Indian Cooking from Region to Region

Indian cooking is famed for its use of curries and spices, but don't make the mistake of being afraid that Indian cooking is so hot that it will set your mouth on fire. The cuisine revolves more around flavor than sheer heat, although if that's what you're looking for, you can certainly find it. India is a country comprised of many different states that spread out over a vast area, with a total of approximately 3,287,590 square kilometers. It has 28 states within the country proper, and the spiciest Indian cooking is said to come from its southern regions. Overall, Indian cooking can be broken down into four basic groups: northern Indian, southern Indian, eastern Indian, and western Indian. Within those categories are regional variations depending on cultural influences and climate on the state. For example, in Goa, which is far off in southern India, you'll find them using a lot of coconut and seafood in their cooking to make seafood curries that you wouldn't find elsewhere.

For example, on an episode of the Travel Channel series Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, chef/author Anthony Bourdain visited Rajasthan, and even had an actual Maharajah cook for him! One of the recipes illustrating this difference was a Rajasthani curry made with goat and lentils that was completely different from a seafood curry hailing from Goa. In the south you'd find the use of tropical fruits such as mangoes as well, plus a Portuguese influence due to past colonialist influences. Some areas may also be more heavily vegetarian than others, but suffice it to say that due to the cow's sacred status to the Hindu majority, you won't find beef on the menu wherever you go.

Where to Start

If you want to cooking Indian food at home, you'll have to start off with getting the basic spices common to all Indian cooking, such as turmeric (a mainstay), cardamom, cumin, and so forth. Although it's best to use spices that are toasted and ground fresh, it may be a bit too complex for someone just starting out to handle. A good source of spices is Zamouri Spices at zamourispices.com. It has a basic Indian spice set, curries, masalas, and also sells Asian spices as well. You can also find recipe books on Indian cooking along with other popular cuisines. That does it for this short look at Indian food. Hopefully you have learned something that you didn't know about Indian food.

Vegan Cooking - One of the Greatest Fads Today

Vegetarian food is becoming a hot favorite for many. Some are motivated by religion, while some are motivated by their wish to improve their health. Yet others shift to vegan cooking because they find it more nutritional than any other type of food. Among the vegetarians, there are those who insist of on organic foods, while others are not so choosy about what type of raw material goes into their vegan cooking recipes. Before we go into details, let us be sure you understand what vegans are. The vegans are a section of vegetarians who do not eat any type of animal products that could be used for procreation. Hence, eggs are also considered as non-veg by a vegan and they will not eat mayonnaise or cake due to this. The vegans are also called lacto-vegetarians because of their preference of eating, i.e. they take only milk from among all the animal products existing.

Basically, vegan cooking is extremely tasty if cooked well and in the right combination. Those who are vegans from birth will not need these tips. However, those who have changed from meat eating to vegan food would tend to substitute mean with protein-based vegetables. However, this is definitely not the way to cook vegan food. Substituting is not the way for best vegan cooking. Remember this point whenever you are tempted to do so. If you like a certain recipe with meat, understand that it will taste that way only with meat. When you shift your style of eating, you will need a completely new book of recipes. No meat recipe can be used for vegan cooking, so do not attempt it.

Hints and Tips

A wonderful tip that I picked up during my research is that vegan cooking taste is highly enhanced by use of sea salt. This salt, besides making the food tastier, will add to its mineral content and make the food healthier. The only pre-requisite for the use of this salt is that it should be added to the food while cooking; not when the food is served.

If you are new to vegan cooking, remember than vegetables are different to cook than meat. While meat required less oil because of high animal fat content, the vegetables are tastier and healthier when cooked in oil. Use oil, which stays liquid at room temperature, i.e. sunflower oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, etc. Those who are looking for high protein content vegetables, consider the soy beans as soy products your best allies both in terms of protein and fiber.