Page 170 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

168  CENTR AL INDIA

The Flavours of Central India

Since a large part of the region falls within the fertile
Gangetic Plain, this area is rich in agricultural produce.
Stretching across the land are endless fields of rice
and wheat as well as vast dark green mango and litchi
orchards. Rice and wheat are both eaten in the so-called
Hindi-speaking states, although the food differs from
community to community. The two main culinary
influences are the sophisticated vegetarian cuisine from
the holy city of Varanasi and Lucknow’s refined mutton Bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom,
dishes and biryanis that evolved in the royal kitchens. cumin, cloves and turmeric

powder), cumin and chilli slow fire, is the essence of
powder. Uttar Pradesh’s street Awadhi cuisine, as is the subtle
food, such as savoury chaat, use of spices. From this region
is famous, and the best can be come two exquisite lamb
found in the lanes of Varanasi. kebabs: galauti and kakori, while
The states of Awadh (now the delicately flavoured pulaos
Lucknow) and Rampur produce (rice dishes) are legendary.
an unsurpassable cuisine. In the Himalayan state of
Traditional Dum pukht, where Uttarakhand the food leans
food is sealed with dough in heavily on lentils, soya beans
large pots and cooked on a and mundua (buckwheat).
Watermelon Mango Papaya Pomegranate
Guava
Street vendor frying samosas, a popular Melon
snack, in a kadahi (wok) Litchi
Uttar Pradesh &
Uttarakhand
Roughly, this region has three
types of cuisine: vegetarian,
Mughlai (or Nawabi) and
Uttarakhandi. The vegetarian
food of the plains is very refined,
cooked in pure ghee (clarified
butter) and temp ered with
asafetida, garam masala (curry A selection of fruits grown in Central India

Local Dishes and Specialities
Subtlety and refinement are
the main features of both
vegetarian and non-vegetarian
cooking. A regular meal
comprises lentils, a vegetable
dish, rice or roti (bread) with pickles to
add piquancy. Typical of Varanasi is sattvik
or “pure” food, which is strictly vegetarian
Mung dal and lightly spiced, but without onions and
garlic. The Muslim courts of Bhopal, Patna
and Lucknow further enriched the culinary repertoire with fragrant
mutton biryanis, rich kormas and succulent kebabs. Some of the
finest sweets from this region include jalebis (crisp golden spirals of Savouries include samosas
fried batter), the rich badam halwa (almond sweet) and the syrup- (potato-filled turnovers) and
soaked malpua (a type of pancake). Paan (betel leaf) is served at kachoris (stuffed fried bread,
the end of a hearty meal. with chutney).

168-169_EW_India.indd 168 26/04/17 11:43 am
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