Why Mughlai food is the most royal amongst delicacies

Mughlai cuisines have thrilled palettes all over the world. Although, there have been amazing empires all over the world, Mughals always stood out because of their love for art, architecture and food. And just like their lavish lifestyle, their meals were sumptuous, to say the least. The royal looking Mughlai dishes taste much like what an emperor would have on his table. Masalas, oils and colour add to the dishes’ grandeur. There won’t be a single foodie in the world who has eaten biryani, murgh musallam, kebab, rogan josht etc and not got hooked to them.

The display of the royalty in the food has toned down a bit. In the peak of the Mughal era, cuisines were made to look lavish, colourful and fragrant and it was eaten with proper respect and table manners. Decorating the food was also seen as a nutritional benefit on the advice of the royal physician. For example, the royal biryani had each of its grain of rice coated with silver oil, because silver aids digestion along with acting as an aphrodisiac. Even the best restaurants in Delhi now are unable to match that level of grandeur.

Mughlai food turned out so well because it infused the best of many cultures including Iranian, Persian, Afghani, Kashmiri and Punjabi. The cuisines are not only non-vegetarian though as some emperors even liked vegetarian food. For example Akbar ate vegetarian three days in a week and Aurangzeb was an out and out vegetarian though he did fancy his occasional mega-biryani, as it is referred to by the historians. Being the national capital, Delhi’s food was influenced by a lot of cultures. Although, North Indian cuisine in Delhi remains the favourite of every one mainly because of its Mughal background. So hurry up and order, it’s time to feast like a king. 

The North-South combo!

I am a ‘mixed breed’ as my friends call me. That’s because I have a Punjabi mom and a Malayali dad. I am the by-product of cultural diversity in India and I have experienced a lot of such ‘diverse’ things right form my childhood. I have been brought up in Delhi, so I must say that I have its influence slightly more than the southern corner of our country. But apart from that I have always encountered the best of both!

For instance, language has been one of significant things of my life. I know Punjabi from my mom’s family and Delhi has always been my teacher when it came to the accent of authentic Punjabi language. Also, I acquired the knowledge of Malayalam from my grandparents who lived with us and dad who wanted me to be fluent in his mother tongue as well!

So I used to be a wonder kid back in school who knew Hindi, Punjabi, Malayalam and English! Even I never realized how I picked up so many dialects, accents and dictions!

The next inevitable point that I must mention is food. Breakfasts were never boring as I would either get aloo paratha or dosa and the likes. Although I have been exposed to North Indian food in Delhi more, I am equally attached to South Indian cuisine.

We have explored the best restaurants in Delhi serving both North and South Indian cuisine! I am at times surprised at my undivided love for both idli and chole kulche at the same time!

Festivals were the best part of my upbringing into a culturally ‘mismatched’ family like this. Pongal used to be so much fun! And Diwali was just as grand!

The best thing is I never realized while I was growing up that I was imbibing two different cultures together which otherwise the society considers ‘impossible’. Everyone creates ‘norms’ but few realize that there is an inexplicable peace (and joy) beyond that.

Perks of Being a Vegetarian

Going by the recent data collected, we can very well infer that the new trend says ‘Go Vegan’. While reasons may vary, but there is one universal voice that calls out to switch to the vegetarian lifestyle. Though the motives may vary, the perks stay the same, remarks the best restaurants in Delhi.

Having said that there is enough scientific evidence to prove that you can readily avail several health and environment-based benefits by going for a vegetarian diet! Since most of the illness, including the most fatal ones like cancers amongst others source from the diet plan. However a plan-based-diet then reduces the risk of various chronic diseases, leading you to a healthy lifestyle, observes an owner of a top restaurant in Saket.

Here are some more benefits of turning vegan:

-Longevity of life

Since the non-vegan eating habit results into a consumption of saturated and four legged fat, it must be noted that it reduces your average life span. Studies reveal that animal products block your arteries and slow down the immune system. But going for a vegetarian diet keeps you safe from these and prevents unnecessary loss of energies.

-Lower the risk of chronic diseases

A low on fat vegetarian diet is one way to keep the chronic and other fatal diseases at bay. Rich in fibre and antioxidants, they facilitate both a better digestive system and also wards off the free radicals, reports a dietician after a food review for the top restaurant in Saket.

-Keep a tab on your weight

Since a regular non-vegan diet has plenty of saturated fats and processed foods, they are known to be a major cause adding to obesity. However switching to a low-fat vegetarian diet not only regulates your weight but also checks your cholesterol levels.

Common Indian Cooking Styles

Welcome to the food paradise! India is a land of varied tastes and flavours with the flavours that vary with different cultures and regions. Many might not know this but the country has some 35% of the people that are strictly vegetarians and there are roughly 30% that are regular meat eaters, states the top North Indian restaurant in Delhi.

It might be interesting to note that the tastes and preferences vary highly with the changing geographies along with the climatic conditions. With such an immersive variety that the Indian food offers, it in fact is imperative to have a look at the common cooking styles that Indians have:

-Roasting Dry Spices

Spices such as garam masala, ground cumin, coriander seeds and other curry spices are roasted dry in a frying pan. This is one of the common practices when preparing north Indian cuisine in Delhi or any household. Once the frying pan or the iron girdle is preheated on a medium flame, the spices are added and are continuously stirred until the spices turn a few shades darker.

-Adding Seasoning to the Dals (cereals)

Commonly known as tarka, some oil (ghee) is added to a pan followed by masalas like mustard seeds, cumin, chopped onion and garlic, chillies and heeng (asafoetida). Then these are cooked and stirred for some one minute until the mustard seeds start popping.

-Grinding Masalas

It is one of the ways we store our spices. We use a coffee grinder or a specific spice grinder to powder spices like garam masala, turmeric and red chillies amongst others, explains a top North Indian restaurant Dhaba By Claridges. 

-Cooking in Tandoors

Exclusive and unique to Indian cooking is tandoori cooking style. Now that meat, seafood and chicken is cooked in Tandoors, tandoor cooking has become a significant style of cooking.

Instant and Healthy Lunch Ideas

Lunch, nutritionists say is a very essential part of your daily diet routine and keeps you energy-packed till dinner. Several reports point towards the fact that skipping lunch is especially a bad idea when you are trying too hard to ensure nutrition and right amount of calories in your diet.

Lunches are made to make your taste buds dance, remarks quirkily the best restaurants in Delhi for lunch. Many believe that you get to have delicacies only at the cost of unwanted calories. However that’s really not true!

Helping you with some of the finest and super-delicious lunches, here are some healthy lunch ideas:

Chicken Salad Pita
Imagine a wheat pita stuffed with chopped chicken breast, made more nutritious with grated apple and greek yoghurt. Coming with an exact calorie count of 344, the greek yoghurt makes the recipe both delicious and high in nutrition. Rich in Calcium and Vitamin, the recipe is surely is a must have on any given day, says the best restaurant for food delivery in Saket.

Green Club Sandwich
As green as the plate sounds, it has all the goodness of green vegetables. You can prepare it using rye toast or wholegrain. Abundant in fibre, the dish is a nice change from the usual vegetarian salad while restoring all the nutritional value. Avocado, rocket leaves, cherry tomatoes along with ready-made humus goes into preparing this quick and healthy recipe.

Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Pate
Comes with a calorie count of as low as 200, it is a splash of refreshment and energy in between the day, says a chef from the best restaurant in Delhi for lunch. Prepared with ingredients like smoked paprika, olive oil, diced sweet potatoes, sodium vegetable stock and red wine vinegar along with pita bread, it is a high in proteins and low in fat recipe. Fit to satisfy all time hunger pangs, it is also beneficial for treating diabetes and obesity.

Round off your meal with Mukhwaas!

The North Indian cuisine is known for its elaborate multi course meals. The fare, fit for the royalty, includes various shades of flavours and aromas that will have your senses enamoured. Before the common folk admired and adapted the royal salver into their humble daily lives, there were elaborate courses befitting, seasons, moods, main course’s preparation method, time of the meal and even the digestive system.

One such small ritual in this imperial meal was Mukwaas-- a spoonful of sweet and aromatic flavours which disentangle your senses from the rich and spice laden flavours, refreshes the mouth and sets the digestive juices roiling. This unique course in the meal is now usually limited to just fennel seeds, but did you know there were over 100 recipes for that, says a chef at a popular restaurant in Saket. Here are a few samples.

All-in-one

Take 1 portion of roughly shredded betel nut leaves to this add ¼ portion of dhana dal, roasted fennel seeds, sugar coated fennel seed, dry dates finely chopped, sweet supari and rose sherbet each. Now take 1 portion of fresh shredded coconut half of which can be coloured with permitted food colours and add it to the mixture. Finally, put in around 2 teaspoons of ground cardamom. Mix all this together and store in an airtight container. North Indian restaurants saket say that it has a shelf life as long as one year if handled properly.

All purpose Mukhwaas

 Betel nut and supari aren’t everyone’s favourite. Besides, children should avoid such ingredients. So this recipe uses healthy ayirvedic medicines which are good for digestion, cures seasonal coughs and tatse good. take 1 portion of fennel seeds, carom seeds, mulethi powder and dried mint leaves. To this add sea salt according to your taste and 1 tsp of cloves. Now take the whole mixture and coarse grind it in a mixer.

Indian Food and Its Relative Calorie Coun

India which is the second most populous country of the world enjoys a rich mixture customs and individuals. This exuberance through diverse regional races is then reflected in the clothing habits, food habits and various religious beliefs. As one moves from the northern region to the southern parts and vice versa there is a complete shift of tastes and culinary respites. It is in fact amazing that a north Indian food in Delhi may taste uniquely different when cooked in some other region. The popular food which we enjoy has also a historical heritage attached to it. One can clearly distinguish the impact of ancient civilization as has been invaded by the British, Mughals and others, mirrored in the domestic food and as is served in the best restaurants in Delhi or any other region.

However with the world increasingly becoming aware of the importance of healthy food, it has become all the more necessary to understand how a particular food affects your body. To aid this consciousness here are some most popular regional food items and their respective calorie count:

-Roti

It is a traditional Indian bread and is pretty thin. A 6-inch roti offers a number of 85 kilocalories. With thin crust it becomes a parantha, which can then be stuffed with potatoes, spinach or onion as per the taste. This version of Indian bread then offers a surplus of 180 kilocalories.

-Rajma

The staple platter for north Indian food in Delhi and other northern regions is well served with rice. A melange of spices, tomato puree and onion, it contains good quality of proteins. Being excellent for health, it also works well for muscle-building. Generally 150 grams of rajma add to 153 kilocalories.

-Rasam

Most popular in the southern region of the country, it is a household dish. Low in calories it is ideal for those struggling to manage the weight. 150 grams of it, only contribute towards 30 kilocalories.

-Fish

Since the southern region of the country is closer to the coastline, fish is one of the most cooked dishes in this region with several variations to suit the taste. 200 grams of fish curry contains 460 kilocalories.

Awesome flavors of Delhi

Hi, I am Prerna, Mumbai based resident. Recently, have got married and have shifted to Delhi.  Bing a resident of Mumbai, needless to confess, i am a bit biased about my place. No matter which corner of the nation I am in, i know, will end up always favoring my Mumbai. One, this place is special and subsequently, i have grown up here, which automatically makes this place beautiful to me.

No matter which place I’m or will be in, Mumbai will always hit my priority list. When I was in school, every single day, my mumma would give me ten rupee and I would religiously save that 10 rupee aside. Vada paw is my all-time favorite snack, which would cost a few bugs, and to be honest, i would somehow manage eating it from my friend’s pocket money. When I would collect good amount of around 80 or 100, some of the best restaurants were my one stop destination.

I confess being a big foodie, and just cannot live without spicy north indian food Delhi or Mumbai, be it anywhere I am in.

When i got married, I had no clue that would miss the spicy and homely flavors. I seriously craved for some ‘good’ food. For a few days, when i came to Delhi, felt as if would never get a simple vada paw here, forget the rest. But yes, I was wrong, for which I would accredited best restaurants in Delhi.

Though there’s a big time difference in the spice contents, and the preparation methodology, but who cares??? Something that remains almost the same is ‘taste’. The only thing that has to be taken into consideration is that you explore the fine eatery out of many. 

Overview of Flavors and Cuisines from North India

Geographical and Cultural Influence on the Food: North India is blessed with extreme climate conditions which is a summer is too hot and winter is too chilly. This weather offers an abundance of fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables. The richness owing to the geographical location with relation to the rest of the Sub-continent implies that the region has had a great influence of by Central Asia both in terms of culture and food. Mughlai and Kashmiri type of cooking form the most popular cuisine for the best restaurants in Delhi and across the globe.

Opulence of Food: North Indian curries are thick, creamy and spicy in texture. The use of dried fruits is common when preparing North Indian Food Delhi. Various dairy products like milk, yoghurt, cream, cottage cheese and ghee have a significant role when preparing this relishing palate. Also due to the availability of sumptuous variety of foods and vegetables an incredible kind of vegetarian dishes are cooked the entire year.

Staple Food: Unlike south Indians the North Indians prefer wheat bread over rice. North India is an abode to tandoori roti, naans and stuffed paranthas.  However you will also come across rice made into elaborate biryanis and pilafs in the region. This preference of wheat can be greatly observed in the menus of the best restaurants in Delhi.

Use of Cooking Oils: The oils which go into making these dishes include sunflower and canola. Mustard oil is used only in some regions of the state. Ghee goes into the preparation of special dishes and reserved for specific occasions.

Significant spices and Ingredients: Coriander, cumin, Dry red chilies, turmeric, chili powder, cinnamon, cloves, garam masala and fennel are some of the dominant ingredients and spices which go into the making of the best north Indian cuisines.

Best-Known Dishes: Mutter Paneer, Biryani, Dal Makhni, Dahi Gosht, Chicken Tikka, Fish Amritsari, Samosa, Chaat and Motichor Ladoo are some of the popular palates from North India. 

Looking Out for the Restaurant Faux Pas!

I can’t tell how it feels to be robbed at a place where nobody comes to your rescue, mainly because you make the plunge at your own peril. No, I am not talking about some deadly terrorist encounter. I am talking about setting a foot into a restaurant and setting the same foot out, robbed of all money and sadly, satisfaction, too.

One such encounter that I had at a restro, supposedly one of the best restaurants in Delhi, left me thinking about the authenticity of the word -‘best’. While some restaurants, like Dhaba By Claridges, Pind Baluchi, or Dawat live upto their names, others just come across as a terrible disappointment. While zeroing on a North Indian Restaurant in Delhi, here are the most common things NOT to look out for!

The old, boring food

Every North Indian Restaurant in Delhi will have the usual Dal Makhani and Shahi Paneer on its platter. How the restaurant reinvents it decides how things click with the customers. Nobody would splurge their hard earned money on a dish that can be as easily cooked at home too. New is the fad these days. Adopt it, and stick to it!

Candle lit Ambience and Non engaging Staff

Ask today’s youngsters or even elders for that matter, Candle lit ambience is a thing that has ceased to be a charmer. People these days hunt down places that could cater to their frolicky taste and enjoy their meals and drinks in a wacky manner. Quirky ambience punctuated with bizarre elements like cool feedback chits pasted on the walls strike a chord with the audience. Well that’s closely enough to leave a long lasting impression on the foodies.

A non engaging staff is a big turn off, too. Imagine an attendant who makes an unbothered expression at your orders and doesn’t nod or say yes as a token of affirmation? An engaging and a warm staff, hence, is imperative to a pleasant dining experience. 

How Planning Comes in Handy While you are Cooking

I remember waking up to my mother instructing me to have things in control at home while she was leaving for a holy trip for a few days. For days I was baffled to wake up and sleep back with a concern about what to cook buzzing all around and about the day. What to prepare is the only thing I was perturbed with. It wasn’t the case that I haven’t cooked before but planning a meal is going to haunt me for ages now. It is not solely about the taste which may decide a meal but there are a lot many considerations and thoughts which get into while preparing a meal. 

When I was preparing a meal I made it a point to make it with a right balance of taste and health. Though it was a lot of trouble I confess, to prepare an appetizing palate considering the health part of it but few tips which I learnt from a chef from the best restaurants in Delhi came to the rescue. Sticking on to the nutritious value I prepared a plan to make the supper delectable. After chalking out a strategy I decided to prepare the breakfast nutritious, lunch savouring and heavy and dinner mostly light with a dessert with some home-made snacks in between.

Here are a few tips I adhered to while I planned and prepared the meals-

-Avoid including processed and readymade food, since we don’t have any control over its make-up. When having salads do not include pickles and dips into it. Apart from adding unnecessary calories they are unhealthy.

- I learnt this from a chef of a North Indian restaurants in Gurgaon that you must revisit the list of your groceries before you actually go shopping. Generally we don’t have a fixed idea what we will be buying and therefore the unrequired fuss about what to prepare. This kind of planning becomes much important in a big set up like a restaurant where managing an inventory itself is a task complex enough. 

-Pick a leaner piece of meat for palates which cannot be cooked with a lot of oil. Choose for extra virgin olive oil to make it healthier. Pick the organic, non-polished variants of rice and  pulses. While stocking on essential herbs and exotic vegetable for extra flavours do remember to opt for whole grain bread and pasta. 

Conclusively a bit of planning and sticking to something healthy and tasty at the same time helps you sail through even through the toughest time you are having while cooking.

What goes behind a successful restaurant?

Good food is so much more than just having something well-cooked to satiate your taste buds; rather it is a complete experience. Pleasing all the senses together, it is an inseparable aspect of luxuries of life. This is why, the food industry is undergoing an exponential growth. 

Picking up the cue on this, several north Indian restaurants in Gurgaon have revamped their services to offer nothing but the best. Taste obviously comes foremost, so, the best chefs are hired. Experienced and the best in the industry, they tactfully play with each and every ingredient to bring out the best flavours. Ideally, the rich and zesty tastes are preserved with perfection yet tweaked around to give it a distinctive tinge. And since every mother in Indian household knows how to cook excellent north Indian food, the expectation levels are high. The patrons want their favourite dishes served uniquely and then it is even more difficult to give it a signature hint and maintaining the consistency forever. The flexibility to play around is limited and yet you are expected to give outstanding results, says a chef at one of the best restaurants in Delhi. 

Then, as we know, mastering the taste buds isn’t the only challenge. The dish will be dressed well to give the patrons value for money. ‘Balti Meat’ would have lost half of its charm if it were not for the dressing of the curry in antique utensils with the cream and nut. Everything is touched-up to perfection before it is put on a table. 

Ambience is the next necessary factor. The look and feel of the place should be of comfort. Depending on the kind of theme you want to adopt, it can either be kept simple on the cue of country kitchen format or for the five-star luxury, it can be furnished like a fine-dine. A soothing interior with a laid back interior works the best, though you are pen to experiment your own fancy ideas.