Yummy street food in India

Some people eat to live, while others live to eat. That second group comes to mind when I think of Indian food. A lot of people think Indian food is just curry, but it's not — it is a variety. Every part of India has its own specialty in food items.

Part of the joy of India's rich cuisine is that it consists of thousands of regional cuisines. If we fly to North India, the specialty is Butter Chicken Curry and spicy food; South India has Idli (savoury cakes), Sambar (vegetable stew) and Dosa (rice batter and black lentil crepe); East India has Fish Curry and Momos (dumpling); and in West India you can find Vada Pav (similar to a burger), Guju food and Hyderabadi Biryani (basmati rice and goat meat). They might have unusual names that you've never heard before, but these are the specialties of India that no Indian or even a foreigner can resist.

Cuisine across India is a result of different spices, vegetables, herbs and fruits. The extensive use of onions, ginger paste and garlic paste makes the food awesome — the exotic flavours of India can make you gain a lot of weight! You don't have to step inside an airconditioned restaurant to enjoy the flavours of India; look to the streets, where hungry citizens and visitors can grab a plate of food for just a few rupees (less than a Canadian dollar) and fill their tummies with delicious food.

To beat the exotic heat of summer, there are variety of drinks like Chuski (similar to a snow cone) in Delhi; Banta in Hrishikesh (lemon soda); Sugarcane juice in rural Bengal; Tender coconut water on Marina Beach, Chennai; the rich creamy Lassi (a savoury yogurtbased drink) of Jaipur; and many more.

The preparation and timing are very important in Indian cooking as the process is long and elaborate, but it is worth it in the end. Knowledge of India's many different cuisines is growing internationally. Check out restaurants in Brampton or Toronto, or look online for some new recipes to bring the taste of India to Canada.