Food — India

Indian gastronomy ranks among the world's richest, most complex and most varied cuisines — the product of 5,000 years of evolution, Perso-Mughal influences in the north, Dravidian-Tamil in the south, Portuguese in Goa, British for chai and certain techniques. To claim there is a single "Indian cuisine" is gross oversimplification: each state has its own culinary tradition, its own spices, its own techniques.

The North is dominated by Mughal-Persian influences: biryani (basmati rice scented with spices, saffron, meat or vegetables, the quintessential Mughal imperial dish — Hyderabad, Lucknow and Delhi vie for the best biryani), tandoori (cooking in the tandoor, vertical clay oven at high temperature: yoghurt-and-spice-marinated tandoori chicken, paneer tikka, naan), kebab (minced seekh kebab, shami kebab, galouti kebab of Lucknow), korma (mild cashew-and-cream curry), rogan josh (Kashmiri lamb curry), butter chicken (murgh makhani, Delhi). Northern breads: naan (tandoor-baked), chapati (unleavened flatbread), roti, paratha (stuffed or plain), kulcha. The thali (compartmented platter with 5-10 dishes: dal, sabzi vegetables, raita yoghurt, papad, rice, chapati, dessert) is the classic everyday lunch everywhere.

The South offers a radically different cuisine, dominated by rice, coconut, tamarind, curry leaves, green chilli. Essential dishes: dosa (giant crispy crepe of fermented rice and lentils, served with sambar and chutneys — masala dosa stuffed with spicy potatoes, emblematic Southern dish), idli (steamed rice cakes, classic breakfast), vada (lentil fritters), sambar (lentil curry with vegetables and tamarind), rasam (spiced soup), coconut curry (Kerala), appam (spongy Kerala crepe), puttu (cylinders of steamed rice and coconut, Kerala). In Kerala, fish (karimeen, sardine), prawn and crab dishes with coconut milk are sublime. In Goa, Portuguese heritage gave vindaloo (pork-vinegar-chilli curry), sorpotel (spicy pork), xacuti, bebinca (layered cake).

Spices are the soul of Indian cuisine — cardamom (green and black), turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger, garlic, garam masala (blend of roasted spices), black pepper (Kerala is one of the world's great producers), chilli, fenugreek, mustard, asafoetida (hing), fennel seeds, cloves. Garam masala and curry powder vary from family to family. Chutneys (fresh sauces: mint, coriander, tamarind, mango, coconut) accompany every dish. Raita (yoghurt with cucumbers and spices) tempers the heat of spicy dishes.

Desserts: gulab jamun (fried milk-solid balls in syrup), jalebi (orange fried spirals in syrup), rasmalai (fresh cheese balls in saffron milk), kheer (cardamom rice pudding), barfi (sweet milk squares), mango lassi (mango lassi), kulfi (dense condensed-milk ice cream), mithai (traditional sweets assortment offered during festivals).

Drinks: masala chai (black tea boiled with milk, sugar, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves — the absolute national drink, sold by chaiwallahs everywhere for 5-15 INR), lassi (whipped yoghurt sweet or salty: mango, sweet, salt, bhang lassi at Varanasi legally cannabis-infused), nimbu pani (lemonade), chaas (spiced buttermilk), fresh sugarcane juice, coconut water. Beer (Kingfisher, Royal Challenge, Tuborg India) accompanies meals, but alcohol consumption is restricted or prohibited in several states (Gujarat, Bihar, Mizoram, Nagaland). Indian whisky (Amrut, Paul John, Rampur) is of growing international quality.

Indian street food is one of the world's great culinary experiences — but also the main vector of "Delhi belly". Specialities: chaat (spiced-sweet-tangy snacks: pani puri, bhel puri, sev puri, dahi puri, aloo tikki), vada pav (Mumbai, potato fritter in bun), pav bhaji (mashed vegetable curry with bun), pakora (fritters), samosa (spiced potato turnover), kachori (lentil turnover), jalebi and kulfi for sweets. To avoid Delhi belly: favour busy stalls (fast turnover), cooking in front of you, never water or ice cubes, never pre-cut fruit.