Three common misconceptions about Indian food
Indian food is known for its fragrant aromas, deep flavorus, generous use of spices, vibrant colours and variety of textures. Although hugely popular, it is commonly misunderstood and here are the top 3 misconceptions when wanting to enjoy Indian food.
1) Food is always hot and spicy
Although the use of fresh, dried, or powdered chillies is common in almost all dishes, it doesn’t necessarily translate into being spicy. The misunderstanding is equating “spiciness” to “heat/hot” in a particular dish or meal. Spiciness refers to the use of a variety and amount of spices in a particular dish, while the heat/hot refers to the amount of peppers used in a particular dish. For example, Kashmiri Chilli, is known for its vibrant hue and delectable mild flavour. It is extensively used in almost all recipes and it helps give the dish its bold red colour. Therefore it’s use with other spices is considered “spicy” but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s “fiery hot”.
2) It is unhealthy and fatty
Even though almost all recipes call for the use of oil or ghee, it doesn’t translate to it being unhealthy or fatty. Oils and fats are essential in our diets and when incorporated correctly lead to significant health benefits. Thus it is all about cooking with the appropriate amount of “fats/oils” with a variety of spices to help aid in boosting your digestion, metabolism, physical and immune health.
3) Recipes are complicated and cooking at home is really difficult
The long list of spices listed for a particular dish may be off-putting when deciding to cook at home. However many indian recipes are very easy to cook and can be prepared quite SIMply regardless of your skill level. You don’t need to have a cupboard full of spices or scavenge for ingredients at a store to make some of your favourite dishes. It is all about progressing through the appropriate steps, cooking your ingredients/spices to their fullest and most importantly enjoying the experience while cooking.
