse pieces of mutton were well selected and extremely well cooked. Overall the biryani was very good but I found the accompanying salan to be disappointing. Unfortunately the lift was not working and I had to climb to the third floor restaurant by stairs. Another irritant was the security check at the front door of the entrance where all liquids including mineral water bottle had to be deposited. A sure way to shoo away some customers.
Next day I tasted biryani at an ordinary resturant. It cost me Rs.70 only and was excellent value for money.
I went to another simple restaurant for one of the meals and came out satisfied having paid Rs.50 for the chicken curry, Rs. Ten for a paranthand Rs. Twelve for a Cola!.
Hyderabadi Biryani- ‘You give me reason to live’ (With respectful apologies to Joe Cocker)
Post Scriptum: During the same trip to South I also went to Bengaluru where a very dear person took me out for dinner. We went to a restaurant called 'Samarkand' and chicken biryani was ordered. That was the tastiest biryani I have had in my life- chicken pieces were extremely well selected and cooked, the quality of basmati rice was superb and it had just the right amount of spices.(Write-up with inputs from the internet)
Rogan Josh from Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir- Eid Mubarak. The nomenclature 'rogan josh' is believed to be derived from the word rogan meaning "red color" (the same Indo-European root that is the source of the French "rouge" and the Spanish "rojo") and josh meaning passion or heat.Rogan josh was brought to Kashmir by the Mughals, whose cuisine was in turn influenced by Persian cuisine
Gujarati cuisine refers to the cuisine of Gujarat, a state in western India. Despite having an extensive coastline providing seafood, it is primarily a vegetarian state due to the influence of Jain vegetarianism and traditional Hinduism.
The typical Gujarati Thali consists of Roti, Dal or Kadhi, Rice, and Shaak/Sabzi (a dish made up of several different combinations of vegetables and spices, which may be either spicy or sweet). Gujarati cuisine varies widely in flavour and heat, depending on a family's tastes as well as the region of Gujarat to which they belong. North Gujarat, Kathiawad, Kachchh, and Surti Gujarat are the four major regions of Gujarat that contribute their unique touch to Gujarati cuisine. Many Gujarati dishes are distinctively sweet, salty, and spicy simultaneously. (Wikipedia)Indian food is the best and most varied in the world.
Popular Indian dish- Daal Tadka (Lentiles fried)
Photos source: http://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/soul-food-the-indian-love-affair-with-dal-tadka-780444?pfrom=home-rightnow