Learn how to cook delicious Indian vegetarian recipes. Cooking Indian vegetarian food is easy, especially when it come to the cuisines of North India.

North Indian vegetarian recipes cover a wide range of food styles, the main influence coming from the cooking of Punjabs, as well as the land, which produces a diverse range of grains. Traditionally, rice was not eaten in large quantities as the climate of the area meant it could not be easily grown. However, in Jammu and Hashmir, and in Dera Dun, rice is grown on the terraces in the Himalayan Foothills. Basmati, the King of rices, comes from Dera Dun and is prized throughout India.

Breads and dal (lentils) are the main part of the meal in Northern India. They are always accompanied by a couple of other indian vegetarian recipes such as dry and wet vegetable curry dishes, relishes, chutneys, rita (yoghurt), rice and a desert, which are usually all served at the same time on a thalis, a large flat metal platter covered with small metal bowls called katoris which hold the food. The food is then eaten with the fingertips of the right hand.

As breads are the staple, there is a huge range to choose from. The breads are unleavened. Naan are cooked in tandoors, and parathas, puris, chapatis and roti are widely eaten. Breads are usually severed with dishes which have a thick sauce that is easily scooped up. Indian vegetarian recipes with a more liquid sauce are generally served with rice.

Spices in these areas tend to be based on ‘hot mixes’. This means warmly flavoured spices rather than heat from chillies. Many spices are dry-roasted before used, in order to add depth to their flavour. The most well known is garam masala which is used to temper dishes at the end of cooking.

There is a really good Indian cooking DVD by Adam Guthrie, a qualified chef and vegetarian for 18 yrs. In this DVD he shows you how quick and easy it is to prepare Indian vegetarian recipes.  He shows you how to make a North Indian Thali, the traditional and delightful way of serving a meal in India which consists of a metal plater with small metal bowls containing a variety of delicious moist and dry vegetable curries, creamy dals, fresh salads, chapatis, sweet chutneys, astringent pickles, rice and a sweet dessert. You will also learn how to make your own spice mixes.

He also shares with you a wealth of indian vegetarian recipe cooking tips and ideas that help make your cooking quick, easy and fun but most importantly healthy and delicious.

I think this DVD is a must for someone really wanting to learn how to cook good authentic North Indian vegetarian recipes. They are delicious.

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