Indian food is rooted pretty heavily in the
layering of flavours and the use of spices; condiments are possibly an
essential part of the experience that goes along with almost every Indian dish.
It can be a bit overwhelming at first, to choose from so many varieties, hence
here are some of the common condiments you may find in every Indian restaurant.
Universal
“chutneys”
This is much like pesto or sriracha or melted
cheese that can be dumped on any kind of food. It makes it even better.
Chutneys are literally the saviour from some dishes. But they also go well with
many. They are generally sweet, spicy, smooth or chunky and usually incorporate
combinations of veggies, fruits or herbs with it. You will find different types
of chutneys like coriander and mint chutney, tamarind chutney, tomato chutney,
and coconut chutney. All of them go with different dishes like fried fritters,
chaats, dosas (savoury crepes), vadas (savoury doughnuts). You can find some such
variety in any Indian restaurant inBlackwood.
Heavenly
“Raitas”
There are a few, if not many, Indian dishes
that may burn your tongue and your forehead sweaty. This is where Raita comes
for the rescue. It is a yogurt-based side dish meant to be had as a
palate-cooler. This act balances out all the spicy dishes you just had in your
meal. Unlike the chutneys, there are no definite dishes that pair with each
type of Raita—it’s absolutely okay to go for whatsoever variety does the best
job to extinguish the burn. The different kinds of Raita are- Cucumber raita,
Boondi or Chickpea raita, Spinach raita, Potato raita, Onion Raita, Fruit
raita. The most common ones are Boondi, cucumber and onion raita.
Pickles or
“Achaar”
Achaar
is the Indian version of pickles—but instead of a salt/vinegar/sugar brine, a
variety of oils (mustard in general) and spices (mustard seeds, fenugreek, and
fennel seeds) act as the additive ingredients. Homemade achaar or pickles are
typically put together at the start of the summer. They are then left out in
the sun for anywhere from a few days to a few months to pickle. Achaar is best
used to make spicy food— or sabzi (sautéed vegetables), dal (lentil stews)
spicier, while adding a funky, briny, slightly acidic factor to it. Try some at
an Indian restaurant in Belair as
well and know for yourself.
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