Curries are created from the subtle and delicate blending of spices such as cumin, turmeric, cardamom, ginger, coriander, nutmeg and poppy seed although these vary from region to region. Vegetable dishes are more common than in Europe, particularly in southern India.
Things to know: Bottled water is recommended for visitors but make sure the bottles are properly sealed. Alcohol is mainly served at mid- and upper-range restaurants in the larger towns and cities; in budget eateries, it's usually only found at non-vegetarian restaurants which have a liquor license. Most upper-end
hotels have well-stocked licensed bars. Various states impose prohibition and in some big cities certain days are observed as dry days when the sale of liquor is not permitted. Tourists may check with the nearest local tourist office for the prohibition laws/rules prevailing in any given state.
National specialties:• Dhal (curried lentils).
• Kulfi (firm Indian-style ice cream).
• Gulab Jamuns (deep-fried dough balls in sweet syrup).
• Jalebi (circular-shaped deep-fried batter in sweet syrup).
• Paan (betel nut, with assorted condiments and spices, wrapped in a paan leaf).
National drinks: • Chai (tea) is India's favorite drink. It will often come ready-brewed with milk and sugar unless ‘tray tea' or ‘separate tea' is specified.
• Coffee has long been popular in the south, but nowadays most large cities and towns have cafes serving cappuccinos, lattes, espressos and more.
• Nimbu Pani (lemon water).
• Lassi (iced yogurt/buttermilk beverage).
• Indian beer (in many varieties, with
Kingfisher the most popular brand).
Legal Drinking Age: 18-25 (state variations).
Tipping: 10 to 15% is usual in restaurants that impose no service fee; optional where service fee is added to bill.
NightlifeApart from some of the major cities, such as Mumbai (Bombay), Delhi and Bengaluru (Bangalore), India has generally little nightlife as the term is understood in the West. In those cities with a flourishing nightlife, expect to find swanky bars, nightclubs and a vibrant performing arts scene. In most larger towns and tourist centers there are
cultural shows featuring regionally-diverse
performances of Indian
dance and
music.
The Indian
film industry is the largest in the world, now producing around three times as many full-length feature films as the USA. Mumbai is India's answer to Hollywood, churning out scores of blockbusters each year, while a number of southern cities such as Chennai (Madras) and Bengaluru are also notable film-producing centers. Almost every town will have a
cinema, and large towns will have many, some of which will show films in English. Music and dancing are an integral part of Indian cinema, combining with many other influences to produce a rich variety of unique film art. Larger cities may have
theaters staging productions of plays in various vernaculars, including English.
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