Indian food culture is known for its vibrancy and connection to its roots, which places importance on ingredients, flavors and the sacred status of kitchens. Just as we revere home-cooked food and live with a rich choice of flavors sprouting from the different regions of the country, there is a parallel cuisine from a Mediterranean country which matches this description. Italian cuisine, which believes in carrying forward their nonna’s recipe, has more than one thing in common with Indian cuisine. The rise of Italian food fondness in Indians has created a beautiful synthesis of Italian cuisine with Indian cooking style.
Love for fresh ingredients:
Italian food places a lot of emphasis on fresh ingredients like tomato, basil, and olives and cooking with a few main ingredients. This is similar to Indian cuisine, where garden-grown herbs make their way to the kitchen for every other dish. This has led to the growth of Italian influence since both cultures have ingredient-focused recipes. recipes. The absolute love for tomatoes, which clearly stands out in Indian dishes, is also visible in Italians’ obsession with fresh Pomodoro sauce.
Influence of cheese:
One cannot talk about Italian food without mentioning cheese. Freshly grated parmesan cheese is used to garnish pasta, pizza, lasagna and sometimes even desserts! The only cheese which was famous in India since a long time was paneer. However, now with the Italian influence, we can find cheese on not only continental food but also on Indian delicacies. Be it cheese dosa, cheese omlette or even cheese butter naan, the Italian passion for cheese has penetrated Indian palate.
Indianization of pizzas:
Whether you are at a party with friends or colleagues, planning to have a special dinner at home, or just scrolling through an easy diner app, pizza is the go-to option. It has become such a significant part of our food habits that we barely realize its foreign origin. It might have to do with the comfort we find in bread as a base or the combination of vegetables with sauces. The way India has made pizza one of its own can be seen in the popularity of butter chicken pizza and tandoori pizza.
The wine culture:
India has seen a growing culture of wine and wineries in recent decades. Wineries like Sula are a clear example of how people are delving into the Italian tradition of enjoying your wine. A lot of wine brands are also making their way into the Indian markets. People have especially started enjoying pairing wines with desi food. It won’t be surprising to see pairing a mutton biryani with a Chenin Blanc!
There is no doubt that Italian and Indian food styles and habits compliment each other and have blended into a modern cuisine which is enjoyed by the masses. From Pirates of Grill to the Olive Gardens, people can be seen enjoying spaghetti with the same enthusiasm as biryani. The love for fresh ingredients, herbs, cheesy pasta, pizzas and rosé wine is the Indian celebration and tribute to Italian cuisine.