Spice & Rice
AN EXPLORATION OF INDIAN CUISINE
BY MICHELE JACOBSON
L
ike many of you, I haven’t traveled internationally in quite a while. I miss the stimulation of experiencing different cultures and new foods which, for me, is the best part of the journey. When this longing hits I often find myself craving Indian food, with flavors that transport my taste buds to another place and spices that provide much needed solace for the soul. It’s just the ticket for these challenging times. I know, I know…you don’t like curry. But it’s a misconception that Indian food is “just curry.” In fact, the word curry simply means a sauce or stew. It can be made from virtually any ingredient at all. There is no one definitive Indian cuisine. The Republic of India has a land size approximately one-third that of the U.S., but a million more people within its borders. The cultural distinctions
are manifold, with variations based on region and religion. Hindu’s do not eat beef, but they do eat pork and chicken, while Muslims do not eat pork. The more than five million followers of Jainism are but part of the twenty percent of India’s population that is vegetarian. That said, those Indians who do eat meat eat less of it, affording India one of the lowest rates of meat consumption in the world. All of this diversity creates unique micro-regions, each with their own ingredients, cooking techniques and diet. The climate in India is also diverse, ranging from alpine to desert to tropical. This means different crops are grown throughout the country. Coastal states have a diet high in fish and seafood, but much of the country is landlocked. To categorize Indian food based on region allows for only a narrow interpretation, but it’s a start.
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