Five Dishes That Define India's Diverse Cuisine -- And The Chefs Taking Them Global

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The term "Indian cuisine" covers a lot of ground. From the Himalayan peaks in the northern state of Uttarakhand, to the tropical southwestern coast of Kerala, each landscape comes with its own climate, history, trade links and religious customs. And each has a unique food culture.

As a culinary destination, India offers an epic food bucket list. But the past year has been tough for travel, with most of the world's holiday plans put on hold because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

India's cuisine, at least, can still journey far beyond the country's borders. According to the United Nations, people from India make up the world's largest diaspora community -- and they have brought their delicious food with them.

In the UK, for instance, tens of thousands of Indian immigrants arrived in the early 20th century, followed by an influx of Bangladeshi immigrants in the 1970s -- many setting up restaurants that tailored Indian curries to local tastes. As a result, curry has become a firm fixture and Anglo-Indian inventions, such as chicken tikka masala, are among the nation's favorite dishes.

While curry houses with standard menus are still popular, the world's taste for Indian fine dining is evolving to encompass lesser known regional delicacies and bolder experimentation.

By Milly Chan
Source: cnn.com
January 18, 2021