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<\/p>\nFor many travel is about ticking off bucket list items, standing in awe of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and interacting with the locals. And it\u2019s very much the same for me, except that I love food more than is probably healthy and so for me travel is also largely about how it indulges the senses and satiates my hunger for new flavours.<\/p>\n
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Words and photographs by Iga Motylska @eagerjourneys<\/a><\/p>\n You can taste India\u2019s cuisine change when you travel over 3 000km from New Delhi in the northern reaches of the country to Kochi in the south during a 21-day G Adventures\u00a0guided tour by rail<\/a>. Indian cuisine is as colourful \u2013 in terms of the shades of the spices used and the regional flavour palette \u2013 as its sari-wrapped women. Open-air markets and street-side vegetable vendors, who sell everything from turmeric root to freshly-picked spinach, are a part of everyday life across India. As are the street food sellers that push their carts between cows and cars.<\/p>\n India has a far-stretching repertoire of recipes due to millennia of influences from Portuguese explorers in the early 15th<\/sup> century to the Dutch, Danish, French and British, as well as the Chinese, and Middle Eastern flavours introduced during the Mughal empire. Each nationality left an indelible mark on the country, its way of life and undoubtedly its cuisine too. It was the Portuguese that introduced potatoes to India, but perhaps more importantly chillies.<\/p>\n Visiting the Taj Mahal at sunrise, exploring Hampi\u2019s ancient ruins or staying on a houseboat along Kerala\u2019s backwaters are just as big a part of exploring the Indian subcontinent as delving, fingers first, into the food alongside the locals.<\/p>\n So when you travel to India, let go of your inhibitions, eat with your hands as the locals do and indulge in the regional delicacies. India is a culinary adventure from New Delhi\u2019s street food to Madikeri\u2019s dosas and Goa\u2019s seafood. Try everything from masala papads to vegetable pakoras, as well as a mild palak paneer and my favourite \u2013 malai kofta. Dip your idli into sambar and lick your fingers of the rose-scented syrup after you\u2019ve finished all the gulab jamuns. India is an ideal destination for vegan and vegetarian travellers, so you\u2019ll be hard-pressed to be bored of the variety.<\/p>\n The north is characterised by spicy, fiery curries with dried whole chillies floating in the sauce. Take it from me, err on the side of caution because it\u2019s probably a chilli and not a green bean. Garam masala is liberally used in their recipes. Northern Indian food is heavily influenced by Arabs and Persians, namely a\u00a0Mughlai style of cooking. The dishes are thicker in texture and creamier too. It uses quite a bit of dairy from yogurt to milk, cream as well as paneer \u2013 the traditional cheese that resembles tofu in taste and texture.<\/p>\n Expect to find meat (lamb, mutton and chicken curries) on the menu alongside vegetarian options. A side of naan bread, roti, paratha or chapati are favoured in this part of the country, though pilafs and briyanis are common too.\u00a0Aloo Ghobi (a potato and cauliflower curry) is much loved in this region of India.<\/p>\n Southern India and the coastal regions are characterised by seafood galore \u2013 you just have to go to the docks, a fish auction or pull up a seat at a beachside restaurant. And better yet, shellfish, crab, prawns, squid and mussels are served fresh. Milder and lighter curries with a coconut cream base are popular in Kerala, while rice, rather than wheat-based breads, is the preferred side.<\/p>\n In Karnataka state you\u2019re more likely to come across the Ayurveda sattvic diet, which is strictly vegetarian and doesn\u2019t include onion or garlic, as they\u2019re believed to fire up a nasty temper.<\/p>\n During the early hours of the morning, before it became too hot and humid, I walked the Kochi promenade and watched the fishermen dip the Chinese fishing nets into the waters of the Laccadive Sea. The nets were a strategic gift from the Chinese in centuries past and have remained to this day. Though Chinese-inspired dishes, such as fried rice and noodles, which are mild in taste, are served around the country. After five minutes the nets are wound back up with the help of a pulley system weighed down with heavy rocks. Alcohol is not as readily available in the southern regions, due to religious reasons, which makes it more expensive.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Eating beef is considered taboo by many Hindus, though there are a few exceptions in the southern state of Kerala and in the north-eastern parts of India. In those cases water buffalo may be served instead.<\/p>\n As we do our orientation walking tour of Jaipur \u2013 India\u2019s pink city \u2013 cows bring traffic to a jolted halt as they nonchalantly cross the street. Varun Kumar, our G Adventures CEO (chief experience officer), explains how this abstinence from eating beef originated.<\/p>\n Back in the day, during a time of widespread deaths during childbirth and among new mothers, newborns were fed cow\u2019s milk instead. This resulted in cows being called \u201cGaun Mata\u201d meaning mother cow and being treated with equal reverence and respect. It became taboo to kill a cow for its meat, as it served a much more valuable purpose. Varun also mentions that cows were considered useful creatures, not just for their milk, but also because they are hardy animals that could also pull carts and were used for farm work.<\/p>\n Vegetable pakoras: <\/strong>A deep-fried snack of vegetables dipped in batter.<\/p>\n Thali: <\/strong>Thali, which means platter in Hindi, is an affordable vegetarian or meat platter served on a banana leaf or large metal plate. It consists of a number of curries, each with a distinct flavour, as well as rice, roti and papad. It comes with a side of chaas (buttermilk, which is good for probiotics) and dessert. And best of all \u2013 you can eat as much as you like as your plate is replenished.<\/p>\n Dosa: <\/strong>This large, thin and crispy pancake made from fermented rice and lentil batter is stuffed with various fillings and rolled like a wrap, which may be larger than your arm, or a triangle envelope. This southern Indian favourite is usually mild in flavour though that depends on your filling of choice. Dosas are served with sambar (a\u00a0mild lentil stew cooked with a\u00a0tamarind\u00a0broth), hari (mint and coriander chutney) and lentil dahl, for dipping. This may be a carb overload, but who cares when it tastes this good.<\/p>\n Soan cake: <\/strong>This popular north-eastern dessert is best described as having a soft, candy floss-like, flaky texture that melts in your mouth and tastes like halva.<\/p>\n Meat-lovers recipe: <\/strong>Laal maans. <\/strong>Varun\u2019s favourite curry is laal maans, a muton curry prepared\u00a0in a sauce of yoghurt and hot spices. Here<\/a>\u00a0renowned Indian chef Sanjeev Kapoor explains how to make this Rajasthani speciality.<\/p>\n Vegetarian recipe: Malai Kofta. <\/strong>This meat-free dish consists of deep-fried dumplings made of mixed vegetables and paneer in a creamy sauce. I loved it so much that I ate it twice \u2013 in one day. Try this chef Sanjeev Kapoor recipe<\/a>.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve surely heard stories about Delhi Belly. Only a few of the travellers on our three-week trip were affected. Avoid street food and eat at busy restaurants with a high turn-over of patrons. Charcoal tablets may help digestion. If you\u2019re struck down, get bed rest, take a rehydrate and drinks lots of water. Avoid dairy and foods that are heavy on your digestive system, rather eat plain food such as rice or naan bread, chapati or roti until you feel better. Seek medical advice if it persists for more than two days.<\/p>\n India is hot \u2013 just like its food! Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water and make sure water bottles are originally sealed. Don\u2019t drink tap water, though it\u2019s alright to use it for brushing your teeth. Expect to sweat a lot, replenish your energies by diluting water with Sprite, 7up or the local lemonade called Limca. Kingfisher was my favourite Indian beer. It also comes in lite and strong versions. Do try the chai, though the heat of the day may try to convince you otherwise. And remember that India is the land of lassis of every flavour \u2013 indulge!<\/p>\n Travelling through India makes you aware of how much plastic you go through. Always throw your plastic away into designated garbage bins \u2013 this makes recycling easier. Carry a reusable drinking water to refill with filtered water when available.<\/p>\n Budget between Rs150-250 (R33-55) for breakfast and up to Rs500 (R110) for lunches and dinners (including starters but excluding alcoholic drinks) though often you may pay less than that.<\/p>\n Paying for your food bill can be a little tricky because of the government tax, kitchen tax, service tax and tip, which sometimes are inclusive and at other times aren\u2019t. Check your bill carefully so you don\u2019t pay double tax. Also some prices on the menu are exclusive of government tax, so ask before you order or read the fine print. A 10% service tip is appreciated.<\/p>\n If you want to get a true taste of Indian cuisine, just as I did, take a trip from northern to southern India with G Adventures. I did the 21-day New Delhi to Kochi standard itinerary by rail that stopped in 11 cities \u2013 New Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Bundi, Mumbai, Goa, Hampi, Mysore, Madikeri, Kochi \u2013 and gave me an authentic experience of this vast and spectacular country.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.travelstart.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/india2.jpg\")
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<\/p>\nFind amazing flights to India here<\/a>.<\/h2>\n
Northern Indian cuisine<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nSouthern Indian cuisine<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nWater Buffalo<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nDon\u2019t leave without trying these Indian dishes<\/h2>\n
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\nMasala Papad: <\/strong>This is my ultimate starter and you can find it in almost every restaurant. Crispy papads are covered in finely chopped tomato, onion, coriander and doused in lime juice.<\/p>\nBring India into your kitchen with these recipes<\/h2>\n
Delhi Belly<\/h2>\n
Water and what to drink<\/h2>\n
Food budget for India<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nPlan your trip to India with G Adventures<\/h2>\n