Indian Cuisine includes some curries which act as a comprehensive meal. And when served with any of the Indian breads, their charm multiplies manifolds.

Paneer Palakh, also known as saag paneer or spinach paneer is a divine dish, fit for royalty, fit for your favorite party or get together, and maybe also the perfect dish you’d like to make for your family as a tempting Sunday night dinner.

Some things that make Paneer Palakh a dish as tempting as none other are:

1. It’s a tasty, fulfilling meal

2. Very nutritious, spinach happens to be a rich source of minerals while cottage cheese is one of the best sources of protein.

The dietary value of paneer paalakh is high, and this acts as an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and also Calcium, Iron, sodium and potassium.

The best part is that the dish is relatively easy to make.

So if you are trying to get your kids to start liking leafy greens, paneer palakh is the alternative to go for. If the kids happen to admire cottage cheese, they will develop a liking for spinach as well.

Go for paneer palakh, and see you guests rave in awe, admiration and delight.

With the high percentage of minerals, vitamins, pigments and phytonutrients that we find in spinach, the vegetable is beneficial for a host of vital processes.

Let’s run through some of the additional benefits of spinach that we should be aware of:

1. Maintaining A Good Eyesight

2. Preventing AMD or Age related Macular Degeneration

High percentages of antioxidants that are present in spinach help prevent harmful effects of free radicals which negatively affect vision. Consuming spinach regularly could work towards preventing age related conditions such as glaucoma or even macular degeneration.

3. Neurological Benefits

Components of spinach such as potassium, folate and several antioxidants offer neurological benefits to people who regularly consume them. So the risk of Alzheimer’s disease reduces. Potassium is essential for brain health and works towards improving cognition, concentration and neural activity.

4. Maintaining Blood Pressure

Spinach has high potassium content and low sodium content. The combination is extremely effective for someone suffering from high blood pressure as potassium lowers blood pressure while sodium increases blood pressure.

5. Bone Mineralisation

Spinach is a rich source of minerals such as manganese, copper, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus which keep the bones strong and help prevent osteoarthritis. Alternately, vitamin K present in spinach helps retain calcium in bone matrix so as to ensure bone mineralization.

Thai people originally migrated from southwestern China to eastern Asia, dating back to the 12th century. Formerly called the country of Siam and officially changed to the name Thailand in 1948, which means "land of the free," this Asian country has endured centuries of upheaval and political unrest, much like its neighbors Laos, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia and Vietnam. But what has emerged is not only a beautiful country rich with history and art, but a composite of cuisines which have graced the West with some of their best native food and attracts tourists and visitors from around the world.

Who can resist those dishes. Noodles or jasmine rice perfectly combined with peppers, vegetables and creamy coconut milk, topped with pork, shrimp, chicken or tofu, tossed in a hot wok, all coming together in a spicy explosion of flavors. Popular seasonings include fish sauce, lime juice, chopped chilies, garlic, dried chili flakes, galangal, coriander / cilantro, lemongrass, shallots, pepper, kaffir lime leaves and shrimp paste.

Spicy curry dishes, also native to India, served up as soup or over rice is high on the hit parade, seasoned with aromatic spices. Thai food is known for its fresh raw and steamed vegetables, including beans, sprouts, mushrooms. eggplant, broccoli, onions and lemongrass, liberally seasoned and topped off with fresh lime wedges. Their favorite fruits include mangos, mangosteen, langsat, pomelo, pineapple, rose apples, durian, tamarind and papayas. (Don't ask, just enjoy.)

Some of the more popular dishes include:

Tom Yum Goong: (spicy shrimp soup)
Som Tum: (spicy green papaya salad)
Tom Kha Kai: (chicken in coconut soup)
Gaeng Daeng: (red curry)
Pad Thai: (Thai style fried noodles topped with peanuts)
Pad Krapow Moo Saap: (fried basil and pork)
Gaeng Keow Wan Kai: (green chicken curry)
Khao Pad: (traditional fried rice)
Yam Nua: (spicy beef salad)
Kai Med Ma Muang: (chicken with cashew nuts)
Massaman Curry: (a rich, but relatively mild)
Pad Kee Mao: (also called Drunken Noodles, wide rice noodles in a savory, spicy sauce)
Khao Phat: (a common rice dish, usually with meat or seafood)
Thai Iced Tea: (with cream or milk and sugar)

And fear not, you do not need to pronounce them, you can simply point or ask your server for more information.

Perhaps because Chinese food has been a favorite for so many years, we have upgraded our sophistication and tastes to a new level with Thai food. Lighter, more savory, spicy and far less fatty, this delightful cuisine has been embraced by Americans across the country, rivaling Mexican, barbecue and Italian in popularity.

But just a cautionary note: unless you are an experienced Asian cook or have an unlimited budget, Thai food is best eaten out. And with the dozens of small restaurants (hopefully) located near you, it's wise to leave the cooking in the hands of their skilled chefs, just sit back and Thai one on.

Vegetables are the perfect side dish at any barbecue – they add color and nutrition to the menu plus they add a good balance to the "heaviness" of the grilled meat. But don't just throw those veggies on the grill along with the meat. Take it up a notch higher and serve these unique healthy side dish recipes!

Baked Lemon Garlic Broccoli

What you need:

• 2 heads broccoli, separated into florets
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Toss the broccoli florets with minced garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt and ground black pepper in a bowl. Arrange florets evenly on a baking sheet and bake in a pre-heated oven (400 degrees F) for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender enough to be pierced with a fork. Pour lemon juice over broccoli before serving.

Potato Curry Zing

What you need:

• 4 potatoes, peeled, cubed and boiled
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1-inch piece ginger root, peeled and minced
• 1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can peas, drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 teaspoons curry powder
• 4 teaspoons garam masala
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

In a large non-stick pan, heat vegetable oil over medium heat then cook garlic and onion for 5 minutes or until softened. Add ginger, curry powder, garam masala, cumin, salt and cayenne pepper and stir for another 2 minutes. Stir in potatoes, garbanzo beans, peas and tomatoes. Pour coconut milk over mixture and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes before serving.

Herbed Green Beans and Squash Saute

What you need:

• 2 yellow squash, sliced ​​thinly
• 1 1/2 cups green beans
• 1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

In a large non-stick skillet, cook and stir squash and green beans for 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly tender. Stir in tomatoes, lemon juice, parsley and coriander and cook and stir for 8 to 10 minutes more. Season with salt and ground black pepper and stir before removing from heat.

Add nutrition to your next barbecue with these easy but nutrition-packed vegetable side dishes. They are the perfect compelement for your juicy grilled meat!

If you like adding a bit of protein to your salad greens but still want something light, seafood is the perfect choice. Adding a few chunks of fish or a few pieces of shrimp to your greens with a light dressing will result to a light and refreshing meal!

Here are 4 refreshing seafood salads you’ll love:

Shrimply Refreshing Salad

What you need:

• 1/2 kilogram large shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Place the cooked shrimp, eggs, carrot celery and onion in a large salad bowl. Add mayonnaise and gently toss to mix ingredients well. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Fresh Lobsterrific Salad

What you need:

• 2 cups mixed salad greens
• 1 small tomato, sliced
• 1/2 small white onion, sliced
• 1/2 kilogram cooked lobster meat, sliced into bite-size pieces
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, combine lobster and melted butter. Stir in mayonnaise and season with black pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes. When ready, mix together salad greens, tomato and onion in a large salad bowl. Top with lobster mixture, toss and serve.

Curry and Cinnamon Tuna Salad

What you need:

• 1/4 kilogram water-packed tuna, drained and flaked
• 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Salt to taste

Combine tuna, pickle relish, lemon juice, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, cinnamon, curry powder, black pepper and salt in a bowl. Stir to combine ingredients well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Avocado and Salmon Salad Mix

What you need:

• 1 avocado, cored and halved
• 1 1/2 cups pink salmon (from can), drained
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3/4 teaspoon dried dill
• 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

Mix together salmon, celery, onion, mayonnaise and lemon juice in a bowl. Toss to combine ingredients well. Season with dill and salt. Divide mixture into two and scoop onto each avocado half. Chill in the refrigerate until ready to serve.

These easy seafood salads will surely satisfy your appetite, especially when you’re looking for something light to eat!

The villa rentals market in Thailand has been growing steadily for several years. The beautiful, tropical country is now recognized as one of the prime villa rental and holiday rental locations in SE Asia in terms of luxury and value for money. No matter what kind of property you're looking for; beach front villas, hill-side, sea view properties and mountaintop retreats – Thailand has it all and more. This article explores and explains a relatively new development and increasingly popular choice with Villa Renters: Villa Chef services.

Trained and experienced Chefs can be hired, directly in your villa, by the meal or the day. Villa chefs can prepare a whole host of mouth-watering, tropical dishes including a full repertoire of famous Thai platters and freshly caught seafood. Kun Lek, an experienced Thai Chef and villa chef based in Koh Samui, Thailand for 3 years explains what customers need. "Most of the villa guests I cook for are interested in the more famous, classic Thai foods such as spring rolls, Pad Thai (fried noodles with bean sprouts) and Gra Prow (stir-fried spicy basil). Others treat themselves to more exotic dishes such as fried fish with sweet chilli sauce and yellow crab curry. Some of the more adventurous guests try more specialized Thai food including frog or shark curry, fresh (uncooked) crab papaya salad and the super-spicy southern-style, Orange Curry. "

Typically, chef services rates are around $ 100- $ 150 USD per day for up to 8 guests, not including the cost of food. The chef will take your orders, go shopping to collect fresh ingredients, cook your meals and clean up afterwards. Guests are welcome to accompany their Chef to Samui's fresh fish market to buy fresh ingredients and can pick up some Thai cooking tips by keeping an eye on what is going on in the kitchen. The low costs of seafood from the local fish market mean that you can eat top class seafood much more economically than in Samui restaurants with freshness guaranteed. As an example, king size prawns can be picked up for around 2-300 Thai Baht per kilogram in the market but are sold in Chaweng restaurants for around 1000 Thai Baht per kilogram.

Several of the islands Villa Rental companies can organize your in-villa chef services irrespective of which villa rental company you book your villa with. Chefs can be hired for specific meals, half days, full days and special events such as parties and BBQs.

So get ready to relax and get stuffed! Your Koh Samui villa rental chef is on her way.

Mother Teresa allegedly said: “It is impossible to walk rapidly and be unhappy”. All generalisations are slightly suspect, perhaps – well, almost all, anyway:-)! Nevertheless, Mother Teresa’s words point to a fundamental aspect of our humanity that we tend to overlook: when you feel good in your skin, you simply can’t feel nearly as miserable as you otherwise might.

Mind and body are intimately connected. If one feels even halfway good, the other is bound to feel better as a result. So, while I’m the first to acknowledge my smallness in the great scheme of things, I’d like to offer my own take on this idea of connection and well-being. “It is impossible to eat good Thai green curry and be unhappy.”

When your lips are tingling with the perkiness of Thai chillies and your palate is still resonating with the clear, fragrant, harmonious flavours, it’s impossible not to feel a sense of visceral contentment.

Serves 3 – 4

225 g/ 8 oz rice noodles

2 tbs vegetable oil

2 or 3 garlic cloves

1 green bird chilli, seeded and finely chopped

125 g/ 4 oz thin asparagus (heads intact, stalks chopped into 1cm/ ½ inch pieces)

1 tbs Thai green curry paste

1 stalk lemon grass (outer layer removed and chopped fine)

4 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped

3 tbs Thai fish sauce

2 tsp sugar (palm sugar)

225 g/ 8 oz small, cooked, peeled shrimp (prawns)

Method

Soak the rice noodles in boiling water for the time specified on the packet while preparing the sauce. Drain.

Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Add the garlic and as soon as it starts to turn golden, add the chillies, then the green curry paste, stirring constantly.

When the curry paste starts to smell fragrant, throw in the asparagus and keep stirring for another minute or two. Once the asparagus turn a brighter green and begin to soften, add the lime leaves, Thai sauce and sugar.

Add the prawns and cook stirring for a minute or so, until the prawns heat up and the asparagus are cooked through but still slightly crisp under your teeth.

Now, throw in the noodles and keep tossing and turning everything until the noodles are impregnated with all the flavours of the sauce.

Turn into a serving dish and either serve immediately, or serve later at room temperature.

This dish is delicious hot and possibly even better the next day at room temperature. If you ever want to curry favour with a loved one by providing him/her with a delicious lunch box, you can be sure of doing so with this noodle dish.

Note: There are different qualities of rice noodles, just as there are different qualities of pasta. If you are fortunate enough to have the choice, experiment with different brands until you come up with one that you particularly like.

(C) 2005 Annie Kaszina

Ghee is a fat rich dairy product of Indian origin and its western equivalent is butteroil. When ghee is stored under ambient temperature, it undergoes oxidative deterioration. The oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids produces hydroperoxides and their subsequent breakdown products viz. aldehydes, ketones, low molecular weight acids and oxy acids. These components are responsible for the development of off flavours in ghee.

The Food Adulteration rules as amended in 1976 permit the addition of 0.02% by weight of butylated hydroxy anisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT) either singly or in combination in to the ghee. The problem is the continuous use of these antioxidants result in teratogenic or carcinogenic effect in small animals and primates.

In ancient days, it was a common practice in India to add betel leaves and curry leaves to the butter during the clarification process of ghee making. But it is now recognized that these substances indeed possess antioxidant properties, which will not only improve the shelf life and taste of the product but also they are safe to the consumers.

A scientific research was carried out to study the antioxidant property of betel and curry leaves at different concentration when they are boiled during the clarification process of ghee making. The findings show that the initial peroxide value of ghee (0.00) showed no increase up to 30 days of storage at 30°C. But the control samples showed a steep increase in peroxide value after 60 days of storage. Ghee samples treated with 1% curry leaves were found to be the most resistant up to 135 days. The betel leaves at 1% concentration appeared to be most acceptable and stable even after 147 days of storage at 30°C.

The degree of hydrolysis of ghee during the storage is measured by titration for free fatty acid (oleic acid). After a month storage, there is a progressive increase in free fatty acid content. The control sample of ghee (not treated with any anti oxidant) showed a 100 percent increase in free fatty acid content (after 30 days) where as the betel leaves treated ghee (at 1% level) offered maximum protection to the ghee from hydrolysis.

It is observed that the plant leaves (curry and betel leaves) contain phenolic compounds such as hydroxychavicol, eugenol, and certain amino acids such as aspargine, glycine, serine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, threonine, alanine, proline, and tryptophan which might possess antioxidant properties and help to improve the shelf life of ghee.

A slight reduction in the iodine value from 35.9 in control to 35.6 in treated ghee samples is observed when the samples are stored at 30°C for 147 days. Ghee samples treated with chemical antioxidants showed similar results. Ghee samples produced with curry and betel leaves showed a lowered butyrorefractometer (BR) reading. The compounds that go in to solution during the clarification process might be responsible for the lowered BR reading.

To conclude, the betel and curry leaves can serve as a potent antioxidant at 1% concentration without any adverse effect on the organoleptic properties of the ghee and help replace the BHA and BHT to extend the shelf life of ghee.

To know more about ghee and different methods of its manufacture please visit GHEE MAKING

The author is a dairy expert, specializing in the technology and microbiology of dairy foods and holds a doctoral degree in Dairy Science; for more info on milk and dairy products please visit her site A Professional Dairy Site

Generally when you ask somebody about Indian food they will spout adjectives like hot, spicy, rich, fatty, and curry. However, trying to characterize Indian cuisine in just a few words is an incredibly daunting task. The country is home to a vast array of regional cuisines, and the food evolved over thousands of years based on internal and external influences. Those who are passionate about Indian cuisine would argue that preparing the food involves an intricate blending of spices and ingredients that make it something of an art. So let’s address some of the many misconceptions about the cuisine with these 5 things you didn’t know about Indian food.

1. Not all Indian food is spicy. In fact, most Indian dishes incorporate a variety of spices, but this is not what makes particular dishes spicy. Many recipes call for chilies or other “hot” spices, but these can almost always be omitted as a matter of taste. Moreover, some dishes have a very simple spice profile, and some require only one or two spices.
2. Indian food is healthy. While it’s true that many curry dishes may be a little heavy with respect to fat content, Indian food is really what you make of it. Like you wouldn’t expect all Japanese dishes to feature rice, you shouldn’t expect all Indian dishes to feature fat. Many recipes can be augmented with respect to oil or fat content, and there are a wide range of dishes that do not require oil at all. Indian cooking is also full of vegetables and healthy spices cooked so that they have a rich and satisfying flavour. Turmeric, ginger, garlic, and green chillies are commonly used in Indian recipes and they’re all known for their positive health benefits.
3. Indian food can be easy to cook. Some recipes take time and effort to fully develop flavours, but this is true of just about any cuisine in the world. Some of the most popular Indian dishes are actually quick and easy. Tandoor chicken, mutter paneer, bhindi ki subji are just a few examples of recipes that are easy to prepare.
4. There is no such thing as “curry”. For inexperienced diners, curry seems to be the only ingredient in Indian food, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. First of all, “curry” is generally a collection of spices known as garam masala. The basic ingredients in garam masala are similar but the final recipe can even vary between households.
5. Indian food has diverse regional characteristics. Whether you’re talking about north/south/east/west or various provinces in India, the cuisine varies significantly. Northern Indian food is probably the most popular internationally. Meats and vegetables cooked in a tandoor are common and cream is often used in marinades. Nevertheless, Indian cuisine is incredibly diverse, so you can enjoy trying new and interesting varieties from all over the country.

You don't have to sell me on quinoa; my son first informed me of the advantages of the grain. By the way, many advocate that it is a seed and not a grain, but grains are seeds too.

Thanks to his information I discovered that our local university's agricultural research department is focusing on this grain. The use of this super-food is the fastest growing in the world. The university's agricultural officials believe that the local Palouse Hills with its nutrient rich, deep, loess soil is ideal for the product. Their research of over a thousand quinoa varieties additionally discovered that the Columbia Plateau of eastern Washington has an ideal micro-climate for the grain.

But I was personally interested in the product due to my numerous health problems including type 2 diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and massively high triglycerides, just to name a few. Since I've been using quinoa over the past three months, coupled with increased exercise, I've lost a total of twenty pounds. During that time my blood pressure has lowered, and my fasting glucose measurement has decreased from an average of 140 down to 90. In addition, I've been able to drop my insulin from forty-five down to twenty-eight units. Hopefully, at this rate I may be diabetes free within the year!

Consequently, I was happy to get this cookbook. There are several beneficial recipes with easy to understand instructions. One of my favorite recipes in the Entrees and Sides section is the Quinoa Coconut Cauliflower Curry.

The ingredients for that dish include 1 cup quinoa. 2 cups coconut milk, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, one-half cup raisins, one-half cup chopped cashews, and 2 cups chopped cauliflower. For preparation it is recommended to mix the quinoa with the coconut milk, grated ginger, curry powder, and cauliflower. Place on medium heat in a covered pot. Add water if it appears dry. When quinoa absorbs liquid and becomes soft, turn off the heat, stir in the raisins and cashews, and add salt to taste.

The authors have divided this cookbook into the following sections: Introduction, Basic Tips when Cooking Quinoa, Breakfast, Salads, Entrees and Sides, and Desserts. One of my favorites from the Breakfast section is the Cranberry Orange Quinoa Muffins. A favorite from the Salads section is the Quinoa Tuna Salad with Grapes.

My only advice is to give the book to a copy editor and resubmit it for publication. There are a few grammatical errors, omitted words, and a couple of recipes have omitted steps, ie Stuffed Potatoes. But generally it is a very complete book of beneficial, tasty, and healthy quinoa recipes.

South Africa is allegorically a mixing pot of several cultures adopted from different regions. The dense political and colonized past influenced by the Zulu warriors, Indian dwellers, Dutch settlers, and the British colonists amalgamated the flavors of the cuisines brought to South Africa. The ingredients and spices collected by South Africans are from all over the world. There are several districts and provinces of the country, among them Durban is one of the cities that was influenced by the Indian cuisines and cooking styles. Many people are unaware of the fact, but some prominent writers have described Durban’s influence on South African dishes in food blog of Cape Town, Pretoria, Johannesburg and other places. This prominent article showcases the food influence and origin of people in Durban at South Africa.

History of Durban

People may get surprised with a fact that Durban has the highest population of Indian migrants. At 1860 during Apartheid, labors of India were imported to South Africa for working on Sugar Plantations. During that time Durban became the place where the Indian people were kept. Time morphed South Africa into a democratic country and the early-colonial city Durban got densely populated with sub-cultural and Indian habitats.

Foundation of Cuisines

Every cuisine and its ingredients have specific origin. For instance, Thai cooking focus on ingredients like ginger, coconut, and lemongrass. Italian cooking heavily relies on tomato, garlic, and basil. Indian cuisines are a combination of lots of spices like cardamom, black pepper, chili, cumin, coriander leaves/seeds, bay leaves etc. The spices and ingredients are the symbols of cuisines brought to South Africa. However, Durban at South Africa has is popular for Indian recipes like curries and spices because of Indian migrants in the city.

Earlier, people of South Africa used to avoid coconut milk and maize meal, but now locals and visitors of the country love the Indian food ingredients like coconut and maize meals. Restaurants of cities of South Africa like Cape Town and Johannesburg also serves Indian cuisines made of spices.

Here is some example of South Africanized Indian cuisines available in cities like Durban, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, etc.

1: Bunny Chow

This is a hybrid recipe made of unsliced bread hollowed out like a bowl and filled with spicy curry. The term ‘Bunny’ is derived from the Indian word, ‘Bania’, which means spice trader or merchant.

Story behind the cuisine

During Apartheid, Indian and Zulu populations worked and lived in KwaZulu Natal, but according to ‘Segregation law’, Indians were not allowed to serve Zulus, so Indian was sent to Durban. In the city, they taught several cuisines to the native to South Africa and started making Indian dishes like Bunny Chow in restaurants and home. The native of the place liked the recipe and later this hybrid food became worldwide popular but known as a South African dish.

2: Samoosas

This food item is termed to Samoosas from an Indian word ‘Samosa’, flour patties stuffed with potatoes and peas. This snack can be served as morning and evening breakfast. Samoosas are still popular in both India and South Africa because of its salty outlet and spicy stuffing. People of every age love this food-item because of its crispiness and crunch.

Story behind the snack

During Apartheid in Durban at South Africa, the popularity of this cuisine was rich because people were engulfed by poverty and at time potatoes was both cheap and easy to cook the vegetable. Therefore, migrants from India started cooking potato with salt and some other spices and stuff them inside flour doe-pockets. After the procedure, they used to fry the snack in deep oil. The crispiness and crunch became popular globally including Durban and other cities of Africa.

3: Cape Malay Curry

Cape Malay is a curry recipe, which can be cooked with chicken or lamb. It is a traditional recipe made by Indians. This curry is a stew made by a combination of onions, garlic, coriander leaves, curry leaves, tomato, salt and other Indian spices like cumin, coriander seeds, chili, turmeric powder, and curry powder.

Story behind the cuisine

Not only in India but this cuisine was popular in Afghanistan also. People of India and Afghanistan introduced people of South Africa with this spicy recipe after they arrived in the country. Earlier the name of the recipe was ‘Malay Curry’ but later it became popular in Durban and Cape Town. People of Cape Town appreciated the recipe and chefs in the restaurant of the city termed ‘Malay Curry’ into Cape Malay Curry.

4: Chakalaka

This is a popular dish loved by South African community originated in India. Zulu termed Chakalaka ‘Amasi’, which is a fermented thick curry combined with lentils, green vegetables, corns and Indian spices. Restaurants use to serve the nutritious cuisine with rice or pap.

Story behind Chakalaka

During the adverse period of Apartheid, people were becoming lean because of battles, poverty and discrimination policies done between the Indian and South Africans. Therefore, Indian immigrants of Durban tried to collect some vegetables and cook this curry with some spices because eating such nutritious food used to help them to gain strength to fight with troubles.

Conclusion

These points are the major reasons that Durban is famous for Indian spices and their amazing cuisines came out from creative minds. Several prominent food blogs of Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Pretoria has also mentioned the name of this recipes and ingredients, but few people are familiar with the influence and stories behind these recipes.