How to Cook Indian Food – North India
By Sid Khullar • May 9th, 2009 • Category: Columns
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You’ve probably read the previous piece on North Indian breads. This article focuses on North Indian cooking, which includes cooking style, spices used, terminology and some common foods.
In these days of fusion food, it is difficult to pin down a set of spices that a given region can claim. However, traditionally, north Indian cooking uses the following spices and herbs:
- Cumin seed (Jeera)
- Ajowan or (Ajwain)
- Red Chili Powder I – Flavor over color (Lal Mirch)
- Red Chili Powder II – Color over flavor (Degi Mirch or Kashmiri Mirch)
- Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
- Dried Mango Powder (Aamchur)
- Coriander Seeds (Sabat Dhania)
- Coriander Powder (Dhania)
- Fresh Coriander Leaves (Hara Dhania)
- Green Cardamom (Choti Elaichi)
- Black Cardamom (Badi Elaichi)
- Cinnamon (Dalchini)
- Garam Masala – A set mixture of spices – roasted cumin, cinnamon, cloves, caraway seeds, nutmeg (and/or mace) and green cardamom seed or black cardamom pods. The composition of Garam Masala changes from region to region.
- Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Kasuri Methi)
- Black Mustard Seeds (Rai)
This list is by no means complete – there are many more spices used in every day North Indian cooking – the purpose of this article however is to provide a feel for North Indian cooking.
Different spices are used in different situations, in different ways. The flavor and characteristics of spices change if you’re dry roasting them, frying them, adding them before simmering to cook or after cooking.
Next: Two Simple North Indian Recipes
Chef at Large Reviews by Chef at Large is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at www.chefatlarge.in. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at www.chefatlarge.in.
Sid Khullar is a self confessed food addict who likes cooking, writing and photography... and travel, if it gets him closer to a good book and interesting food.
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Wow, what an amazing amount of information, thank you for posting it. I shall read it again when I’m not hungry.
Hi Sid, thank you for inviting me into your world. I think your recipes will take away my fear of cooking Indian food!!!
@Toni: Please try something and let me know how it turns out.
@Nina: … I *love* your Bacon-Brie- Date-and-Rocket-Pizza and am determined to make it at home!
This is really a great post. Lots of information in a small space. Thanks for writing it all out.
When I’ve read it properly and my back allows me to stand up, I shall!
Hi Sid,
Great information, I live in a community where almost 1/3 of the population is from India. There are i indian markets very closed by. Last summer I took Indian cooking classes and was surprise to se some techniques very similar to our Mexican cuisine. I think this is more information that the one I got at those cooking classes. And that potato dish is great.
Thanks for inviting me over to you facebook community.
@Mely: Neat! Glad you like the article.
Hi Sid, being a South Indian, I really enjoyed this article. Very information, I did not know so many things, like Kewda water for instance! Thank you for posting this:-)
@Shreya: Thanks. The article has a definite slant towards Indian Muslim cooking methods btw, and may not reflect only North Indian cooking methods.
Very informative, apreciated!
One of the best food blogs I’ve ever seen. Sid, you really have it going on here. You just need your own segment on the Food Channel now or at least a few videos putting together a dish or two. Thanks for doing this and good luck moving forward.. Cheers -
@Mal: Thank you for your kind comments! You’ve made my day.
[...] Originally posted here: How to Cook Indian Food – North India | Chef at Large – Indian … [...]
Good piece of information…especially for beginners.
Good article on the whole Sid-but the Nihari recipe is not complete–there is a lot that needs to be added to it though-Nihari originated during the mughal times as a poor mans meal and primarily for the soldiers of the mughal Army-Mostly made out of beef-mutton can also be used but does not taste the same as beef-the nihari also consists of siri (brain),Paya (trotters) in addition to the meat-I am taking the liberty of giving the original recipe of Nihari given to me by the Begum of Rampur during my research and while documenting the book-Heritage Cuisines of India-It is pretty simple and tastes wonderful.-Nihari during winters is had early morning and in summers normally in the evening aroung 7 pm-It is pretty heavy and a no no for the calorie conscious but a must try for the foodie who does not give a damm about the intake of calories- since this was the workers food–they could digest it easily because of the hard manual labour they would put in.Here is what you need to make a sinful Nihari
I
Ingredients:
• 1 kg Beef or mutton-the meat should have the marrow as nali is the prime flaovour of the Nihari
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 tsp Coriander powder
• 2 tsp Ginger paste
• 2 tsp Pepper
• 1tsp Chili powder
• 5 tbsp Oil -more so desi ghee if possible
• 4 tbsp Flour
• Salt to taste
Spice mix:
• 3 tsp Fennel seeds
• 2 Small cardamom pods, seeds
• $ Whole black cardamom pods
• 2 tsp Coriander seeds
• 1 tsp Whole black peppercorns
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 12 Cloves
• 2 Cinnamon stick
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
• Onion slices, coriander, ginger and green chilies for garnishing
Now this is the process of making Nihari
• Take a heavy based pot and heat oil.
• Fry the meat a little.
• Mix salt, chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, pepper and ginger paste.
• Pour a little water.
• Mix flour in half cup of water.
• Add this mixture to the meat and boil it.
• Grind all the spice mix until powdery fine.
• Add this to the meat.
• Add 3-4 cups of water cover and leave it to tenderize over very low heat.
• It will take about 5 – 6 hours or more if using beef.mutton can can take about three to four hours
• Fry some onion slices in oil until golden brown.
• Garnish the Nihari with it. and also
• Fresh coriander, ginger and green chilies can also be used for garnishing. –with a dash of lemon of
course
In addition to this brain or siri and Paye or trotters can also be added while the nihari is being cooked.
The Best Nihari that I have eaten in delhi is Mehboobs at Bara Hindu Rao Hospital or at Juman Miya in Hyderabad at Charminar
Cheers Sid
There are various versions of Nehari. The one served at Karim (old delhi) tastes different from the one served in the Bylanes of Zakir nagar. The latter is quite fiery and one can actually smell the flavour of red chilly powder!. Have had it once at a neighbour’s place and the memory lingers! Ashish’s version is more elaborate and my version was simpler and less spicy. The version cooked at our home has a lot of gravy and it is served in a bowl sprinkled with chopped green chillies ( depending on your taste), ginger bits and a lot of fresh lemon juice.
Ok. I have read your note and I really would like to eat that!!! I’m going to read the note again and cook something. I hope it would be delicious. Thank you very much!