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Indian Indulgence
Spice up mealtime with flavors from India  Recipes | Food Articles | Food Safety | Culinary Schools Copyright ©2008 culinary.net Before using materials from this site, please read our usage agreement.
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(Family Features) - Hamburgers, hotdogs and pizza will always be standard fare,
but why not add some spice to your culinary life?
Experimenting with new flavors from around the globe can
turn an otherwise mundane dinner hour into a cultural
journey. At the same time, your trip shouldn't take hours of
preparation time - it should take minutes.
While Americans typically look to Mexico, Italy and Asia for
culinary inspiration, Indian cuisine holds an array of
flavors as vast as the country itself. The flavors and
fragrances unique to Indian cuisine come from the use of a
variety of spices, including cilantro, cardamom, turmeric,
cumin, fennel and fenugreek.
Vegetarian dishes are very popular throughout India, but
Indians also cook with a variety of meats, poultry and
seafood. Often times, the meat is cooked in a "masala" or
sauce that is made from a blend of spices and usually
contains tomatoes and other vegetables such as peppers and
onions.
Rice is the main accompaniment to a meal, but a variety of
other accompaniments are also popular, including breads such
as naans, chapatis and the ever-favorite pappadum -- a
crispy lentil chip similar to a tortilla. Traditional
garnishes include chutneys and pickles, which are dips made
with fruit, spices and vegetables.
Dishes from southern India tend to be very hot and spicy and
are traditionally served with rice, while recipes from
northern India have more subtle and mild flavors and are
served with breads made from wheat and other grains. North
Indian cuisine is also known for meats and breads cooked in
a clay and brick oven called a tandoor.
Many people believe that preparing Indian cuisine at home
means hours of grinding spices, chopping meats and dicing
vegetables, but making an Indian meal doesn't necessarily
require long lists of ingredients, tedious techniques,
extended cooking times or even deviating much from your
standard grocery list. With the variety of Indian food
products available in grocery stores, such as curry pastes,
chutneys and cooking sauces, adding the unique flavors of
India into more basic items like chicken and shrimp is
simple.
"Exploring the tastes of India shouldn't require extra
effort," said Meena Pathak, director of research and
development for Patak's Foods U.S.A. "Indian food products,
with genuine flavors and on- the-label recipes, are perfect
for busy people who want an innovative Indian meal without
sacrificing a lot of time."
To begin incorporating Indian flavors into your diet, try
serving grilled or baked salmon with Hot Mango Chutney or
marinating chicken with Mild Curry Paste before grilling.
Both recipes will provide an excellent introduction into the
wide range of Indian flavors.
Here are some other Indian recipes that can be prepared in
minutes. The Indian food products mentioned can be found in
most major grocery stores, online at 
