to the west and the south there are both vegetarian and non-vegetarian styles - here the seafood plays a large role and there are famous european influences, with rice being an important ingredient - southern indian cuisine can be very spicy.

in the east rice is even more dominant, and seeds, coconut, milk derivates, pork and seafood are the most prevalent.

although their use varies with the region, spices and sauces are normally omnipresent, especially noteworthy with the curry recipes, which exist in almost all indian gastronomic traditions - in fact, curry is synonymous with indian food and curry powder is thought of as its key ingredient.

this fundamental powder is actually a mix of spices collectively known as garam masalaand is added to dishes, along with other spices, to enhance their flavor and aroma - curry varieties are a perfect way to highlight regional gastronomies, such as in northern india they include red peppers, saffron, milk, yoghurt, cottage cheese and ghee (clarified butter) while in the south they include tamarind, coconut and coconut oil for cooking.