The Final Goodbye

 

 

 

“My cookery shows, my food channel, my books, my website all are created with the aim to glorify the richness of our food culture and to keep alive the traditions of the Indian kitchen” — Sanjeev Kapoor (famous Indian chef)

It’s hard to believe that the time to say goodbye has come. I feel like this semester just started and now it is almost finals week! I did not realize I wrote 11 posts! It’s so sad this blog has come to its end because as much annoying it was sometimes since I did not know what to write about after the first few weeks, I still made it through and now it’s time to go. When I had trouble, I got ideas from my friends, family and experiences/moments to continue my blog and writing posts. I’m actually surprised at my work and how I was able to successfully do something I’ve done before. I took creative writing in high school as an elective where we had to write poems and stories, but this college class where it was creative writing with multimedia allowed me to do a whole lot more (just realized this was the title of one of my posts lol). I’m glad I was able to learn some cool, fun things we did where creative writing and technology were combined (this blog and the podcast, video project).

The journey of this blog started with my mission statement which was about me first explaining how Curry is very famous, but it is not the only Indian food out there. I have seen people ask if everything was Curry where they saw Indian food, which is what made me a little upset and gave me reason to write this blog. I know it is not their fault because they may not know the thousands of other kinds of Indian food and me being an Indian, I thought it was best I write about the Indian cuisine. I talked about nearly all of the main courses, snacks, drinks and desserts from all over India (North from where I am to the South) since I have eaten them. I mentioned the restaurants near Rutgers to where I have been, some Professor went to, and some others that I have heard of with all of their info (address, phone number, rating on Google and website) so my readers can try them.

It was exciting when I was able to tie in some aspects of the Indian culture and my Sikh religion (“Welcome to Punjab” post, “Got a Sweet Tooth,” and some others where I gave some historical background of where they foods were from) I’m happy that I was able to relive my memories and tastes every time I wrote my posts and was able to share them with others. Even though I got hungry every week while writing my post (keep in mind, I always ate before writing). Looking and choosing the pictures made my mouth water a lot lol as it did to some of my readers/commenters and Professor haha. I’ve mentioned some non-vegetarian dishes but not that many since I am a vegetarian. Sometimes I included the nutrition facts for some of the dishes, not only did I like doing that because I was open to more facts/information, but also because I knew readers would like it, too specifically to help them in choosing certain foods over others. After all, who doesn’t want to eat healthy? As a vegetarian, I spoke about how I get my proteins, vitamins, and other nutrition.

“The idea is to serve not only tasty but also wholesome and nutritious meals” — Sanjeev Kapoor

Going back to my posts, I saw that my sixth post, “There’s a Whole Lot More!” got the most comments with seven (I did not include the replies) which was about the Hindu and Gujarati dishes. The Hindu dish was Poha (flattened rice) and the Gujarati one was Dhokla, both were yellow. While my following post, seventh one “Some More South Indian Food!” got the fewest comments with two. This post was also on South Indian food but I particularly talked about Dosa (lentil and rice pancake or crepe) and some kinds of Dosas. I enjoyed and always looked forward to the comments because I got very excited when people told me that they had heard or ate some of the foods before! Other times, commenters would say which food/drink/dessert they would choose because of what they like since I always gave some background or descriptions about them. Thank you to Professor, commenters, and everyone else for helping me make this blog a success! Goodbye to this blog and Hello to something else that I still have to try, another new thing! I’m proud of who I am, what I am, and what I eat! Food is always good and always important! Keep eating! lol. Take care!

 

 

#IndianFood #TheIndianRasoiKitchen #ILoveFood

Got a Sweet Tooth?

I can’t believe this is my last full post! It’s so sad! We, my readers and I have come a long way through and I hope you keep trying Indian food and like it! As we all know, sweets are usually for happy, special occasions and like food, brings everyone together. Though this is not a happy moment, I still wanted to end on a positive note so I thought about writing about sweet, delicious, mouth watering….Indian sweets/desserts!

Holidays only come once a year, so it’s ok if you eat some sweets then! As long as you do not have a sweet tooth every other day of the year! There are many holidays in India where sweets are a big deal, but I specifically want to talk a little bit about a holiday most may have heard about, Diwali. Diwali is in the autumn and it is the festival of lights, some may call it “Deepavali” (deep means light). This festivity is celebrated throughout India with full energy! There is so much excitement in the air, although my family and I celebrate Diwali here, I have heard it is so much more fun in India. So I wish to see it, celebrate it there someday. 

Diyas (small cup shaped oil lamps made of clay) are lit everywhere: at homes and at temples, Gurudwaras (Sikh Temples) which are very symbolic to this holiday. Sikhs, like me, celebrate Diwali, because this was the day the sixth guru, Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji and 52 other princes with him were released from prison, in 1619, that Emperor Jahangir had imprisoned.  Homes are first deep cleaned and then decorated with lights, diyas, and rangolis (artwork where patterns are created on the floor at the entrance of the home- doorway or outside in courtyards with colored rice, dry colorful flour, or colored sand). There is a lot of shopping because everyone is supposed to wear new clothes and some give gifts to family and friends. Fireworks are the lights that decorate the sky and there are prayers, feasts, and SWEETS!

Platter of Diwali sweets

 

Here are some of the sweets and desserts (sweets are usually eaten as snacks): *are my favorite- almost all of them! hahaha. 

1.*Gulab Jamun- sweet and dessert, very famous (Gulab means rose and jamun means berry, thus there are berry sized balls dunked in rose flavored sugar syrup), in summer tastes best cold and in the winter tastes best when a little warm

Recipe: https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Instant-Gulab-Jamun-KhaanaKhazana.html

2. *Rasgulla- sweet, similar in appearance to Gulab Jamun, made by curdling milk

Recipe: https://indianhealthyrecipes.com/rasgulla-recipe-bengali-rasgulla-recipe-easy-diwali-sweet-recipe/

3. *Fruit Custard- dessert, chilled fruit custard is great for a summer treat

Recipe: https://indianhealthyrecipes.com/fruit-custard-recipe/

4. *Rasmalai- dessert, soft and tastes best when little chilled/cool (Ras means juice and malai means cream so that is how it looks and is made/ingredients), usually topped with some pistachios/nuts or cream may have some pistachios flavor so just be careful if allergic to anything, can be made without these extra flavors and still taste as good!) 

Recipe: http://hebbarskitchen.com/rasmalai-recipe-easy-rasmalai-recipe/

5. *Gajar ka halwa- sweet and dessert, also very popular and makes the best of special occasions, couple different ways to make this but either way is DELICIOUS! (Gajar means carrot so it is made of carrots and some flavors/nuts may be added so again, be careful)

Recipe: https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Gajar-Halwa-KhaanaKhazana.html

Gulab Jamun

Rasgulla

Fruit Custard

Rasmalai

Gajar Ka Halwa

6. *Jalebi– sweet and dessert, also very popular, made by deep frying maida flour batter in a pretzel or circular shapes (can even be whatever shape you want if you’re making it) that are then soaked in sugar syrup (in which if Ghee- clarified butter is used, not only tastes best but is also better health wise) 

Recipe: https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Jalebi-Mithai.html

7. *Malpua– sweet snack, this is a sweet pancake, there can be some different versions but tastes AMAZING!

Recipe: https://indianhealthyrecipes.com/easy-malpua-recipe/

8. *Barfi– sweet, dense milk based with sugar, there are many different kinds of Barfi (Coconut Barfi, Khoa Barfi- Khoa is a famous Indian dairy product, made of either dried whole milk or milk thickened by heating in an open pan and many other kinds of Barfi)

Basic Recipe: https://recipes.timesofindia.com/recipes/milk-barfi/rs59369048.cms

9. *Laddu– sweet, sphere shaped, made of flour, Ghee/butter/oil and sugar with other ingredients for flavor like almonds, cashews, other nuts- allergy alert), many different versions    

Recipe: https://food.ndtv.com/lists/10-best-ladoo-recipes-1695834

10. *Kheer- dessert, another very famous one, this is rice pudding, main ingredients are rice, milk, cardamom, saffron (for flavor: almonds, cashews, pistachios, carrots…etc- allergy alert) so there are many different versions, but all so yummy!

Basic Recipe: https://indianhealthyrecipes.com/rice-kheer-recipe-chawal-ki-kheer/

Jalebi

Malpua

Barfi

Laddu

Kheer

 

There are other places you can go, some from the older posts, but these are recommended:

• Guru Palace

Address: 2215 US-1, North Brunswick Township, NJ 08902

Phone: (732) 398- 9022

Rating on Google: 3.8/5

Menu: http://gurupalacerestaurant.com/

• Jassi Sweets & Cafe

Address: 1404 Oak Tree Road, Iselin, NJ 08830

Phone: (732) 283- 4065

Rating on Google: 3.8/5

Menu/Order: doordash.com

• Mithaas Piscataway  

Address: 1357 Stelton Rd, Piscataway Township, NJ 08854

Phone: (732) 640- 1166

Rating on Google: 4/5

Menu: places.singleplatform.com

• Quality Sweets “Candy Store”

Address: 1384 Oak Tree Road, Iselin, NJ 08830

Phone: (732) 283- 3799

Rating on Google: 4.1/5

Enjoy! I hope I wasn’t too sweet!

Can Never Get Enough of the Lentils and Vegetables!

So again I started running out of ideas and started panicking. Until, just last night when I was asking my mom for help and told her everything I already wrote about, she gave me some ideas. SO……..I thought about combining both things since both dishes are eaten with Roti (breads- chapati, tandoori…etc). Lentil is called dal which as most know is liquidy and the vegetable(s) is subzi which is usually dry but sometimes has some gravy. *stared ones are my favorite!

Lentils/Dal

Dal is usually translated as lentils, but it really refers to a split version of the many kinds of lentils, peas, chickpeas (light and dark colored ones), kidney beans, black eyed peas, green beans…etc. I did not know that lentils are also known as “pulses” which are seeds of plants in the legume family. Vegetarian people like me get their proteins from these pulses and vegetables which may not sound that pleasing, having to eat these most of the time, but there are so many different kinds where each is unique and delicious in its’ own way, that I never feel like I am limited or running out of dishes. Lentils include most of the nutrients like protein, fiber, minerals and vitamins, but they are still low in calories and less to no fat. One cup of cooked lentils contains about 230 calories but still after consuming leaves one feeling full and satisfied.

So without any further delay, here are some of the lentils/ Dals and pulses…

1.*Dal Makhani- main ingredients are whole black lentil, red kidney beans, butter and cream

Recipe: https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Dal-Makhani.html

2. *Masr Moong Dal/ Yellow Dal- very healthy, light, and easiest to make

Recipe: https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/yellow-lentil-dal

3. *Kaale Sholey/ Kala Chana-  black, small chickpeas, also very healthy, the stew or curry of this dish is good to drink when sick too 

Recipe: https://pipingpotcurry.com/kala-chana-instant-pot/

4. Chite Sholey/Kabli Sholey or White Chana- white chickpeas (mentioned these in the “Let’s get back to some Punjabi Food” post)

Recipe: http://www.spiceupthecurry.com/chole/

5. *Rajma– red kidney beans in thick gravy with many spices, tastes best with rice

Recipe: https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/rajma-masala-recipe-restaurant-style/

6. Rongi– black eyed peas, look/cooked similar to Rajma, also taste best with rice

Recipe: http://allrecipes.co.in/recipe/118/my-favorite-raungi.aspx

Dal Makhani

Yellow Dal

Kala Chana

White Chana

Rajma

Raungi

 

Vegetables/Subzis

This is where we, vegetarians, get our other proteins and where we gain our left out calories, fat from the lentils. Like lentils, pulses there is a plethora of vegetables and the so many different kinds of ways to cook them that again, there never feels like a shortage. There is never being bored or sick of eating them! Some people tend to cook the vegetables seasonally, for example Saag (spinach and raw broccoli) and Shalgam (turnip) are often considered the “fall/winter vegetables.” On the other hand, Karele (bitter melon) and Pindiyan (Okra) are considered “spring/summer vegetables.” Some people cook and eat accordingly because sometimes some vegetable such as these may not taste as good because of the season, but some people do not care and eat whatever, whenever. My family and I usually go according to the seasons, but once in a while, my brother and I change things up according to our moods. haha.

Here are the vegetables/subzis…

1. *Karele- bitter melon or bitter gourd, some people don’t like this subzi, but I love it and it is very healthy (has all important nutrients from iron to potassium to vitamin C and more), they say the juice of this bitter melon is very bitter but is very good for you, some people make it by cutting and frying and some by filling with spices and then frying, adding some potatoes also lessens the bitterness and adds taste

Recipe: https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/karela-sabzi-recipe-punjabi-karela-sabzi/

2. *Pindiyan/Bhindi- okra/ ladyfinger, this also requires cooking and frying, can be made both ways by cutting or filling just like the Karele, my brother and I like it best by cutting, putting a lot of onions is always best!

Recipe: https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Bhindi-ki-Sabzi.html

3. *Aloo Gobhi- potatoes, cauliflower and spices (when I was little I thought the cauliflower looked like chicken and one of my uncles’ was over for lunch and when I told him this, he picked it up and ate it like chicken! lol)

Recipe: https://www.cookwithmanali.com/aloo-gobi/

4. *Aloo Gajar Matar- potatoes, carrots and peas, tastes good with Makki di Roti (corn roti, mentioned it in “Welcome to Punjab” post)

Recipe: https://mytastycurry.com/punjabi-aloo-gajar-matar-sabzi-recipe

5. Kaddu- squash/sweet pumpkin, once we planted/grew these at our backyard in the summer and they grew very big and tall, we used to put them next to my brother and measure/compare lol, there were so many so we shared with our friends and family

Recipe: https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Kaddu-Ki-Sabzi-Sanjeev-Kapoor-Kitchen-FoodFood.html

6. *Matar Paneer- peas and cheese in a tomato based sauce with spices

Recipe: https://indianhealthyrecipes.com/matar-paneer-mutter-masala/

Karele

Karele Filled

Bhindi

Aloo Gobhi

Aloo Gajar Matar

Kaddu

Matar Paneer

 

The restaurants I have mentioned before such as the following…all have the lentils and vegetables. Some have buffets and some have a Thali which is the Indian name for a round platter that is used to serve food (steel plate, bowls and utensils usually used). This is why restaurants use Thali to name the meal that comes with a selection of your choice of the various dishes they have and is served on a platter. Restaurants’ menus usually mention in the little description under Thali how much of what they can have (ex: two vegetables, one lentil, yogurt, rice, two Rotis, salad, and one sweet dish) but some may allow more dishes.

Places nearby:

• Guru Palace

Address: 2215 US-1, North Brunswick Township, NJ 08902

Phone: (732) 398- 9022

Rating on Google: 3.8/5

Menu: http://gurupalacerestaurant.com/

– I just found out about this place, though I had heard about it before. Our food always comes from here for our RU Sikh (Rutgers Sikh Student Association) events and it’s amazing! So would definitely recommend trying this place out since I have already mentioned the other ones (but should always keep them all for future references).

• Mithaas Restaurant  

Address: 1463 Finnegans Ln, North Brunswick Township, NJ 08902

Phone: (732) 658- 3880

Rating on Google: 3.9/5

Menu: places.singleplatform.com

• Delhi Garden Indian Restaurant

Address: 1677 NJ-27, Edison, NJ 08817

Phone: (732) 248-1888

Rating on Google: 4.5/5

Menu: delhigarden.wixsite.com

• Chand Palace (Recommended by Professor as he’s been here)

– variety of vegetarian Indian mild-spicy food & large buffet options

Address: 1296 Centennial Ave, Piscataway Township, NJ 08854

Menu: http://www.chandpalacerestaurant.com/ (click on appetizers for the snacks)

Phone: (732) 465-1474

Rating on Google: 4.2/5

See you soon!

Punjabi Style Breakfast/Lunch!

Over the weekend I had some special Punjabi breakfast which is where I got the idea for this post. It’s special because it’s occasional, we make this breakfast when my mom has time since it’s a little more time consuming, so weekends are usually the best time. I don’t mind because it’s nice to change it up and have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or some other things, too. Plus, it’s not always that healthy to eat heavy, fried food.

Most people eat this for breakfast but since it is heavy and filling, sometimes people eat it for lunch. We are usually late in eating over the weekend since we wake up late, around 10 which is why we first drink tea, cha and then something else. So, the special breakfast/lunch food is called Paranthe (for one or in their name its called Paratha), which is fried flatbread. Paranthe originated in the Indian subcontinent or Hindustan (Persian name of country before the partition) and is still popular in the countries today: India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and some others where wheat is grown.

The main ingredients are flour/dough (Atta or Maida), the various stuffings (the basic ingredients like onions, chilies, ginger, cilantro, spices are mixed with one other vegetable such as potatoes, cauliflower…etc but sometimes people may mix more than one vegetable- we usually choose one or else it’s hard to make the Paratha/ shape, fill, cook the dough/bread. Butter (Ghee) and or cooking oil is used for frying, health conscious people usually don’t fry and just eat the Parantha with a little butter on top or with plain Dahi (yogurt) since there is salt already in the bread. Some people eat some Achar (spiced, mixed pickles sauce) and drink some Lassi  (buttermilk) or water with it.

Here are some of the different kinds of Paranthe: Of course, BEST served when hot, some melted butter on top, Achar (pickle) and Dahi (yogurt)! Yummmm!

1) Plain Paratha- crisp and soft unleavened whole wheat flatbread, because there is no filling tastes best with some butter, achar (mango pickle is always the best) and or some Dal (lentil) or Subzi (cooked vegetables), also the most convenient to make because there is no filling-something extra to do. 

Recipe: http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/simple-plain-paratha-369771

2) Aloo Paratha- stuffed with mashed potatoes (Aloo means potato) which gives the Paratha a soft texture, this kind is most Punjabis’ favorites including ME! This one is also easier and quicker to make than the others.

Recipe: https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Aloo-Parantha.html

3) Gobi Paratha- stuffed with cauliflower (Gobhi means cauliflower), my second favorite, very filling (if you eat at least 2) and of course is yummy!

Recipe: https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Gobhi-Parantha.html

4) Mooli Paratha– stuffed with radish (Mooli means radish), you need a little more patience to make this one because it is time consuming and need to be careful with the ingredients and steps.

Recipe: https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Mooli-Parantha.html

5) Methi Paratha- stuffed with fenugreek (Methi means fenugreek greens or leaves) which is why this kind is known to be more healthier and nutritious 

Recipe: https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Methi-Parantha-Sirf-30-minute-FoodFood.html

Plain Paratha

Aloo (Potato) Paratha

Gobi (Cauliflower) Paratha

Mooli (Radish) Paratha

Methi (Fenugreek) Paratha

6) Methi-Mooli Paratha- stuffing is mixture of the Mooli and Methi ingredients which also tastes very good!

Recipe: https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Methi-aur-Mooli-ka-Parantha-Turban-Tadka-FoodFood.html

7) Palak Paratha- stuffed with spinach (Palak means spinach) which is also why this kind is another healthier one with its’ healthy greens

Recipe: https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Palak-Paneer-Paratha-Turban-Tadka-FoodFood.html

8) Paneer Paratha- stuffed with cheese and spices (Paneer means cheese), usually best to make your own homemade paneer for this and any other recipe you make, I still have to try this kind of Paratha but I’m sure it would be our Professor’s favorite! Paneer IS always good though!

Recipe: https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Paneer-And-Cheese-Parantha-Sanjeev-Kapoor-Kitchen-FoodFood.html

9) Chana Dal Paratha- stuffed with spiced bengal gram mixture, another favorite one of mine!

Recipe: https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/chana-dal-paratha-recipe/

10) Vegetable Paratha- stuffed with mix vegetables which is why it’s also healthy, the veggies are mashed so they don’t come out and give the Paratha a soft texture, another good one!

Recipe: https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/vegetable-paratha-recipe/

Mooli-Methi (Radish and Fenugreek) Paratha

Palak (Spinach) Paratha

Paneer (Cheese) Paratha

Chana Dal (Bengal Gram) Paratha

Vegetable (Mix veggies) Paratha

-There are many more because the ingredients can always be played around/experimented changed.

Places nearby to try some Parathas:

– India Square/Oak Tree Road as always- I specified the following places

• Khasiyat Restaurant- I have heard a lot about this place and how great it is! It’s name, Khasiyat means specialties/special, too!

Address: 77 Middlesex Ave, Iselin, NJ 08830

Phone: (732) 404-0331

Rating on Google: 4.1/5

Menu: khasiyat.com

• Punjabi Kitchen

Address: 1691 Oak Tree Road, Edison, NJ 08820

Phone: (732) 596-7907

Rating on Google: 3.7/5

Menu/Order: eatstreet.com, grubhub.com, doordash.com   

• Nirvanis Indian Kitchen (Menu shows they only have the Aloo Paratha but have other good foods to try too as I’ve been here once before so I thought about adding this place)

Address: 68 Easton Ave, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Phone: (732) 253-0507

Rating on Google: 3.2/5 My rating: 4/5

Menu: places.singleplatform.com

Try one or some of these Parathas and let me know if you get the Punjabi feeling/like the Punjabi style food, too! See you soon!

Let’s Get Back to Some Punjabi Food!

I honestly did not know what to make this post about because I started running out of ideas. I went back to my posts and thought I did mostly everything, until…I suddenly remembered some of my other favorite Punjabi foods that most Punjabis and others love! These foods are famous and of course delicious so let’s talk about them and some of my personal experiences/stories. As always, I get hungry as I write and add pictures, even though I eat before! Can’t stop from being hungry when there is mouth watering food in front of you!

So, chole (chickpeas) gravy or subzi is commonly used to eat with the different breads/chapatis and chole indeed, enhance the taste of each dish it is served with! The dishes I will be talking about in this post are all served with chole.

1. Chole Bhature

This dish is a combination of chana masala which is the Chole (chick peas) and fried bread made from maida (wheat flour) which is the Bhatura. Chole Bhature are usually eaten for breakfast if your looking to eat something nice and filling or some people eat them for lunch (I usually do). For some people this dish may be a little heavy, like me, so in my experience, lunchtime would be best. Note: Best when hot/warm! This dish is famous in the Northwestern region of India where are the states of Punjab, Haryana and others. In Punjab, the cities of Amritsar (where I/my mom is from) has majority of the best restaurants with all kinds of Punjabi food! Whenever we go to India, we always eat here when we go out, shopping and site seeing.

Recipe: https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Chole-Bhature.html

Chole Bhature

Chole Bhature with onion, chili, and achar (mixed spiced pickles)

 

2. Chole Puri

This dish is similar to Chole Bhature but the bread is not that heavy, thick. The bread is called Puri and is also made of wheat flour fried but is less fatty because of the lesser ingredients and methods used to make it (this is explained in the recipe link too). My brother sometimes prefer this, Chole Puri over Chole Bhature because it is easier to digest although where one may be able to eat only one Bhatura, more Puris can be eaten easily since they are usually smaller and not as heavy. It is also easier to make this dish at home because both the Puri can be made a lot quicker than the Bhatura since all you do is make a chapati our of the wheat flour and then just fry it. This is the simple and basic Puri whereas other people might like to add some other ingredients such as cumin seeds (these taste good too!)

Recipe: https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Chana-Puri-Fun-Food-For-Fussy-Kids.html

Chole Puri with onion, chili, lemon

Chole Puri with onion, chilli, achar, and dahi (yogurt)

 

3. Chole Kulche

So Kulche or Kulcha is soft textured flatbread that can be made in a tandoor (clay oven) which is a very famous method and commonly used in India or in a skillet. I am remembering the times I’ve been to India and eaten this dish in Amritsar at “Ashoka’s”, the BEST place that serves this dish! How I wish I was there right now! The taste is that delicious that I can never forget it, though I wish I can somehow transport myself there whenever I want to eat Chole Kulche! One time in India when we went for my mom’s youngest brother’s wedding and all the guests were at home, my other uncle brought the chef at home so he can cook all the different and special kinds of kulche for everyone! Everyone was delighted and couldn’t stop eating! I got tired serving everyone! 

Recipe: https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Bheeghe-Kulche-Chole.html

http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/kulcha-punjabi-flatbread/

Chole Kulche with onions, chilli, and achar

Chole Kulche with onions and lemon

 

Achar (mixed, spiced pickles-mango, lemon, carrots…etc), Dahi (yogurt) and Mirch Piaj Salad/Masala (Chilies and Onion spiced mixture) are usually served with all the dishes above to add some more taste and sometimes the Dahi (yogurt) which is cooler and not spiced up, helps if someone thinks the Chole are too spicy.

Achar (mixed, spiced pickles)

Dahi (yogurt, in this case is plain so there is nothing added, no extra spices) Usually sweet and cool this way

Places/Restaurants Nearby To Try These Dishes:

• Restaurants in the India Square-Oak Tree Road Edison/Iselin (As Always) Such as the Mithass there

Address: 1655-170 Oak Tree Road, Edison, NJ 08820

Phone: (732) 947- 3014

Rating on Google: 4/5

Menu: ordering.chownow.com

• Delhi Garden Indian Restaurant

  Address: 1677 NJ-27, Edison, NJ 08817

  Phone: (732) 248-1888

  Rating on Google: 4.5/5

  Menu: delhigarden.wixsite.com

• Mithaas Restaurant

Address: 1463 Finnegans Ln, North Brunswick Township, NJ 08902

Phone: (732) 658- 3880

Rating on Google: 3.9/5

Menu: places.singleplatform.com

Yes these dishes are again vegetarian and the breads are fried (but you can ask for them to be not too oily) which is why some may not like these, but they do taste amazing and make you lick your fingers! Hope you like these dishes too! Stay tuned for more!

Some More South Indian Food!

Hey guys! Continuing on the different Indian foods idea, I thought about talking about one of my favorite South Indian dishes that is a main meal. DOSA! Dosa is known as a lentil and rice pancake or crepe because of how it looks and what it’s made of. In South India, this dish is very popular and is mostly served for breakfast, today, however people eat this for either one of the three meals of the day. This unique dish can date back to the 17th Century! Dosa is a vegetarian dish, catering to many of the vegetarians in Jain, Buddhist and Hindu religions. This dish is considered very healthy because of the way it is made and it’s ingredients. They say, every city in Southern India has its own special way of taking the common Dosa, Masala Dosa and changing it up with adding different ingredients. Some places, alter the spices and some use different ingredients for the dosa batter/mixture. I have tried some of the other dosas, but I happen to like the Onion Masala Dosa the most. To experiment, I’m going to try some more of the other ones to see how I like them.

Dosa is eaten with Sambar (lentil-based vegetable stew/soup), and Chutney (sauce, optional but usually adds some taste- coconut chutney…etc)

Sambar

Making of Dosa

Coconut Chutney (Sauce)

Different Kinds of Dosa…These are just a few, there’s a lot more!

• Masala Dosa (can go from one layer to seven layer where more and more interior mixture is added)
• Onion Masala Dosa (same as Masala Dosa, just has more onions) 
• Chilli Cheese Paneer Dosa
• Onion Rava Dosa
• Mini Soya Dosa
• Ragi Wheat Dosa
• Rava Dosa
• Kuttu Ka Dosa
• Mysore Masala Dosa

Masala Dosa

Inside of Masala Dosa

Chilli Cheese (Paneer) Dosa

Mysore Masala Dosa

Springroll Dosa

Rava Dosa

As you can see the Dosa is usually big/long so the best way to eat it is to first cut it in half, then take pieces from the outer sides, open the inside a little to get some of the inside filling and then dip that into some Chutney/sauce and then into the Sambar or you can eat the piece as is and then drink some of the Sambar separately.

Healthy Dosa:

• easy to digest
• good source of carbs
• high in proteins
• low in calories
• low in fat
• rich source of minerals
• good source of vitamins

Dosa Recipe: https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Masala-Dosa-Dakshin-Delights.html

Places near Rutgers to try Dosa:

• Indian House Of Dosas

Address: 1665 Stelton Rd, Piscataway Township, NJ 08854

Menu: indianhouseofdosas.com

Rating on Google: 4.1/5

Phone: (732) 844-3672

• Dosa Grill  

Address: 1980 NJ-27 #3, North Brunswick Township, NJ 08902

Order: doordash.com

Rating on Google: 4.3/5

Phone: (732) 422-6800

Also near Rutgers about 10-15 minutes away, In “India Square” Edison/Iselin, but BEST Place in my opinion as I have been here multiple times! I have tried other places nearby, but their Dosas did not taste as good and were even more expensive for no reason! This place has the BEST taste and the BEST price!

• Dosa Express (Highly Recommended)

Address: 1170 Green St, Iselin, NJ 08830

Order: doordash.com

Rating on Google: 3.5/5

My rating: 5/5 or 6/5

Phone: (732) 404-0047

True Story! One of my best friends ate Dosa for the first time at one of the nearby restaurants and because her experience was not good, she thought this dish did not taste good at all and that she didn’t like it so was never going to eat it again. I was shocked when she told me because I wanted to eat Dosa, that day, so I convinced her to go with me to Dosa Express and to try it there and if she didn’t like it, she’ll never have to eat it again. I knew she was going to like it though and….SHE DID!!! She was very glad to try again and would never go anywhere else but here to eat Dosa just like me. I’m so thankful that the first time I ate Dosa was at this restaurant because I don’t blame my friend, I would have done the same and not tried the dish again if I didn’t like it the first time. It’s true the first impression is not the last, but the first impression usually has a strong affect which is they say you should try to make it the best you can. 

The restaurant is not that fancy, but is big, decent and the food and price is what matters most, which are satisfying! Dosas might taste similar in other restaurants but the Sambar is only BEST here which is very important since it’s eaten with the Dosa. The wait time is also reasonable, I think about 15-20 minutes, obviously depending on the orders and customers, but since the employees have everything ready (the ingredients), it doesn’t take long to make the Dosa. Where they make the Dosa is close to where you order and where they Sambar is, so you can see while waiting if want. The Sambar is kept in a large pot that is plugged to keep it hot, they keep filling it up as needed and the Dosa mixture is always ready, all they add is the interior mixture according to the order. When I was younger I would always stand by and see while waiting for our order. Whenever we go to the India Square to get groceries from the Subzi Mandi (Indian Supermarket), we usually eat Dosa, which is every two weeks!

I love Dosa and I’m sure you will do! Remember, it’s light-yet filling, healthy and costs reasonable! Yay for Indian Food! 

I know I talk more about the vegetarian Indian foods than the non-vegetarian, but I will try to mix it up. It’s just that I’m vegetarian and can relate more to these types of dishes than the others, but I will keep in mind of my audience and consider all types, to include everyone’s preferences. Thanks for the suggestions/comments!

There’s A Whole Lot More!

So as I mentioned in my last post that I like to try new things, specifically new dishes whether it’s still Indian food or not. My dad and younger brother still sometimes get iffy about the other Indian dishes besides Punjabi that my mom and I make at home, but when they eat them, they forget everything and can’t stop chewing! It’s so funny! For people that love eating, love food like my dad, can eat almost anything and everything! They complain first, eat and then complain again! Thanks to my mom, we don’t always eat and cook Punjabi food, but other Hindu and Gujarati dishes too.

The main meals are sometimes a little difficult to make because of the recipes and because usually there are other, specific pots, vessels and utensils needed. So without making things too complicated, my mom and I make these two dishes at home which can be eaten for breakfast and or for after lunch/evening snacks with or without tea.

1) Poha  (also called/can be called Kanda Poha- flattened rice)

This dish is an important part of the Indian states, Maharashtra (capital is Mumbai) and Madhya Pradesh (abbreviated as MP, located at the very center of India- Madhya means center). So Poha is a dish that most Hindu Indians tend to eat, but others eat as well. We found out about this dish from my aunt who lives in town and is always trying new recipes at home. She works with some Hindu and Gujarati Indians which is why and how she gradually learned about this and other dishes. She tried them there at work because her colleagues would bring them for lunch and then she started making them at home with the help of the internet. When we tried her Poha, it was very delicious, (people that like rice will like this too like my aunt and I) and then she taught my mom. So now my mom and I make Poha at home and it only takes 20 minutes, max 30 minutes! By the way, this tastes best when it’s made, nice and hot because the next day when you try to reheat it, it is okay but not as good (can tell from my experience).

ingredients and recipe: https://www.thespruce.com/poha-flattened-rice-1957769

 

2) Dhokla (also called Khaman Dhokla)

This dish originates from the Indian state of Gujarat. This is another dish that was introduced to my mom and I from my same aunt. This unlike Poha tastes best when it’s warm-cold, not too hot or too cold. Dhokla tastes very good alone or some people like to eat it with some chutney on it (the green- mildly spiced or the brown-sweet one). This dish has its own, unique taste where it isn’t sweet, but tastes like it is while having some salty/spicy taste but not at the same time. Only way to find out what you think and how you like it is by eating it!

ingredients and recipe: https://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Recipe/Khaman-Dhokla-KhaanaKhazana.html

 

I absolutely love these dishes and always get so excited when my mom and I make these at home. Occasionally these are made at our town Gurudwara (Sikh Temple), occasionally because when families book and have their langar (community kitchen in the Gurudwara where free meals are cooked and served to all the visitors/people that come, always vegetarian) they can make whatever they want, usually something special such as Poha, Dhokla, pasta, different kinds of Pakore (fritters) and so much more! This is also why the community where I live love and enjoy going to the Gurudwara because: it’s very close, people get to pray/listen to hymns, meet other friends/family, do seva (serve others food/drinks, clean the dishes, help cook, clean/mop the floor after/at the end and there’s a lot more, always something to do), and eat all they want without anyone stopping them! People usually have their langar on one of the weekends since friends and families are off of school/work. Sometimes there is an Akhand Path (a three day prayer, so usually Friday morning to Sunday morning, where the priests pray from the Guru Granth Sahib-the holy book non-stop so there are usually 5-6 or even more priests that switch after 2-4 hours of praying). When there is this prayer, the food is available 24/7 for anyone that visits and for the priests, day and night.

These two dishes that I talked about are available at most of the previous restaurants, near campus and those at the India Square, Edison. You can always try making them, too! Trust me, it’s not hard or time consuming. Food is always good, so keep trying more and new dishes! Hope you like them!

It’s… Snack Time!

So I have been talking a lot about the heavy food, main meals, and dishes so I thought about taking a break and talking about some of the most famous, mouth watering, Indian/Punjabi snacks! Since the main courses are usually heavy and sometimes over filling for people, snacks are better because most of them are light, yet filling, usually cost lower while leaving the same great taste in the mouth.

Some may find it interesting like I, too did at first when my mom told me about how there are small, special occasions when people tend to like eating some of the snacks. For example, when it’s raining and cold, people tend to enjoy eating some hot pakore (fritters) with ketchup or chutney (sweet brown colored sauce and or mild green colored sauce) and drinking some hot cha (tea). I have tried this a couple of times, especially after my mom told me. I experimented to see if I, too enjoy this snack more in this kind of weather than other normal, sunny days and I found out it’s true! There is this special joy of sitting on the sofa, watching the rain, taking little sips of tea that you’re holding in one hand and taking bites of the hot fritters with the other hand. The ambience suddenly becomes very pleasant, soothing, warm, comforting even though it is dull, sad, cold outside. This is a way for some people to enjoy the rain I guess.

Here are some of the snacks and drinks:

Snacks:

• Pakore (Fritters; different kinds: fresh vegetables dipped in a special spiced batter and fried to golden perfection, served with chutney; Paneer has everything described before, only thing added is square or triangle pieces of cheese same goes for Gobhi where cauliflower is added since Gobhi means cauliflower)
  

  Regular Pakora- the chutney or sauce is in the middle

  

  Paneer (Cheese) Pakora

  

  Gobhi (Cauliflower) Pakora
• Samosa (crispy turnover, filled with mildly spiced potatoes and green peas)

• 

  the sauces or chutneys are the green, brown, and there is ketchup

• Chaat (different kinds: Aloo Papri Chaat, Bhel Puri Chaat, Aloo Tikki Chaat, Samosa Channa Chaat)
  

  Aloo Papri Chaat

  

  Samosa Chaat

  

  Bhelpuri Chaat

  

  Aloo Tikki Chaat
• Gol Gappe/ Pani Puri (crispy shells stuffed with spiced potato & black chick peas, each is dipped into or can drink the bittersweet pani– water that is made with the green chutney, lemon, coriander leaves, and some soda- Sprite or Gingerale: optional but usually tastes better with them)
  

  
• Manchurian (can be dry or in gravy, different kinds: Vegetable has fresh veggie balls stir-fried with onions, ginger, garlic & spicy herbs; Paneer has homemade batter-fried cheese with special blend of Chinese Herbs; Gobhi has batter-fried cauliflower in a spicy blend of Chinese herbs— My favorite is the Vegetable and Gobhi one with gravy)
  

  Vegetable Manchurian

  

  Gobhi (Cauliflower) Manchurian
• Chili Paneer (mild-spicy, cottage cheese triangles sautéed with fresh chillies, onions, & bell peppers in a light soy sauce)

Sweets:

• Kulfi (homemade ice-cream made from fresh cream and nuts, flavored with rosewater and pistachio)

  

• Gulab Jamun (light pastry, made with milk and honey in a thick syrup)

  

• Falooda ice-cream (falooda is a famous cold dessert made from mixing rose syrup, vermicelli, sweet basil (sabza/takmaria) seeds, and pieces of jelly with milk, topped off with a scoop of ice cream- usually vanilla but can be other kinds too; similar to what a slushy looks like)

  

Drinks:

• Cha (Tea)
• Regular Lassi (white, made with homemade yogurt and flavored with rosewater- can be sweet or salty)
• Mango Lassi (Lassi made with mango)
• Mango Shake
• Lychee Juice (lychee is a tropical fruit that comes from Southern China)
• Falooda Shake (look at falooda ice cream described above in desserts if needed, so this is just a shake- so more milk)
  

  Cha (tea)

  

  Lassi

  

  Mango Lassi

  

  Mango Shake

  

  Falooda Shake

  

  Lychee Juice

Restaurants near Rutgers to try these snacks and many other including foods:

Mithaas (Recommended by me as I have been here) – variety of vegetarian & non-vegetarian Indian mild-spicy food

Address: 1357 Stelton Rd, Piscataway Township, NJ 08854

Menu: https://www.mithaas.com/

Phone: (732) 640-1166

Rating on Google: 3.9/5    My Rating: 4.5/5

Chand Palace (Recommended by Professor as he’s been here) – variety of vegetarian Indian mild-spicy food & large buffet options

Address: 1296 Centennial Ave, Piscataway Township, NJ 08854

Menu: http://www.chandpalacerestaurant.com/ (click on appetizers for the snacks)

Phone: (732) 465-1474

Rating on Google: 4.2/5

Hoysala (Recommended by Professor as he’s been here) – some vegetarian options/ mostly non-vegetarian South Indian food available with lunch & dinner buffets

Address: 2 John F Kennedy Blvd, Somerset, NJ 08873

Menu: http://hoysalarestaurant.com/

Phone: (732) 247-4300

Rating on Google: 4.1/5

Thank God there are places near to go out and eat with friends and family, especially friends/classmates here at Rutgers! I don’t always eat Indian food and try other vegetarian food from other countries/backgrounds because I like to change things around. I am willing to try, different foods/drinks and when people with other ethnicities also try Indian food I feel very proud that there are others interested and willingly to try, too! The most exciting moment is when people really enjoyed what they ate and then tell me how they really liked it and were amazed! Some of them even try to cook especially those who cook as a hobby/passion, what they ate not only so they can eat it again, share with others/family but to also figure out if they can match it with the same taste! Just hearing this, I get as excited as these people! I feel proud and extremely excited to be able to share insight with other people who want to know about Indian food with the help of my experiences and knowledge. So let me know if there are any questions, concerns! Don’t forget to let me know how it goes if you try to cook or eat any of the snacks/drinks or other Indian foods! As I always say, there is no harm in trying because you’re able to know what you like and what you don’t. I agree with Dr. Seuss: 

“If you never did you should. These things are fun and fun is good.” — Dr. Seuss 

Not The Times Square, but…The India Square!

Finding a place here in New Jersey where there is Indian food in not one restaurant but many restaurants? Where there is a lot to choose from and possibly play eenie-meenie- miny-moe? Then Edison is the city to go to! Edison and Iselin are right next to each other which is why Oak Tree Road and the India Square is in both cities. Like most people, I too have heard of or have been to the New York Times Square, but when my parents first took me Edison and I read the street sign, “The India Square,” I was thrilled! I felt like I was in the streets of India again, in the market as I saw how many different kinds of stores there were and how close they were. Instead of the big screens being very close to one another and right on top of each other as in the Times Square, there are stores and restaurants. There are individual stores or combined that sell jewelry, clothing, sweets, food (snacks, meals, buffets vegetarian and non-vegetarian), and drinks. Some stores are even for repairs, phone services, money exchange/transfer, passport services…etc.

At first I was surprised when recently a new Dunkin Donuts opened there but then I thought it’s true that “America runs on Dunkin,” the American Indian I am, I only like their coffee. So I was actually thankful for there being something different now and for it being Dunkin where people can grab some coffee and do some shopping or digest the food they just ate!

Without a doubt, the Indian Square feels like home where there is a high feeling of belonging whether there are people of different religions, everyone is still part of the country, India. I believe when it was first created there were a lot of Indians, but now as the years have passed and as the city/place has become more known (usually the first to pop up on google when searching for all kinds of Indian services in NJ), there are people of other races, ethnicities that are also seen there for shopping, eating and everything! I feel very happy when I see people from other countries because it shows how they appreciate us, our hostility, trust, respect and are willingly to share what we do, eat, wear…etc.

View of some of the shops lining on Oak Tree Rd. in Iselin, which is also referred to as “Little India”. Iselin, NJ 11/13/12 (Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-Ledger) Sent DIRECT TO SELECTS Tuesday, November 13, 2012 20:59:41 4422 2904

 

Ok! So now let’s talk about what this blog is about…..the FOOD! Based on my experiences, here are two restaurants I have been to, both overall are decent and worth going to! So definitely try them out!

Rasoi

This restaurant also has a bar on one side which is why people tend to have parties there for special occasions. The first time I went was for a dinner with my cousin who came to visit from Maryland with her family, husband, daughters and mother-in-law and whenever they come over, they always go to Oak Tree Road to do some grocery shopping and to eat. Which is what happened that day too, since we went later in the evening and it was close to dinner time, we decided to go to Rasoi. We chose the restaurant based on the experience people we knew had which was mostly decent and satisfying. My family again vegetarian and so was the younger one, my niece and the rest non-veg. We didn’t order snacks considering the late time so we ordered the main course:

Butter Chicken/ Chicken Makhani (Non-vegetarian) Tender, boneless succulent pieces of chicken cooked in a rich tomato based, fresh herb flavored sauce finished with butter and topped with cream

Paneer Tikka Masala (Vegetarian): Homemade cottage cheese cubes, bell pepper, onion and tomatoes cooked in kadai with special sauce

Channa Saag (Vegetarian): Cut garden fresh spinach, mustard and broccoli cooked with chickpeas

Plain White Rice

Naan (Bread/Chapati)

The total/bill was reasonable, $60.00.    

Rating on Google: 3.5/5

My Rating: 4/5

Address: 1567 Oak Tree Road, Iselin, NJ 08830

Phone: (732) 549-8817

Moghul Restaurant

This restaurant does not have a bar, because it has more space to fit big and small tables for joint families, small families and couples. The first time I went was for my mom’s friend’s, my “aunt’s” marriage anniversary dinner, there was the eight of us which is why her son made a reservation beforehand. The place is usually busy and sometimes there are multiple people celebrating special events so the place gets packed, causing waiting time, lines for the people that walk-in. First the waiter asked us for snacks and we ordered:

Then we ordered the main course (only my aunt’s son, father and daughter ate non-veg out of all of us so they ate those dishes while the rest of us ate our vegetarian food):

Murgh Tikka Lababdar (Non-Veg): Boneless pieces of marinated chicken, char grilled, finished in a rich tomato gravy, flavored with tempered chopped onion, ginger and garlic

Murgh Kadai (Non- Veg): boneless pieces of chicken cooked in a special combination of herbs and spices

Dal Makhani (Veg): Creamed lentils delicately cooked overnight on low heat, finished with butter

Malai Kofta (Veg): Golden fried cottage cheese dumplings served in a rich and creamy sauce

Bhindi Masala (Veg): fresh garden okra pan cooked with a blend of spices and herbs

Tandoori Roti (bread/chapati)

Plain White Rice

Dahi Bhalla: lentil dumpling served in yoghurt and tamarind sauce

 

Without a doubt, everything- the snacks, main course, drinks was delicious which is why I was surprised why the rating on Google was not that high, until we got the bill…the food is mouth watering, finger licking but the prices are not! The bill roughly came out to $150.00-$200.00! We felt the courtesy to at least pay half of the bill since my aunt and her family brought us out with them to celebrate for their special day, and so my dad quickly paid even though my uncle and aunt tried to stop him. I would go to this restaurant only for such special occasions because it is so expensive, not randomly for just a dinner or snack. Unless I go with my friends as a group where everyone is willing to pitch in some money, then I can consider going, though still not that often. I don’t work anymore so I only have the money saved from working before or my parent’s money. 

Rating on Google: 3.6/5

My Rating: 4.8/5

Address: 1655 Oak Tree Road, Edison, NJ 08820

Phone: (732) 549-5050

It’s very nice and convenient to have places close by where there is Indian food available because sometimes you need a break from cooking and just go out to eat where everything is being served and you can just sit back and enjoy! I’m very thankful for living close to the Indian Square, Edison where we usually go after two weeks for grocery shopping and sometimes eat from there! Or sometimes we go for special family lunch or dinners since we live only 10-15 minutes away. Try these places or even others at the India Square and let me know how it goes!

Out of the Country!

So Many Different Countries Yet Still One World

So to go off of last week’s post, I thought this post should be about the influence of other countries on the Indian food and cooking techniques. There is a vast amount of different, unique religions that affect food in India. Some may think, Indian food only comes from India, Pakistani food only comes from Pakistan, Mexican food only comes from Mexico…and so on but NO! This is where we go wrong and misunderstand the origins of the food. Where the food comes from depends on where the place, the country is located and its history which is 99.9% tied with other countries and religions. This was just an opening and some of my thoughts so let’s talk more and dig deeper to reveal the history behind the Indian soil!

Without a doubt like other cuisines, Indian food is ancient (goes a long way back), rich and highly diverse in its cooking customs, ethnic influences…and flavors! Mmh….mmm…mmh! Gourmet cuisine is referred to the food that was cooked in the past at the time of Mughal emperors (Muslim dynasty of Mongols that ruled most of India). Their chefs made the food with proper, sophistication, in a well manner (clean, delicious) with aromatic, distinct spices and other expensive, good (right) ingredients. If the food tasted bad whether it was the chef’s fault or not, without thinking twice the emperors would severely punish them (execution, banishment or something else that was very harsh). Boy is this true! I have read about this and have seen in Indian, Bollywood movies which were based off of real, historical events. Those who have power, usually misuse it which is why they should not be in power! But whose going to listen to me or others that agree with me? No one.

So, tying into religion, religion has been significantly influencing Indian food especially since most of the population follows Hinduism (Hindu religion). These individuals respect all forms of living things including creatures/animals which is why they are vegetarian. Religions were derived from the Guru’s (teachers/leaders, the name of God they believe in), and the people’s values which is the reason why some of the religions are similar in some of their rules/values and some are different. This is why and where Hinduism is similar to the religion I follow (like I mentioned in my last post), Sikhism, where individuals like us, my family are vegetarian because we respect all the living, as they are forms of individuals too but just in a different structure, manner in which God has created them. (I am not trying to change anyone’s thoughts or offend those that are non-vegetarian, I am just saying what I think and believe in). Of course there are people in my religion that eat meat, too. People have control over their choices, there is no forcing or strict rules to follow…unless of course if a person chooses to Amrit Shak (Sikhism-holy baptized) which is obvious that the person has to become purely vegetarian and follow other rules in their lifestyle. I am not Amrit Shak yet, I might in the future if I am ready to commit to the rules, for now I am only vegetarian. My parents used to be non-vegetarian before they got married and they never forced us to not eat meat, my brother and I tried simple things like a chicken burger and eggs (cooked in every possible way: boiled, with spices cooked like a subzi –with Indian vegetables…etc) but still did not like it. Now it has been so may years and we do not even remember the taste because we are satisfied and comfortable with being vegetarian.

Going back to the influence of other countries and religions, the Indian food was greatly influenced by Islamic traditions mostly for the non-vegetarian foods. Muslims preferred eating many forms of animal meat for example, lamb, fish, buffalo, chicken..etc and the method of grilling meat. As for the desserts, Muslims used dates and nuts which is used in nearly all of the Indian religions. Indian cuisine has also been influenced by Christianity as its traditions in the country are as old as the religion alone. The influence of Christianity can particularly be observed in the state of Kerala (South India, on the Coast of tropical Malabar) where St. Thomas converted to this religion following by the British rule which was an uprise to the influence of Christianity. Christians also ate all kinds of meat and established their own cooking styles of stir frying and baking. Obviously this influence was and is clearly used in the cuisine and food culture of Kerala. The Christian influence was also seen in other parts of India, such as Calcutta and Goa. These cities had seen a rapid conversion to Christianity. Thus, their cuisines too quickly incorporated European traditions such as baking of rum-cake on the occasion of Christmas in Calcutta.

It is very exciting and intriguing how the traditional Indian cuisine over the years has gradually advanced almost as much as technology. Indian food now has become a mix of the best religions including Muslim, Christian, Portuguese, and other religions following their culinary cultures. Different ingredients and cooking methods are taken from each religion which is why Indian food has become and continues to become more healthy, pungent, and satisfying in all aspects. It is crazy, like cool crazy (amazing) how diverse food can be too. Thinking about this mixing of cultures and religions reminds of the phrase, “The more, the merrier” because it is absolutely true, the more religions and aspects used to combine, the more delicious the food becomes! Changing up the cooking styles based off other religions can also make the dishes even better. There is no harm in trying, in experimenting! I am going to try this more now, too in cooking and in eating, opening up to try dishes made in different ways and with different religions. Either it will be good or bad, cannot decide until it happens!

Different yet United (Religions of India)