what is indian food?

In this whole 2011, I was working on what exactly the base and pilers of Indian food......as every cuisine is based on some fundamentals....so do indian cuisine, but here it is more of an art timing and judgement then the full details of recipe and it is personal touch which makes the food Devine from ordinary ingredients.

In simple indian cooking can't done only by getting perfect recipes or accurate quantities of ingredients, yes its true to make best food you need perfect recipe but at the same time it matters how well you use those ingredients in your cooking, while following the recipe the classic example is .....the way Sachin can hit the ball with great consistency a tail hander never have that skills to do so....

When I was doing my catering college I always use to think, why we brown the onions in some of the recipes and  just sauté them in others?

I asked this question to my seniors and to the chefs when I was doing my Industrial training at The Centure, New Delhi. But unfortunately never got satisfying answers as for them, it's being used from ages like this so they also following the same style.

I thought why not I give it a try, so I tried the brown onion which tasted more caramelized, nutty and pungent with strong aroma and at the same time I found sauted ones sweet, lite flavored and fruity, so I got my  answers, brown onion gives more strong flavor and richness to the gravy and also helps in giving body to the sauce as it melts down once cook further with veggies or meats and thickens the curry. On the other hand sautéed onions gives the dish natural sweetness and aroma.

Same more experiment I tried which I wanted to share with your all-

• Making any gravy with yoghurt bace, then if you temper it with fenugreek seeds or carom seeds it will taste better then if you cook it with some other spices. 
• Eggplant and okra infused with fennel seeds and added citric punch with lemon or raw mango makes the dish Devine in flavor.

So its all depends how good the chef is in combining two or more ingredients or in making blend of several spices, it all depends on chefs personal judgement which creates the difference in final taste of dish.

When I cook in my kitchen I always emphasize on timing of putting ingredients and as well as on the quantities of the ingredients of the recipe and at the same time on CIP( continuous improvement plan). As I personally believe that their is always scope of improvement in judgement therefore always work on it to make it as close as perfect in my on set standards.

So on the basis of my research and CIP I sharing some techniques with you which can make your food even more tasty-

1. While making dal tadka its very important to throw cumin in oil when it is hot so that without waisting any time cumin starts crackle in it, as it brings out the maximum flavor out of cumin.
2. Add the tomatoes, ginger and onions to the dal while boiling, now do tadka with cumin and garlic with ghee and pouring it on dal will give more flavor then making dal in traditional way.
3. Make a magic powder by roasting and pounding fennel, cumin and coriander seeds in equal quantity and you can use this magic powder to your favorite tomato soup or any vegetarian dishes as it will not over power the dish and will escalate the whole flavor.
4. I do not believe in using powdered garam masala in my dishes therefore while I start prep for my dish I soak whole spices in a bowl and pure it to add my dish when it is 80% done which gives more subtle flavor then bitterness.
5. Use individual spices or few spices while making dishes then using whole garam masala or powder to give more unique and accurate flavor  and natural taste to the dish.

Hope these tips will work for you and will help in making your cooking experience more Devine.... please do write me if you having any questions related to any confusion while cooking, I will love to answer them ....