Senses of India

            
            
            
             With this greeting I welcome you to discover the SENSES OF the OLD INDUSTAN. If you have the chance of visiting this subcontinent you will experience the best sensations, and I'd like to help you discover this country and remember it forever. India is an impressive country. It will never leave you with indifference. It's a country with strong contrast, both geographically and ethnically, socially and culturally. It's a very different reality to ours with very special surroundings.
             The exposition will be developed following all and each one of our senses.
             TASTE.
             If you don't like SPICES, FORGET about VISITING this country, as SPICES are so important to Indian cooking - especially preparing curry. The world "CURRY" is an English derivative of "KARI", meaning SOICE SAUCE, but curry does not, in India, come as a powder. It is the subtle and DELICATE BLENDING OF SPICES such as turmeric, cardamom, ginger, coriander, nutmeg and poppy seed. Like an artist's palette of oil paints, the Indian cook has some TWENTY-FIVE SPICES (freshly ground as required) with which to MIX the recognized combinations or "MASALAS". Many of these spices are also noted for their MEDICINAL PROPERTIES. They, like the basic ingredient, vary from region to region. Although NOT ALL HINDUS ARE VEGETARIANS, you will probably eat more vegetable dishes than is common in Europe, particularly in South India. Indian vegetables are cheap, varied and plentiful and superbly cooked.
             One regional distinction is that whereas in the south rice is the staple food, in the north this is supplemented and sometimes substituted by a wide range of flat breads, such as Pooris, Chappatis and Nan. Common throughout India is Dhal (crushed lentil soup with various additional vegetables), and Dhai, the curd or yoghurt which accompanies the curry. Besides being tasty, it is a good "cooler"; more effective than liquids when things get too hot. Sweets are principally milk based puddings, pastries and pancakes.