Page 9 - Manjulas Kitchen - Best of Vegetarian Recipes
P. 9
About Vegetarian Cooking
Indian flavors have come to play an important role in international cuisine.
It is unfortunate that many Westerners are under the impression that
Indian cooking takes too long, calls for too many ingredients, and is overly
spicy and greasy. Such misconceptions have arisen because the West was
introduced to Indian cuisine in restaurants, where the primary concern is
shelf life of the food, ease of preparation, and appearance.
In reality, Indian food is healthful, colorful, aromatic, full of flavor, and easy
to prepare.
Every region of India has its own distinct way of cooking and its own
specialties. The result is a huge variety of recipes with an endless array
of savory main dishes based on rice, lentils, and vegetables, a wide
assortment of breads, and a plethora of scrumptious desserts, snacks, and
drinks.
Spices are an essential element of Indian cuisine. The different
combinations enhance the flavors of each dish and make each dish unique.
But the benefits go far beyond taste and aroma. The spices used in Indian
food are famous for their food preservation and medicinal properties as
well.
Most of the dry goods and spices listed in this book are available at the
Indian grocery stores and at Amazon.com.
