It was Ricardo who came up with the idea of inviting the mother-daughter duo to come and cook traditional dishes from India, their home country, at our head office. While he was being interviewed on the CBC Radio show All in a Weekend, hosted by Sonali, the conversation quickly turned to Indian cuisine... That was all it took for him to organize a sort of blind date with our test kitchen staff. And since cooking know-how is passed along from mother to daughter, Sonali didn’t come alone. Her mother, Sandhya, accompanied her.
For the occasion, the magazine staff had proposed a clear challenge to her: To cook classic dishes from her country, with everyday ingredients that can be found at the supermarket. They prepared the menu, and our team took care of the grocery shopping. In no time at all, the duo took control of the kitchen. And the Indian cooking lessons began.
A note on region
“Firstly, it’s important to note that there are as many types of Indian cuisine as there are regions.” — Sonali
India is home to more than 1.4 billion people. With such a large number of people comes a wide variety of culinary traditions influenced by everything from religion to geography.
In northern India, dairy and bread play an important role, while in the south, no meal is complete without lentils. In the west, coconut and peanuts are major ingredients, while in the east, because of the strong Chinese and Mongolian influence, rice reigns supreme. And of course, countryside cuisine differs greatly from what’s on offer in big cities like Mumbai, where Sandhya’s family is from.
Le Naan is leavened, rolled out in ghee or oil and baked in a tandoor, while chapati is made from just wheat flour and water, and baked in a griddle pan.
Where there are differences, there are also similarities. One common thread that unites all Indian cooking is the idea of generosity, both in terms of flavour and of hospitality.
The basics
THINK INDIAN CUISINE, THINK HOT?
“It’s such a common misconception!” laughs Sonali. “We’re used to seeing curry everything and that’s about it but Indian cuisine is so much more varied. And yes, there are many mild dishes, too.”
While heat is definitely present in a handful of take-out favourites like vindaloo, many staple dishes fall into the mild to medium range.
THE REAL HEROES OF INDIAN CUISINE
The three humble aromatics: onions, ginger and garlic. “They’re the holy trinity,” says Sandhya. “Everything starts from them.” Then there are the bases: crushed tomatoes (typically used in curries), yogurt or coconut milk. And last but certainly not least, there are the spices.
Spicing things up
Much of the colour and vibrancy synonymous with Indian cooking comes from the spices. Many of the most popular varieties, including cardamom and turmeric, are indigenous to India.
One of the most basic—not to mention most famous—spice mixes is garam masala, which translates to “warm spices” in Hindi. While recipes vary by region and family, garam masala will typically include some combination of cumin, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and mace.
Blending your own is best but there’s no shame in taking a shortcut with a pre-made mix. Toasting the spices in a skillet is a critical step to enhancing their flavour. “You’re going to screw up a couple of times—you’re going to burn them once or twice and your smoke alarm is going to go off,” cautions Sonali. “But you’ll learn, and it’ll be worth it.”
In Indian cuisine, every time you prepare a meat differently, its name changes.
- TIKKA: Meat marinated and cooked on a skewer.
- MALAI: Made with cream.
- MASALA: Mix of spices.
- CURRY: Sauce made with masala and that can be blended with cream, yogurt or coconut milk.
- KOFTA: Ball of some kind, meat or vegetarian.
Feed your wanderlust with these recipes
Chicken
Butter Chicken
LEGUMES
Spinach Dahl
VEGETABLES AND GRATINEES
Sautéed Cabbage
fish
Tandoori Salmon
rice
Spiced Rice Pilaf
NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND MOCKTAILS
Mango Lassi
Want to attempt even more Indian dishes at home? Check out our selection of recipes: