Frequently asked questions
A quick guide to the questions people ask about India's regional home cooking and signature dishes.
What are the main differences between North Indian and South Indian cuisine?
North Indian cooking leans on wheat breads like roti and naan, dairy such as paneer and ghee, and rich slow-cooked gravies. South Indian food is built more around rice, lentils, coconut and tamarind, with staples like dosa, idli and sambar. Spicing and cooking fats differ too, so the two regions produce very distinct everyday meals.
What makes Bengali cuisine distinctive?
Bengali cooking is known for freshwater fish, mustard oil and a love of mustard-based gravies such as those used in shorshe preparations. Meals often follow a gentle progression of courses, and the cuisine has an especially rich tradition of milk-based sweets. The spice panch phoron, a mix of five whole seeds, gives many dishes their characteristic aroma.
What is a traditional Kerala sadya and how is it served?
A sadya is a festive vegetarian feast served on a banana leaf, typically during occasions like Onam. It brings together rice with an array of side dishes such as sambar, avial, thoran and several pickles and chutneys, usually ending with a sweet payasam. The dishes are arranged in a set order on the leaf and eaten by hand.
What kind of food is eaten in Northeast India?
The Northeast favours lighter, less oily cooking with lots of fermented ingredients, bamboo shoot, herbs and smoked or boiled meats and fish. Rice is the staple, and dishes tend to let the natural flavour of ingredients come through rather than heavy masala. Each state, from Assam to Nagaland and Manipur, has its own distinctive preparations and local produce.
Why does Indian food vary so much from one region to another?
Climate, local crops, trade history and community traditions all shape what people grow and cook in each area. Coastal regions rely on fish and coconut, while wheat-growing plains favour breads and dairy, and drier states developed foods that keep well. The result is not one cuisine but many, each with its own staples, fats and signature dishes.