NORTH INDIAN FOOD

   

       North Indian cooks tend to use their spices in freshly ground powder form.
Chili peppers are common to Indian cuisine, and in the north, the Degchi Mirchi, or Kashmiri chili pepper are especially popular. Ground red chili powder is important northern Indian flavor, as is turmeric, sweet bay or laurel leaves, cumin, black and green cardamom, coriander, cassia tree bark -- for which cinnamon is often substituted -- cloves, saffron, nutmeg, black and yellow mustard seeds, fennel, asafetida, curry leaves, fenugreek, tamarind, fresh cilantro leaves, and mint.
Garam masala is a spice mixture used extensively in northern Indian cuisine. This is a blend of spices, which is loosely built upon a set of common spices, but varies widely from region to region, even from family to family. In the north, a basic garam masala would consist of raw cardamom seeds, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper. Ghee, or clarified butter, is particularly important to the flavor of northern cuisine.
Flat breads of various types, including chapattis, roti, puri, different types of parantha, and tandoori baked breads like nan are a part of most north Indian meals. Showing the religious influence of the Vaishnava Hindus, the northern states -- Uttar Pradesh in particular -- have created some of the finest vegetarian cuisine in the world, built upon a wide variety of pulses, or legumes and fragrant Basmati rice.
North Indian flavors have become an important part of international cuisine, spreading through the world's metropolitan centers and into the food cultures of many countries. Beloved especially for its specialized tandoori dishes and vegetarian creations, North Indian cuisine continues to expand and flourish globally.
                   The staple food crop of northern region of India is wheat. A typical traditional north Indian balanced diet would consist of Roti (baked wheat pancakes) or Parathas (wheat pancake stuffed with mashed vegetables) served with dal, which is a watery preparation of pulses. North India also uses milk and other dairy products in their daily diet. Yogurt, milk, ghee (clarified butter), butter and paneer (cottage cheese) are widely used in most dishes along with spices. The non-vegetarian variety is highly inspired from the Mughlai cuisine and is absolutely delicious. Oil is generously used, as many people prefer deep fried curries and other preparations.