As part of India Week, Sam, owner of the Meghna Grill restaurants in St. John's Wood and Hampstead, describes the history and techniques behind Indian cuisine:
Indian Food (or Khana as we know in Hindi/Urdu) consists of thousands of regional cuisines which date back centuries. The dishes are characterised by the extensive use of various Indian spices, such as Chilli Pepper, Black Mustard seeds, Cumin, Turmeric powder (which posseses antiseptic properties), Fenugreek, Ginger, Coriander, Garlic, Fennel seed and many more.
A wide variety of spices are grown across the Indian Subcontinent dependant on the varying climates. The abundance of locally grown spices heavily influences the cuisine from one region to another, reflecting the varied demographics of the ethnically-diverse subcontinent. Though most of the spices are native to the Subcontinent, others were imported from similar climates. For example, the chilli pepper was brought to India by the Portuguese and has since been cultivated locally for centuries.
