I learned how to cook Indian food simply because my man loves it and he would, probably, be able to live on it months on end. My fair city of Brussels doesn’t offer many good alternatives; even in my early days of cooking Indian food at home, we always had the feeling that I was doing much better than the restaurants. Little by little, I started embracing it, but not by the way of my taste buds, more by the way of reading and learning about it. I find it fascinating how the food ties into the story of India and how the food itself has been influenced by the religious, political and social changes. I love the rich dishes with lots of yogurt and silky sauces of the north and west and the Mogul cuisine, but I also adore the hot, sharp flavors and spiciness of the south. I like Balti dishes and the blend of different ingredients. The abundance of spices makes me feel great after eating Indian food. This is food that transports you and makes you dream!
I recently read this article about “vegetarian India” which seems to cause quite a debate: if we were to trust it, it seems that about 71% of the population loves their meat. From my European-biased spot, I confess I like both veggie and meat dishes and I don’t really grasp all the deep cultural and social aspects of the debate. I cook and enjoy most variety of Indian dishes, this time we decided to go for a fiery chickpea and aubergine vegetarian stew, from Southern India. It was so flavorful, it combined different textures and tastes, that we couldn’t help for a second serving. We kept the leftovers and had them at dinner the next day as a side next to a simple pork stake on the grill. Sacrilege!, some might say, I simply thought it was pure perfection. Read More