With dozens of different regional cuisine all grouped under the blanket term “Indian food,” the country is a gastronome’s paradise. Cities like Mumbai and New Delhi are bases from where you can sample the country’s diverse fare, without actually going to every nook and cranny of the country.

The Mughals who ruled the country for over 300 years left India with a treasure trove of architectural beauties – the Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Humayun’s Tomb were all built during this period. They also influenced much of the cuisine of the northern part of the country, and traces of these influences remain in the North West Frontier cuisine that’s popular in cities like New Delhi. A novel method of cooking in this part of the country is Dum Pukht cooking. Meats, spices, rice and vegetables are all stuffed in a large pot, and covered with a tight lid to prevent steam from escaping. The pot is then buried in a large clay oven, and coal placed on all sides of the oven from outside. The meat is cooked slowly in its own juices. Because of the elaborateness of the preparation, this is mainly available at five star restaurants in cities like Mumbai and New Delhi.

The food gets lighter, healthier and markedly different in texture and ingredients as you head down south. The Southern cuisine of the country consists of mainly rice in the form of cakes, pancakes and as a main dish. Cakes and pancakes are steamed or roasted in contrast to the north where oils and clarified butter rule.

South Indian cuisine is big on accompaniments and dips – freshly ground coconut and mint chutneys, mango and lime pickles, roasted papadums, all form an essential part of every meal. This type of cuisine is also known for its unique method of dining on plantain leaves. South Indian restaurants specialize in this kind of all you can eat dining where a single washed plantain leaf is piled high with rice, Indian breads, curries and vegetables, all to be washed down with thin spiced buttermilk. Portions are unlimited, and waiters walk around the diner with large steel buckets of curries and rice, pouring and piling where ever they see a leaf looking a little bare for comfort!

The coastal region of the country including Mumbai, Goa and Kerala is justifiably famous for its seafood, and restaurants in Chennai are famed for their catch of the day specials, where you walk in, pick your choice of seafood from ice boxes piled high with fish and sit back while the chef grills up your meal.