The National Dish of India

Sitting alone in my hostel room, it all of a sudden struck me, that if coq au vin is the national dish of France, and probably a pretzel for Germany, pasta/pizza for Italy, sushi for Japan, a Chicken Tikka Masala for the UK, hotdog for the US, then what is India’s national dish? Upon wondering for a while(a whole hour actually),  I arrived upon the conclusion that India does not have one national dish. Each state and each region in India is known for its own dishes, which we simply love devouring. Following is an attempt to list down India’s best known dishes(region wise)

NORTH INDIA: Probably the most famous north Indian breakfast is an aloo parantha. It is eaten all over the plains, and even across the himalayan mountains. Having them with curd or pickle(although I have seen people have them with dips and additives like Jam, Sugar, Ketchup and evenMayonnaise!!!) A sufficiently warm stuffed aloo parantha would make any India’s day. Love gorging on them.

PUNJAB: Of the north Indian States, probably Punjab has the most famous dishes to come close to being labelled as the national dish of India. The Punjabi/Jat Dhabas all over the trucker’s paths in most of India have led to this cuisine’s tremendous rise to fame. Aloo Paranthas are typically Punjabi. Dal Makhani and Shahi Paneer are also one of the most widely eaten dish in Northern India. Butter Chicken has been mastered by Punjabi chefs all over the country, despite being a Mughalai-Tandoori addition. Lassi is the classic iconic drink of Punjab, while the chart topper is simply the Makki-di-Roti and Sarson da Saag.

RAJASTHAN: Any returning tourist from Choki Dhani in Jaipur would tell you to try Rajasthani food. You might have heard Aishwarya Rai’s yes women singing songs about Rajasthani food in Jodha Akbar, but many few people have actually sampled food from the desert. Daal Baati (Lentil curry dumplings) is definitely Rajasthan’s most famous gastronomic discovery. But my favourite dish from Rajasthan would be the Moong Dal ka Halwa. Having had it only a few times in my life, the craving quotient for the halwa is quite high. Thank you my dear friend, Sumit Agarwal, for constant dosages of what is going on in the Marwari food world, and how delightfully tasty it is that made me succumb to my taste buds, and finally dive into a Rajasthani thali!

LUCKNOW: I’ll mention three eateries from Lucknow, and then probably start dreaming. Royal Cafe, Tunday Kebabs, Moti Mahal. Royal Cafe is undoubtedly serves the best chat in the country, try their Basket Chat and Pani Puri. Tunday Kebabs are kebab specialists, while the Kulfi from Moti Mahal is from another league of Kulfis. I’d like to credit this wonderful person in my life called Hina Khare, for educating me about food from Lucknow and helping me sample Lucknowi food.

DELHI: Delhi is definitely the Chat or the Street Food capital of India. There are just too many chat vendors out on the streets of Delhi to list down. Each vendor has his own unique taste, and has a list of loyal customers. Also famous is probably the Chuski (Flavoured icicles) that are also available throughout the city. Probably the most famous one is in the South-Ex market. And how can one forget the Paranthe Wali Gali, when one mentions Delhi. Savour the paranthas from there, or the Jalebi, the Lassi, the Faluda from Chandni Chowk. Try flavoured Paans at Connaught Place, or Dimsums (Momos) from a wide variety. Delhi is probably the only place in the country where you get a mixture of not only all Indian tastes but ones from abroad as well. And the five stars have a whole array of cuisines lined up. Delhi is like a mini version of the Indian cuisine, and a melting pot of cuisines from all over the world.

BENGAL: Bengali food is all about the delicate flavours and the famous desserts. The famous shondhesh, or the dark temptations of the Gulab Jamun, or the incarnation of the tooth fairy, the Roshogolla. The other famous items on any Bengali restaurant would be the Macher Jhol, Macher Jhol is Bengali for fish curry or gravy. It is usually eaten with Rice. Bengalis are so fond of rice, that probably they are the only people who order the rice meals at Kentucky Fried Chicken in India and actually liked them!

GUJARAT: Pretty much contrary to Kareena Kapoor’s observations in the movie 3 idiots (that Gujarati food items sounded like enlisted items from an armed country’s nuclear arsenal) they are actually quite sweet in taste. For people living in Delhi, go to the Akshardham mandir to sample some really authentic Gujarati food. Go for the famous items like the Dhokla or the Thepla, perhaps the Malpua, the Fafda, or the Handwoh. Gujarati food, probably alongside Marwari food is a delight for sweet tooths.

SOUTH INDIA: For all you ignorant people from the North, there are other dishes in South India apart from the Masala Dosa. Try reading the menu card the next time that you are at Sagar Ratna before you finally place your customary order of the dosa, you might want to try some of the other dishes as well. Known for their famous chutneys, pickles and spices, South Indian food is quite different from that served in the North. First it is cooked in a different oil. It is also more spicy, and are pretty much rice based.

ANDHRA PRADESH+HYDERABAD: Probably the most spiciest of the lot (Andhrites actually have a spicy powder which is added to food and is fondly called as Gun Powder by the locals), food from the Andra Pradesh is known for its usage of chilly powder and tamarind in bulk proportions. Rava Dosa is a dosa derivative and is a very famous Andhra Pradesh creation. Other famous creations from the state are its own Pancake or Pesarrattu, lemon rice(pulihora), and a whole list of pappus(stew) and fry items. Hyderabadi cuisine, from the capital of the state is the elder cousin of Awadhi(or Lucknowi) food. It is much more spicier than the latter, and is  known for its flamboyant garnishings. Dishes famous from Hyderabad include the famous Biryani and the Pulaos(particularly the Zaafrani Pulao). Paaya and Payasam are also quite famous in Hyderabad.

KARNATAKA: Probably it is the only South Indian state which would go easy on your tongue and stomach, as it uses very little chilly powder and loads of jaggery leading to an overall reduction in Spice Quotient from its neighbouring Andhra. This cuisine has been particularly made famous by the chain of Udupi restaurants, with its most well known exponents being the Plain and rava Idli, the Masala Dosa, Sambar, Rasam and the bisi belle bath.

TAMIL NADU: Tamilian food is quite moderate. It is neither too spicy nor too sweet. Tamil food has also been sometimes labelled as a little dry. However its a matter of sampling it, before you fall for it. They have quite an array of pickles, chutneys and dips. Non vegetarian food is mostly restricted to fried fish items, with rice being a common serving for both vegetarian and non vegetarian Food. Idli, Sambar Vadai, Dosai, Pappadam, Uthappam are probably the most famous servings down under.

And with that its a wrap, aptly because of all this saliva that has been generated, because of my taste buds working over time. Alas, I only have the hostel mess as an option right now, but when you got to eat, you really got to eat.

Names across the globe

The harshness of the German ‘kh’ to the s , z, v and the tsch combination sounding as zippy as any Bavarian Mercedes. The half pronounced French R-as smooth as any Burgundy wine, and the zha sounding J is worth a premium sparkling water bottled in the Champagne district around Magny-Cours. From the lyrical Italian names and the in-note way of pronouncing them to the Eastern European names, mass produced in a communist factory. The custom made Origami and Ikebana names from Japan, and the barely syllabic Chinese ones. A list of ‘Mc‘s from Scotland, to a whole bunch of one worded Portuguese and Brazilian names sounding like titles of video games you have played through the ages. The flamboyance of the Arabic names to the incessant nature of their Greek counterparts, and the Israeli ones sounding like Biblical concoctions of the two.

Names across the globe have continued to fascinate us, with each region having their own enchanting peculiarity. Unpronounceable and incomprehensible at first, they turn into cultural icons of their region having elements of the lingual heritage, transitions and the history of the region. Celebrities choosing avant-garde names play no spoilers to this.

Following is a compilation of stereotype names from across the Globe:

INDIA: Indian names easily recognisable across the west can be broadly identified as North Indian Hindu names, Gujarati names and South Indian names. The North Indian ones include a parade of Shahrukh Khan screen names like Raj, Rajesh, Rohit, Rahul, Ram and surnames like Sharma, Singh and Kumar. The Gujarati names are quite popular in the west thanks to the amazingly strong and successful Gujju population in the UK and the US. The most famous of the lot would definitely be Patel, with Jignesh, Jitesh and other Junahgarhi names making up the list. The south Indian names would be mono-syllabic Tamil-Telugu blends(as seen in the Simpsons) made famous probably by the number of South Indian IT professionals working in the US lately.

THE ISLAMIC WORLD(ARABIC/URDU): Not wanting to propagate any stereotypes, three worded Muslim names are extremely recongnisable. The constituents being Abdullah, Habib(and its derivatives), Mohammed, al/ul/bin, Zaheer, Saeed(and its derivatives). Other names would be heavily weighted with a presence of letters like Q, F and Z.

HISPANIC(SPAIN AND OTHER SPANISH SPEAKING REGIONS): Spanish versions of Biblican names are the most famous ones. Mary turning into Maria on the foothills of Tibidabo is probably the most easily recognisable female name. Charles translating itself into Carlos is probably the most easily recognisable male name. Others include Antonio, Angelo, Raul, Fernando, Sergio, Rafael(derived from Ralph), Elena, Lopez, Garcia. As quite evident from Woody Allen’s Vicky, Christina, Barcelona, Spanish names are also taken together in couples. A girl may be called Maria Elena even when being referred to informally.

ITALIAN: The essence of an Italian name lies in the way it is pronounced. They somehow end up sounding like Pizza toppings. Each one of them. You know what I am talking about if you know how an Italian would read Giuseppe or a Giovanni. Mario and Luigi(nothing to do with the Nintendo game!!!) are stereotype Italian names. They somehow manage to end most of their names with either an i or an o. Usage of del and di in between names is also common. Surnames from the Italian football players would be a testimony to this fact (Toni, del Piero, Cameronesi, Cannavaro, Baggio). Fans of the Godfather movie series, Tarantino, and Tribbiani from Friends would know about this. Commonly used first names include Alessandro, Florentino, Mauro, Luca, Angelo. Female names include Alessandra(Sandra), Aurora, Tina, Angelica, Bianca, Paula, Donatella, Cristina, Gina, Francesca, Florentina.

FRENCH: If Italian names sound like Pizza toppings, French names are the delicate main courses, proper knife and fork to be used for each part of the meal. A correctly pronounced Jacques or a Jean combined with a middle name like Pierre or Claude would guarantee you not going home alone from a pub! And for the belles and the mademoiselles out there, Anne, Emmanuelle, Amelie, Gigi, Madeline, Cecile, Fabienne, Danielle, Jeanne, Jeannette, Penelope, Adelaid, Fleur, Giselle, Jacquelinne, Roxane, Aurelie, Victoire, Charlotte, Sylvie, Avril, Sabine, Claudia, Estee, Julie, Adrienne… I could just go on and on mentioning one female French name after another. Dennis, Raymond, Robert, Louis, Bixente, Marcel, Gael, Emmanuel, Thierry, Gregory, Christophe are some classy male names. Surnames like Menochet, st. Claire, Laurent, Antoine, Papin, Cocteau, Michelin, de la Croix, Richard are heard of across the nation. Please note that these names are not to be pronounced as they are used in English, there is a delicate French pronunciation for each of them.

GERMAN: If the French names put a strain on your jaw and tongue, the German ones will do the same to your throat and epiglottis. A good old Oliver/Oliviera, a Hans or a Wilhelm are common to Germans, but really sets them apart are the surnames. Einstein, Weinstein, Hitzlsperger, Spielberg, Scheunemann, Snodgrass, Heinemann, Olshausen, Schumacher, Schweinsteinger, Schoneberg, Kohlschreiber , and then there are those teeny-tiny four-five-six lettered ones like Woltz, Strutz, Schultz, Mentz, Brandt, Lahm, Haas, Lindt, Scheibe. German names come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Here is the next category. Groepler, Klausing, Weinberger, Lindner, Prudohl.

EAST EUROPEAN(RUSSIA, CIS, SLAVIC STATES, AND THOSE PERPETUALLY IN CIVIL WAR!!!): A host full of names must make up for a large percentage in this region. Names like Igor, Sergei, Vladimir, Aleksandr, Dmitri, Anastasia, Helga, Ida, Olga, Lev, Nikita, Mikhail, Russians use evic, in, ov as suffixes to show a patriarchal relation for a male and use evica, ina, ova etc. for females. Tatiana, Marcja, Berta, Adelajda, Karolina, Petra, Veronika, Laura, Linda, Katarina, Marta, Zofia, Oleysa are common East European female names. Cyrill, Eniko, Nemanja, Jozsef, Ivan, Dominik, Filip, Henrik, Vladko, Aron and Rudolf are common East European Names. What sets the surnames apart is the usage of a g, j, y, k, v in succession so as to create a short mental tremor in an attempt at pronouncing them.

DUTCH: Dutch names sound as if people in the Orange Area have had really bad English teachers. Most of their names look like misspelled English names. Willem, Mathias, Persie, Nikolaas, Nikolaes, Margaretha, Pheabea, Sophiia and Hendrika are examples of this. Others include Arjen, Joost,Pieter, Christiann, Jansen, Roosevelt, Dirk, Griet/Grieta, Klass, Adriaan, Jan, Merel, and Skyler. Stereotyped Dutch surnames have to contain van or better still van der. Take a look at the names of pop-culture Dutch names and you’ll get the picture. van Persie, van Basten, van Dyke, van Buren, van Bommel, van der Waals, van Bunge, van Helsing, van Nistelrooy, van Rompuy, van der Vaart, need to say anything more?

GREEK: Things back in Greece haven’t changed that much, they are still pretty much the same. You get a feeling that people are still christened and named in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, with Oracle still presiding over them. Christianos, Christos, Agatha/Agathios, Demetrios, Nikolas, Giorgios, Althea, Hektor, Morpheus, Paris, Amos, Eusabios, Ioseph, Markos, Angelos, Hellen, Archimedes, Homer, Stelios look straight out of a Greek mythology book. The surnames aren’t much better in this department. You’ve got Kyrgiakos, Nikopolidis, Stephanapolous, Giorgios, Charasteas, Anastakis(Jennifer Aniston’s Greek origin surname) up the list.

JAPANESE: This is really cool. You could have your surname as Honda, Suzuki or Yamaha! Well the others aren’t that hip, but they are fun surnames to have for a day or two to show off at a party. Yamaguchi, Nagasaki, Nakamura, Inamoto, Matsuzaka, Yamoto. You get the idea. A blend of Anglo-Russo-Oriental names.

ENGLISH: James(Jim), Daniel(Dan), Michael(Mike), William(Bill), John, Charles(Charlie), Richard(Dick), Robert(Bob), Benjamin, Bryan, Elizabeth(Beth, Bessie, Lizzie, Lisa, Liz, Eli, Alice, Eliza), Christina, Jude, Betty, Margaret, Victoria, Ashley, Britney are good old classic British names, and the surnames are the usual lot as well. You know them, Jones, Smith, Michaels, Black, named after 18th century professions(Cooper, Tanner, Harper etc.), Wilson et cetera, et cetera.