Our " CLAY TANDOORS " are made by hand with a great care as in ancient times.

The Clay for the Tandoor is naturally available from the Mother Earth but a very careful approach is made to select the Best clay for this purpose, which is available only at a few places in North India at the foothills of Himalayan Mountain Ranges. A variety of additives are added to the clay mixture like Hay and hairs of Sheep's and Goats etc. to give special strength & effects to the Clay Tandoor to enhance its life and ability to be operated at extreme temperatures ranging upto 1000 degrees centigrade. (Average Temp of a Tandoor while in use with Charcoal for Cooking is between 600 - 800 Deg. C. )

Size 1 2 3 4 Full Size Medium Size Standard Size Small Size

Paar-Indian Size 3 2 3/4 2 1/2 2

Inner Mouth 14"/15"/16" 13"/14"/15" 13"/14"/15" 12" /13"

Inner Width 32" 29" 27" 25"

Height 34" 33" 32" 31"

***** CAUTION ***** Using your Clay Tandoor - without outer Body & Insulation (as it is) with Gas or Charcoal can cause serious injury. It can break or crack when put up in extreme temperatures. It needs Proper Installation with Good Quality Industrial Insulation with a Brick & Mortar Wall or Metal Drum or any other outer casing you may want to use History of tandoors

The Clay Tandoors have been traditionally been used in the INDIAN KITCHENS

for the cooking of INDIAN BREADS & Roasting the Lamb & Chicken for the preparation of Mughlai type foods with or without curry, Sizzlers, of them the most famous is the Tandoori Murg (Chicken Roasted), Muton Tikka ( Lamb Meat BallsBoneless) Chicken Tikka (Chicken 0Boneless) and Veg Grills such as Paneer Tikka ( Roasted Cheese ). Since the olden days, there have been many changes in the Tandoor but the basic concept of cooking in an Clay Oven has not changed. Only the outer body or the shapes of the Clay Oven - Pot itself has gone a few changes as per the needs & requirements of the user. But the Tandoor has been in use since more than the history has been recording events. Now a days the Tandoors are used for the Fast & Oil Free Cooking which is been liked by most around the Globe. Also the radiant heat transfer, cooks the meat in manner that no Vitamins & Proteins are lost while cooking & the food retains its original nutrition value & flavors. Our Tandoors have been developed with great care & keeping the needs of Modern Cooking in mind. The Tandoors are Most Fuel Efficient, Fast, Mobile, Made as per the Buyer's specification & needs and with almost no maintenance. Our CLAY TANDOORS are Made By Hand with great care as in Ancient Times. The Clay for the Tandoor is naturally available from the mother earth but a very careful approach is made to select the best clay for this purpose, which is available only at few places in North India. A variety of additives are added to the clay mixture to give special strength & effects to the Clay Tandoor to enhance its life at extreme temperatures ranging upto 400 - 1000 degrees centigrade.

MONY TANDOORS are made with most modern technology in which the Clay Tandoor (Tandoori Oven) retains its heat by a Special Industrial Insulation, which prevents the heat loss. This makes our Tandoors more FUEL-EFFICIENT. The Outer body is made of 16 / 18 / 22 Gauge Stainless Steel, to meet the requirements of the Health Department & Food Inspection Agencies.

Drum Tandoors made from Clay Oven and Insulated with Special High Quality Industrial Insulation with Cemented Top.

MILD STEEL, ROUND DRUM TANDOOR WITH CEMENTED TOP S.No Width/Outer Dia Inner Dia / Lip 1 2 3 4 5 6 23" 28" 30" 32" 34" 36" 12" /13"/14" 13"/14"/15" 13"/14"/15" 14"/15"/16" 14"/15"/16" 14"/15"/16" Height with Wheels 37" 37" 37" 38" 38" 38" Height w/o Wheels 32" 32" 32" 33" 33" 33"

Available in Marble Top and Granite Stone Top @ additional costs.

Optional Accessories include Castor Wheels, Tandoori skewers, Cushion Pads for making Nan breads.

Clay Tandoor & Drum Tandoor Clay Oven / Tandoors shown with a Drum Tandoor with Castor Wheels Trolley attachment for Comparison with both. Pl. note that the Clay Tandoor in itself is not a complete Tandoor in itself and needs insulation and installation. You need an Expert to fix this Clay Oven in the Backyard or your Restaurant. ***** CAUTION ***** Using your Clay Tandoor as it is with Gas or Charcoal can cause serious injury. It needs proper installation with Good Quality Industrial Insulation with a Brick & Mortar Wall or Metal Drum or any other outer casing you may want to use. Catering Tandoor/Mild Steel Square Tandoor with Cemented top

Catering / Market Tandoor This Tandoor is Very Sturdy and Strong. Gives very long life on commercial use conditions. Its outer body is made of Mild Steel and or Galvanized Iron and we can also use St. Steel Body or Aluminum Body as per your requirements. Comes with factory fitted 4 castors wheels with 2 wheels having breaks and handle to maneuver the tandoor. This Tandoor is ideal for use in Indoor/Outdoor Catering, Banquet Halls, Garden Parties, Market Places etc... M.S, SQUARE TANDOOR WITH CEMENT / MARBLE /TILE/GRANITE TOP S.No 1 2 3 4 5 Width 28" 30" 32" 34" 36" Length 28" 30" 32" 34" 36" Inner Dia / Lip 12" /13"/14" 13"/14"/15" 13"/14"/15" 14"/15"/16" 14"/15"/16" Height with wheels Height without wheels 36" 36" 36" 37" 38" 31" 31" 31" 32" 33"

1. CONSTRUCTION : Inside the Stainless Steel cover, a strong St. Steel / MS Iron angle frame (Iron Oxide & Enamel painted) is built to support the Clay Oven / Pot (Clay Tandoor). The Base is made with 10 gauge MS Sheet & with Fire Bricks over it. 2. EXTERIORS : Top of the Tandoor is built with 16/18 gauge Stainless Steel & a water container is provided for the convenience of the operator. (Optional) 3. THE SIDES : They are built with 18/20 gauge stainless steel sheet, well polished & ventilation is provided for

escape of hot air. (This may differ for Different modals with different Material like Aluminum / Galvanized Iron Sheet or Stainless Steel Sheet). 4. INSULATION : As per requirement depending upon the size of the Clay Tandoor / Oven; 6" thick at base & at the top and 4" at the center has been provided to ensure that there is minimum Heat Loss from the sides of the Tandoor which makes it more Fuel Efficient. Note : WE DONT USE GLASS WOOL OR ASH AS INSULATION. The GLASS WOOL being an inferior & carcinogenic (cancer causing) agent & poses a Health Hazard both to the manufacturer & potential hazard to the end user. We use only the best quality industrial insulation. 5. WHEELS: (Optional in Domestic Modals) Size 4" Castor wheels for easy & smooth mobility of which 2 are with locking facility. 6. HANDLE : (Optional in Domestic Modals) A Steel E.R.W. handle to control the direction of the Tandoor. 7. BURNER : (Optional- Only in Gas Tandoor) Type T-45 / T-60 / T-70 / Round / Pipe with free flow Jet (only where Gas supply is from pipeline & with low pressure) (May differ with the Difference in various modals). Approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards as most Fuel Efficient Burner. (BIS standards are based on ISO 9000 standards) 8. NEEDLE CONTROL VALVE: (Optional - Only in Gas Tandoor) Easy to use Best Quality Brass Needle Control Valves are provided at a convenient position to Increase or Decrease the Flame of the Burner. Approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards. 9. STAINLESS STEEL LID: (Optional in Domestic Modals) A Steel Lid with insulation is provided to control the heat loss from the top of the Tandoor. 10. WATER CONTAINER: (Optional) A Stainless Steel water container is provided for the easy cooking of Indian Breads,

Nan, Parantha's etc.

Gas steel tandoor

Tandoors have been traditionally been used in the COMMUNITY KITCHEN'S for the cooking of INDIAN BREADS (Roti, Nan, Parantha, etc.) & Roasting the Lamb & Chicken for the preparation of Mughlai type foods with or without curry. Since the olden days, there have been many changes in the Tandoor but the basic concept of cooking in an Clay Oven has not changed. Only the outer body or the shapes of the clay pot itself has gone a few changes as per the needs & requirements of the user. But the Tandoor has been in use since more than the history has been recording events. Now a days the Clay Tandoors are used for the Fast & Oil Free cooking which is been liked by most around the Globe. The Radiant Heat Transfer cooks the meat in manner that not too many vitamins & proteins are lost while cooking & the food has the original nutrition value & flavors. MONY TANDOORS have been developed with great care & keeping the needs of Modern Cooking in mind.

Basic Features of Mony Tandoors Strong 16/18 gauge St. Steel Fabrication. Made From High Grade Virgin St. Steel. Extra Long Life & Durable. Burner protection guard. Mobile. 4 Castor Wheels for easy mobility. Extra High Quality Double Industrial Insulation's. (We dont use Ash/Asbestos Fibre/Glass Wool for Insulations in our Tandoors) Almost Nil Maintenance. Most Fuel Efficient. Available with Charcoal Fired or Gas Fired Options. Re-Usable Body Design (Used & Broken Clay Oven can be replaced in the St. Steel body ). Many Sizes to Choose from our wide range.

Width Length Mouth Inner/ Dia 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 28" 30" 32" 34" 36" 28" 30" 32" 34" 36" 12"/13"/14" 12"/13"/14" 13"/14"/15" 13"/14"/15" 14"/15"/16"

Height with wheels 35" 37" 37" 38" 40"

Height w/o wheels 30" 32" 32" 33" 35"

What is Biryani and Pulao (Pilaf)? Historically, these are 'rice and meat' dishes. In Pulao, the 'meat and rice are stirred' before cooking. For Biryani, meat and rice are clustered (layered) during cooking. What is Pulao? Pulao is of Persian origin. In India, the corrupt Hindustani word is Pulav. Pilaf is another common name used in India. Historically, mutton was cooked in water with aromatic spices. Once the meat was cooked, rice and more water were added to finish cooking. Along with rice, it was not uncommon to include split skinless Moong beans, cracked wheat, or Chana Dal. In a way, the Rice, Legumes, and Grains were cooked in meat broth. The broth with yogurt was called Yakhni. For vegetarians, plane water and aromatic spices are used to cook Vegetables and Rice together. It lacks the flavors of meats. Generally, dried fruits and fried nuts are added. In North India, normally Pilaf refers to a Vegetarian Pulao.

What is Biryani? Biryani in Farsi means 'fry before cooking'. To make Biryani, mutton is fried in ghee and par-cooked (Cooked half way). Separately, the Rice is fried in Ghee, and par-cooked (Cooked half way). The rice and meat were layered (cluster of rice on top of cluster of meat) in a cookware called Handi. The Handi is sealed with dough. It is Dum cooked (baked) on low heat.

Over 30 different types of Biryani have evolved with time. There are two major type of Biryani are: Lucknow, Hyderabad, and Tahiri. Lucknow Biryani

First, the meat is fried and cooked in water and spices. The meat is spooned out leaving the broth. In a separate pot, the rice is fried and then cooked in the mutton broth. Finally, cooked meat and rice are layered in a Handi to finish cooking. Chicken Biryani Awadhi (Lucknow) style Recipe

Hyderabad Biryani The meat is not fried but marinated in a paste of yogurt and spices. The rice is mixed in yogurt paste. The 'meat and the marinate' are transferred to Handi forming the cluster of meat. Cluster of Rice in yogurt is deposited on top of meat cluster. The Handi is sealed for Dum cooking for hours. Neither the meat nor the rice are fried before cooking. Neither meat not Rice are cooked prior to being layered in the Handi. Lamb Biryani Hyderabad Style Recipe

Tahiri Tahiri was made with Potatoes and Rice. Other vegetables may be added. A garnish layer is added to the top. The dish is Dum-baked in sealed Handi. This would give the appearance of meat Biryani.

The cuisine of India is characterized by sophisticated and subtle use of various spices, herbs and other vegetables grown in India and also for the widespread practice of vegetarianism across many sections of its society. Each family of Indian cuisine is characterized by a wide assortment of dishes and cooking techniques. As a consequence, it varies from region to region, reflecting the varied demographics of the ethnically diverse Indian subcontinent. India's religious beliefs and culture have played an influential role in the evolution of its cuisine.[1] However, India's cuisine also evolved with the subcontinent's cross-cultural interactions with the neighboring Middle East and Central Asia as well as the Mediterranean, making it a unique blend of various cuisines from across Asia.[2][3] The spice trade between India and Europe is often cited as the main catalyst for Europe's Age of Discovery.[4] The colonial period introduced European cooking styles to India adding to the flexibility and diversity of Indian cuisine.[5][6] Indian cuisine has had a remarkable

influence on cuisines across the world, especially those from Southeast Asia.[7][8] In particular, curry, which originated in India, is used to flavor food across Asia.[9] [edit] History and influences As a land that has experienced extensive immigration and intermingling through many millennia, India's cuisine has benefited from numerous food influences. The diverse climate in the region, ranging from deep tropical to alpine, has also helped considerably broaden the set of ingredients readily available to the many schools of cookery in India. In many cases, food has become a marker of religious and social identity, with varying taboos and preferences (for instance, a segment of the Jain population will not consume any roots or subterranean vegetables; see Jain vegetarianism). One strong influence over Indian foods is the longstanding vegetarianism within sections of India's Hindu, Buddhist and Jain communities. People who follow a strict vegetarian diet make up 2042% of the population in India, while less than 30% are regular meat-eaters.[10][11][12]

Masala dosa served in a restaurant in southern India. Indian cuisine is characterized by the widespread practice of vegetarianism across India's populace. Around 7,000 BC, sesame, eggplant, and humped cattle had been domesticated in the Indus Valley.[13] By 3000 BC, turmeric, cardamom, black pepper and mustard were harvested in India.[14] Many recipes first emerged during the initial Vedic period, when India was still heavily forested and agriculture was complemented with game hunting and forest produce. In Vedic times, a normal diet consisted of fruit, vegetables, meat, grain, dairy products and honey.[15] Over time, some segments of the population embraced vegetarianism, due to ancient Hindu philosophy of ahimsa.[16] This practice gained more popularity due to cooperative climate where variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains could easily be grown throughout the year. Buddhism, among several other beliefs and practices borrowed vegetarianism from Hinduism to embrace Ahimsa. A food classification system that categorised any item as saatvic, raajsic or taamsic developed in Ayurveda. Each was deemed to have a powerful effect on the body and the mind Later, invasions from Central Asia, Arabia, the Mughal empire, and Persia, and others had a deep and fundamental effect on Indian cooking. Influence from traders such as the Arab and Portuguese diversified subcontinental tastes and meals. As with other cuisines, Indian cuisine has absorbed New World vegetables such as tomato, chilli, and potato, as staples. These are actually relatively recent additions.

Islamic rule introduced rich gravies, pilafs and non-vegetarian fare such as kebabs, resulting in Mughlai cuisine (Mughal in origin), as well as such fruits as apricots, melons, peaches, and plums. The Mughals were great patrons of cooking. Lavish dishes were prepared during the reigns of Jahangir and Shah Jahan. The Nizams of Hyderabad state meanwhile developed and perfected their own style of cooking with the most notable dish being the Biryani. During this period the Portuguese and British introduced foods from the New World such as potatoes, tomatoes, squash, and chilies as well as cooking techniques like baking. [edit] Elements

A typical assortment of spices and herbs used in Indian cuisine The staples of Indian cuisine are rice, atta (whole wheat flour), and a variety of pulses, the most important of which are masoor (most often red lentil), chana (bengal gram), toor (pigeon pea or yellow gram), urad (black gram) and mung (green gram). Pulses may be used whole, dehusked, for example dhuli moong or dhuli urad, or split. Pulses are used extensively in the form of dal (split). Some of the pulses like chana and "Mung" are also processed into flour (besan). Most Indian curries are cooked in vegetable oil. In North and West India, groundnut oil has traditionally been most popular for cooking, while in Eastern India, mustard oil is more commonly used. In South India, coconut oil and Gingelly Oil is common. In recent decades, sunflower oil and soybean oil have gained popularity all over India. Hydrogenated vegetable oil, known as Vanaspati ghee, is also a popular cooking medium that replaces Desi ghee, clarified butter (the milk solids have been removed). The most important/frequently used spices in Indian cuisine are chilli pepper, black mustard seed (rai), cumin (jeera), turmeric (haldi, manjal), fenugreek (methi), asafoetida (hing, perungayam), ginger (adrak, inji), coriander, and garlic (lassan, poondu). Popular spice mixes are garam masala which is usually a powder of five or more dried spices, commonly including cardamom, cinnamon, and clove. Each region, and sometimes each individual chef, has a distinctive blend of Garam Masala. Goda Masala is a popular spice mix in Maharashtra. Some leaves are commonly used like tejpat (cassia leaf), coriander leaf, fenugreek leaf and mint leaf. The common use of curry leaves is typical of all South

Indian cuisine. In sweet dishes, cardamom, nutmeg, saffron, and rose petal essence are used. The term "curry" is usually understood to mean "gravy" in India, rather than "spices." The term Desi Diet indicates a Diet followed by Indians. [edit] Geographical varieties [edit] Northern Main article: North Indian cuisine

A vegetarian thali from Rajasthan, India. North Indian cuisine is distinguished by the proportionally high use of dairy products; milk, paneer, ghee (clarified butter), and yoghurt (yogurt, yoghourt) are all common ingredients. Gravies are typically dairy-based. Other common ingredients include chilies, saffron, and nuts. North Indian cooking features the use of the "tawa" (griddle) for baking flat breads like roti and paratha, and "tandoor" (a large and cylindrical charcoal-fired oven) for baking breads such as naan, and kulcha; main courses like tandoori chicken also cook in the tandoor. Other breads like puri and bhatoora, which are deep fried in oil, are also common. Goat and lamb meats are favored ingredients of many northern Indian recipes. The samosa is a popular North Indian snack, and now commonly found in other parts of India, Central Asia, North America, Britain, Africa and the Middle East. A common variety is filled with boiled, fried, or mashed potato. Other fillings include minced meat, cheese (paneer), mushroom (khumbi), and chick pea. The staple food of most of North India is a variety of lentils, vegetables, and roti (wheat based bread). The varieties used and the method of preparation can vary from place to place. Popular snacks, side-dishes and drinks include mirchi bada, buknu, bhujiya, chaat, kachori, imarti, several types of pickles (known as achar), murabba, sharbat, aam panna and aam papad. Popular sweets are known as mithai (means sweetmeat in Hindi), such as gulab jamun, jalebi, peda, petha, rewadi, gajak, bal mithai, singori, kulfi, falooda, khaja, ras malai, gulkand, and several varieties of laddu, barfi and halwa.

Some common North Indian foods such as the various kebabs and most of the meat dishes originated with Muslims incursions into the country. Considering their shared historic and cultural heritage, Pakistani cuisine and North Indian cuisine are very similar. [edit] Eastern See also: Bengali cuisine, Bihari cuisine, and Oriya cuisine

Nollen Sandesh, a popular sweet from West Bengal, India. East Indian cuisine is famous for its desserts, especially sweets such as rasagolla, chumchum, sandesh, rasabali, chhena poda, chhena gaja, chhena jalebi and kheeri. Many of the sweet dishes now popular in Northern India initially originated in the Bengal and Orissa regions. Apart from sweets, East India cuisine offers delights of posta (poppy seeds). Traditional cuisines of Orissa, Bengal, and Assam are delicately spiced. General ingredients used in Oriya, Bengali, and Assamese curries are mustard seeds, cumin seeds, nigella, green chillies, cumin paste and the spice mix panch phoron or panch phutana. Mustard paste, curd, nuts, poppy seed paste and cashew paste are preferably cooked in mustard oil. Curries are classified into bata (paste), bhaja (fries), chochchoree (less spicy vapourized curries) and jhol (thin spicy curries).These are eaten with plain boiled rice or ghonto (spiced rice). Traditional breakfasts includes pantabhat or pakhaal, as well as cereals such as puffed rice or pressed rice, in milk, often with fruits. The cuisine of Bangladesh is very similar to eastern Indian cuisine, particularly that of West Bengal. Fish and shellfish are commonly consumed in the eastern part of India. The popular vegetable dishes of Orissa are Dalma and Santula. The most popular vegetable dish of Bengal is Sukto. Deep fried, shallow fried and mashed vegetables are also very popular. As in southern India, rice is the staple grain in Eastern India too. A regular meal consists of lentils, a primary non vegetarian side dish usually made of fish and a few other secondary side dishes made of vegetables. [edit] Southern Main article: South Indian cuisine

Idlis with coconut chutney, a well-known dish from southern India[17] South Indian cuisine is distinguished by a greater emphasis on rice as the staple grain, the ubiquity of sambar and rasam (also called chaaru/saaru and rasam), a variety of pickles, and the liberal use of coconut and particularly coconut oil and curry leaves. Curries called Kozhambu are also popular and are typically vegetable stews cooked with spices, tamarind and other ingredients. The dosa, poori, idli, vada, bonda and bajji are typical South Indian favorites. These are generally consumed as part of breakfast. Other popular dishes include Kesaribath, Upma/Uppittu, Bisibele Bath, Rice Bath, Tomato Bath, Pongal, Poori & Saagu, Pulao, Puliyogarai and Thengai Sadham. Hyderabadi biryani, a popular type of biryani, reflects the diversity of south Indian cuisine.[18] South Indian cuisine obtains its distinct flavours by the use of tamarind, coconuts, lentils, rice and a variety of vegetables.Udupi cuisine is one of the popular cuisine of South India. Andhra, Chettinad, Tamil, Hyderabadi, Mangalorean, and Kerala cuisines each have distinct tastes and methods of cooking . In fact each of the South Indian states has a different way of preparing sambar; a connoisseur of South Indian food will very easily tell the difference between sambar from Kerala, sambar from Tamil cuisine, Sambaru from Karnataka and pappu chaaru in Andhra cuisine.Some popular dishes include the Biriyani, Ghee Rice with meat curry, seafood (prawns, mussels, mackerel) and paper thin Pathiris from Malabar area. [edit] Western See also: Goan cuisine, Maharashtrian cuisine, Saraswat cuisine, and Gujarati cuisine

Ragada in a pani puri, a popular snack from Mumbai. Western India has three major food groups: Gujarati, Maharashtrian and Goan. Maharashtrian cuisine has mainly two sections defined by the geographical sections. The coastal regions, geographically similar to Goa depend more on rice, coconut, and fish. The hilly regions of the Western Ghats and Deccan plateau regions use groundnut in

place of coconut and depend more on jowar (sorghum) and bajra (millet) as staples. Saraswat cuisine forms an important part of coastal Konkani Indian cuisine. Gujarati cuisine is predominantly vegetarian. Many Gujarati dishes have a hint of sweetness due to use of sugar or brown sugar. Goan cuisine is influenced by the Portuguese colonization of Goa. [edit] North Eastern See also: Cuisine of Assam, Naga cuisine, Sikkimese cuisine, and Tripuri cuisine The food of the North East is very different from other parts of India. This area's cuisine is more influenced by its neighbours, namely Burma and the People's Republic of China. For example it uses less of the well known spices that are popular in other parts of India. Yak is a popular meat in this region of India. [edit] Popularity and influence outside India

Chicken tikka, a well-known dish across the globe, reflects the amalgamation of Indian cooking styles with those from Central Asia Indian cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines across the globe.[19] The cuisine is popular not only among the large Indian diaspora but also among the mainstream population of North America and Europe.[20] In 2003, there were as many as 10,000 restaurants serving Indian cuisine in England alone.[21] A survey held in 2007 revealed that more than 1,200 Indian food products have been introduced in the United States since 2000.[22] According to Britain's Food Standards Agency, the Indian food industry in the United Kingdom is worth 3.2 billion, accounts for two-thirds of all eating out and serves about 2.5 million British customers every week.[23]

Butter Chicken, also known as Murgh Makhani, is a popular dish in Western countries and Arab world

Apart from Europe and North America, Indian cuisine is popular in South East Asia too because of its strong historical influence on the region's local cuisines. Indian cuisine has had considerable influence on Malaysian cooking styles[7] and also enjoys strong popularity in Singapore.[24][25] Indian influence on Malay cuisine dates back to 19-century. [26] Other cuisines which borrow Indian cooking styles include Vietnamese cuisine, Indonesian cuisine[27] and Thai cuisine.[28] The spread of vegetarianism in other parts of Asia is often credited to ancient Indian Buddhist practices.[29] Indian cuisine is also fairly popular in the Arab world because of its similarity and influence on Arab cuisine.[30] The popularity of curry, which originated in India, across Asia has often led to the dish being labeled as the "pan-Asian" dish.[31] Curry's international appeal has also been compared to that of pizza.[32] Though the tandoor did not originate in India, Indian tandoori dishes, such as chicken tikka made with Indian ingredients, enjoy widespread popularity.[33] Historically, Indian spices and herbs were one of the most sought after trade commodities. The spice trade between India and Europe led to the rise and dominance of Arab traders to such an extent that European explorers, such as Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus, set out to find new trade routes with India leading to the Age of Discovery.[4] [edit] Beverages

While masala tea (left) is a staple beverage across India, Indian filter coffee (right) is especially popular in southern India[34][35] See also: Indian wine Tea is a staple beverage throughout India; the finest varieties are grown in Darjeeling and Assam. It is generally prepared as masala chai, wherein the tea leaves are boiled in a mix of water, spices such as cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger, and large quantities of milk to create a thick, sweet, milky concoction. Different varieties and flavors of tea are prepared to suit different tastes all over the country. Another popular beverage, coffee, is largely served in South India. One of the finest varieties of Coffea arabica is grown around Mysore, Karnataka, and is marketed under the trade name "Mysore Nuggets". Indian filter coffee, or kaapi, is also especially popular in South India. Other beverages include nimbu pani (lemonade), lassi, chaach, badam doodh (almond milk with nuts and cardamom), sharbat and coconut water. In Southern India there is a beverage served cold known as Panner Soda or Gholi Soda which is a mixture of carbonated water, rose water, and sugar. Another beverage from the South is rose milk, which is served cold.

India also has many indigenous alcoholic beverages, including palm wine, fenny and Indian beer. There's also bhang, prepared using cannabis, and typically consumed, especially in North India, during Holi and Vaisakhi. However the practice of drinking a specific beverage with a meal, or wine and food matching, is not traditional or common in India. Although the above listed beverages are popular, people often prefer to consume drinking water with their food, because drinking water is considered to not overshadow the taste of the food. In fact it is customary to offer drinking water to guests before serving any hot or cold drinks. [edit] Etiquette

In southern India, a well-rinsed banana leaf is used as a plate for hygiene purposes and its visual impact Main article: Etiquette of Indian dining Several customs are associated with the manner of food consumption. Traditionally, meals are eaten while seated either on the floor or on very low stools or cushions. Food is most often eaten without cutlery, using instead the fingers of the right hand. However, these traditional ways of dining are being influenced by eating styles from other parts of the world. Traditional serving styles vary from region to region in India. A universal aspect of presentation is the thali, a large plate with samplings of different regional dishes accompanied by raita, breads such as naan, puri, or roti, and rice. In South India, a cleaned banana leaf is often used as a hygienic, visually interesting and environmentally friendly, alternative to plates. Amongst upper class north Indians, cutlery, which has been adopted since Roman influence in the 16th century is now in common use amongst the upper classes; the Roman's exports of Pepper lead to the introduction of cutlery in Asia. Amongst the upper class communities of Punjab, Delhi, Rajasthan, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana spoons and forks have been adopted. Whilst it is considered uncouth to not use cutlery when eating a meal accompanied by rice, it is actually considered obscene to use cutlery when eating with any form of roti (Indian bread). The bread is folded into a spoon-like formation and the curry is picked up with it, without letting the curry touch the hands.