Is all Indian/Pakistani Food Hot? While many Indian dishes are considered hot by western standards, there are also plenty of dishes that are mild. If you aren’t a spice lover, you can also order or cook the non-spicy versions of typically hot dishes. There is much more to the flavor of Indian food than just the chillies!
Indian food is categorised as six different flavours – sweet, salty, bitter, sour, astringent and spicy. A proper traditional Indian meal is a perfect balance of all 6 flavours, with one or two flavours standing out.
Foods and herbs with the sweet flavour are considered to be tonics as they nourish us: licorice, shatavari and beetroot are all good examples as well as all sweet fruits, root vegetables, mung dal, honey, rice, milk and milk products.
The sour flavour is found in citrus fruits, sour milk products like yoghurt, cheese, and sour cream, and fermented food like sourdough bread, wine, vinegar, pickles, sauerkraut, soy sauce and often alcohol.
The use of salt is a good lesson in the importance of dosage. In correct quantities it is vital to our existence and is as essential to our health as water and food.
Chillies, garlic, onions and spices (black pepper, ginger, cayenne, cardamom) are all good examples here. Such pungent herbs and foods are great for drying excess moisture and mucus, and stimulating metabolism.
This taste is found in green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, rocket), courgette, aubergine, spices (turmeric, fenugreek, dandelion), coffee, tea and certain fruits (grapefruits, olives, bitter melon).
The astringent flavour is found in plant compounds known as tannins. They are especially soluble in water; hence the drying nature of a strong cup of tea left to steep for too long.
