Just like the cuisine of any other nation in the world, Indian food differs greatly in preparation as well as flavor from one region to another, as many of us living in Vancouver might have wondered. As such, there are vast differences between food items from Northern and Southern parts of the country. While the former do not include a lot of spices, the latter has plenty of native fruits & curry leaves, and so on.
South Indian cuisine have more dishes made of rice whereas the North Indian dishes includes a wide variety of breads like Naan and Roti. This can be explained by climatic conditions prevailing in the two regions. The temperate climate of North provides favorable conditions for growth of wheat, whereas the South has tropical & semi-tropical weather conditions that allow rice to grow more efficiently.
The sauces from the regions are also quite different. The ones from North are very heavy and creamy so that they can be scooped up using a Roti or Naan. Besides that, their thick texture also prevents them falling off the bread before the diner can pop the piece in his or her mouth. On the other hand, sauces of the South Indian cuisine have a thin texture so that they can be consumed along with rice.
As has been mentioned already, Northern recipes generally encompass less usage of spices. Common seasonings include garlic and onions as well as powdered blends. However, South Indian dishes are more likely to make use of freshly prepared herb and spice mixtures. Besides that, chilies are also used in plenty. Seasonings like tamarind and souring agents are quite common.
When it comes to fat, Southern dishes are generally cooked using vegetable oils obtained from seeds, coconut or sunflower. Northern cuisine, on the other hand, is a fan of ghee – clarified butter. But nowadays, many a popular Indian restaurant in Vancouver use vegetable oils more than ghee keeping in mind the health of individuals.
According to historians and many food connoisseurs, Northern cuisine that we know today was heavily influenced by Persians and Arabs during the reign in India. Modern South Indian food has been derived mostly from what was consumed by the Dravidians.
Thus, we see that that there are plenty of differences between the two primary members of the Indian cuisine. Notwithstanding their variations, both have equally become an important part of what the world knows Indian food today. It might even be safe to say that one cannot do without the other.
