Indian food is famous all across the world for its unique blend of spices and a multitude of palates shaped by centuries of skill and culture. Whenever visiting India, you can get a chance to try out the assortment of cuisines prepared in different ways in different parts of the country.
But before that, there is a key question that haunts every wayfarer desiring to travel to India.
What is the proper way to eat Indian food and avoid getting sick while enjoying their vacation in India?
A major challenge for tourists visiting India is coping with the eating rituals of the individuals residing in this country. Furthermore, if you are not careful about what food you are eating and from where, you may end up upsetting your stomach and getting sick during your stay here.
While the food served in North India is completely different from that served in South India, the eating ritual is pretty much the same across the country.
Just looking at an Indian meal can be overwhelming, let alone eating it with your hands.
But worry not. To help you get comfortable with the eating ritual in India and enable you to eat like a local in India without getting sick, we have compiled a list of points to remember while eating in India to ensure that you have a healthy and safe stay in the country.
But before we dive into the nuances of eating in India, let us first look at the different components that make up an Indian meal.
What makes up an Indian meal.
An Indian meal consists of a chapati, paratha or roti accompanied by a main dish like a vegetable or meat with or without gravy, a watery lentil dish like dal or sambhar, some rice and also a side dish like salad, papad or pickles.
Now that you are familiar with the components comprising an Indian meal, let us look at the finer details of eating the Indian meal and the necessary precautions to take to avoid getting sick.
Steps to eat in India.
1. Use your hands to eat.
In India, it is considered normal to eat food with your hands. Just make sure to wash your hands thoroughly before beginning to consume your food.
Also, when using the plate, wipe it clean with dry tissue first to get rid of any dust particles and then place the different food dishes in it. Once ready, you can begin eating the food with your right hand.
This gives you the local Indian vibe as well and you would experience that eating with your hands is a lot of fun.
2. Preferred choice of eating.
The variety of dishes in the Indian meal can be perplexing though. Which dish is to be eaten when? Or are they all eaten together?
It is always recommended to eat the roti or chapati first with the vegetable or meat dish, followed by the remaining vegetable or meat dishes with rice and dal.
The purpose of side dishes is to add flavour to the main dish while eating. Hence, you can consume a small amount of the side dish after every bite of the main dish.
3. Try out regional cuisines from local restaurants.
As stated earlier, the Indian plate is filled with an assortment of cuisines, both regional and common. The regional specialities served in the local restaurants look more authentic and taste better.
Besides, it is also considered safe to eat food prepared in restaurants that are popular among the locals rather than by roadside vendors to avoid getting sick.
In addition to this, we would suggest you rely more on vegetarian food options than non-vegetarian food varieties. Depending on your eating preferences and history, your stomach might not be able to digest the super spicy non-vegetarian food served at some places in India.
Certain regional cuisines may appeal to your taste buds and it’s tempting to indulge in a little overeating. However, avoid overeating at all costs to avoid getting sick.
Eat moderate and eat right. That’s how you will be able to relish Indian cuisine to the fullest without getting sick.
Always make a choice to drink water from packed water bottles and refrain from drinking tap water. Tap waters are often not purified and drinking them directly can upset your stomach and make you sick.
Food is one of the highly regarded specialities of India and every Indian swells with pride in the regional cuisines available in their locality. Indian food has something unique to satiate the taste buds of individuals from different cultures.
If you have never visited India, consider giving yourself the privilege of tasting authentic and rich Indian food. It won’t be long before you start eating the meal in Indian style and enjoying it too, without worrying about getting sick.
To make it easier for you, XYZ Travels has customised packages designed to help you travel to the most chosen destinations in India and get a taste of the exquisite Indian cuisine famous across the globe.