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230 CURRIES ACROSS THE SUBCONTINENT

Below left Chicken biryani Below The Goa; the fiery curry of vindaloo,
floating vegetable market on Dal Lake in developed in Goa, is a vinegar-and-chili-
Srinagar, Kashmir, is the only one of its pepper-based meat dish; the Gariahat
kind in India Right (top to bottom) Fish Market in Kolkata is several
Sunset over a beachside restaurant in decades old and the largest in the city

Curries Across the Subcontinent

From the majestic Himalayas in the KASHMIR
north and the deserts and jungles of The idyllically situated Kashmir Valley,
the center to the tropical southern hemmed in by towering Himalayan ranges, has
coastline, each Indian region produces a predominantly Muslim population whose
heavily meat-based cuisine, known as wazwan,
a range of delicious, distinctive dishes.
includes the worldwide favorite rogan
josh – meat in a richly spiced tomato sauce.
KERALA Juniper Hotel inexpensive
Paragon inexpensive Lal Chowk, Srinagar; +91 194 247 1031
Kannur Road, Kozhikode; www.paragonrestaurant.net This popular restaurant is well known for its fine
This is one of the oldest and most highly rated places Kashmiri dishes, including rogan josh and syun
to sample authentic Malabari cuisine, such as meen kaliya, lamb curry with a yogurt and turmeric base.
moilee (fish in coconut milk) or fish-and-mango curry.
Mughal Darbar moderate
Arca Nova moderate Residency Road, Srinagar; www.mughal-darbar.com
Fort House Hotel, 2/6A Calvathy Road, Kochi; This elegantly decorated restaurant within the hotel
+91 484 221 7103 of the same name is a great place to sample
This hotel’s peaceful candlelit jetty is a very romantic authentic Kashmiri wazwan cuisine; it’s a favorite
spot to enjoy meen moilee and other Keralan seafood with locals and visitors alike.
specialties or more simple grilled fish steaks.
Pahalgam Hotel moderate
Costa Malabari moderate Main Bazaar, Pahalgam; www.pahalgamhotel.com
Thottada, south of Kannur; +91 484 237 1761 The restaurant at this smart alpine-style hotel is
This trio of homestay bungalows, just behind an suitably lavish and serves up quality wazwan dishes
idyllic strip of coast, can rustle up a mean meen such as rogan josh, as well as fresh trout from the
moilee, as well as other home-style Keralan recipes. adjacent Lidder River.

On the Menu Gram flour Chickpea flour. with garlic, turmeric, and chili pepper.
Idli A circular steamed white patty made Sambar Spicy sauce with a tomato
Bhel puri Popular form of chaat (see of ground rice and lentils. and lentil base that accompanies many
pp192–3), made with puri, puffed rice, Masala dosa The most popular south south Indian dishes.
chopped onions and tomatoes, cilantro Indian pancake, stuffed with sabji and Samosa Triangular fried pastry snack; in
leaves, lime, and various spices. served with sambar and coconut chutney. India, usually filled with vegetables.
Biryani Basmati rice cooked with meat, Pakora Vegetable fritters. Tandoori Food cooked in a clay oven
chicken, or vegetables and a seasoning of Paneer Unsalted white cheese. with a spicy yogurt marinade, tinted red by
garlic, cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, bay Prawn malai curry A Bengali dish of cayenne or chili pepper.
leaves, ginger, and sometimes cloves. shrimp cooked in a sauce of yogurt, cumin, Thali South Indian rice plate with a set of
Chaat Street snacks, usually based on chili peppers, coriander, turmeric, and accompanying vegetable curry dishes and
crispy fried puri. ground coconut. sauces(see pp210–11).
Dosa Rice-flour and lentil pancake. Puri Puffed flatbread, usually fried. Tikka Lightly seasoned barbecued meat,
Garam masala Combination of spices Rasam Very thin, yellow, lentil-based often chicken.
such as ginger, turmeric, cloves, cumin, sauce, usually including tamarind. Vada Small doughnut-shaped savory
cardamom, and star anise; varies by region. Rogan josh Meat cooked in a rich tomato fritter, made from lentil and gram flours.
Gatta curry Gram-flour dumplings sauce with garlic, turmeric, coriander, Vindaloo Meat cooked in a hot sauce of
cooked in a yogurt and tomato gravy with cumin, chili pepper, and garam masala. chili pepper, vinegar, cloves, cardamom,
garam masala, coriander, chili pepper, Sabji A dry vegetable curry, usually made cinnamon, peppercorns, turmeric, coriander,
turmeric, and fennel. with potato and onions and seasoned and ginger. Potatoes are a Western addition.