Haandi Indian cuisine restaurant | Indian Food Restaurant Falls Church VA

By Ellen L. Dawson Last updated Aug 25, 2022

The skill of using Indian spices comes not only from knowing which spices to use, but also how to use them. Spices enhance flavor and add that “zing” to food, and it is these spices that make Indian cuisines so distinctive. The chefs at Haandi have mastered the blending of these spices perfectly to prepare you the most wonderful and authentic Indian cuisine you have ever tasted!

INDIAN SPICE BLENDS

Different spice blends can be said to have “warming” or “cooling” effects. Curry is a mixture of spices cooked with tomatoes and onions, yogurt or coconut milk. The loan varies according to the region and the cook. Curries are likely to include several spices like cardamom, pepper, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili pepper, saffron, tamarind, ginger, nutmeg , fenugreek and much more. Another term for a spice blend is masala. The first garam masala was created in northern India under Mughal rule. It originally included cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper. Over the years, cumin and coriander have been added. This mixture is now known as Mughal masala. Spices are used with all types of main dishes, including meat, fish, poultry and vegetables. In the south, the curries are generally more spicy and mainly vegetable (Bhujia, Dosa, Idli). Specialties include Pharsi Dhan Sak (lamb or chicken cooked with curried lentils) and Vinaloo vinegar sweet and sour marinade. Northern cuisine focuses on meat dishes like Rogan Josh (lamb in curry), Gushtaba (spicy meatballs in yogurt), kebabs and Tandoori cuisine (chicken, meat or fish marinated in sour milk and spices and baked in a traditional Tandoor clay oven.)

RELIGION AND FOOD

Food habits in India can easily be linked to the natural environment and religious practices of a region, but foreign influence has also played a significant role. In the 16th century, Muslims from West Asia invaded northern India. Their effect on the culture can be seen today in what used to be called Mughal Cuisines. This influence from the Middle East brought more meat dishes (kebabs, except pork), spices, nuts and the idea of ending a meal with dessert. Alternatively, the largely vegetarian Southern Hindu diet includes more rice, lentils, and vegetables cooked with yogurt, pickles, and chili peppers. meals are common mashed chickpeas, mung beans or kidney beans and accompany almost any meal. North and South India also differ in their choice of grains, the staple of all Indian cuisine. Rice is the staple of Southern cuisine, while wheat is used in the North. Hindus serve puris, a wheat bread fried in oil or ghee. Muslims traditionally prepare chapattis, circles of wheat dough cooked on a hot plate and served with hot curry, and naan, a sourdough bread baked in a tandoor oven. Traditionally, food is eaten by hand, using bread to scoop main courses.