🌶️ Myth #2: “All Indian Food Is Spicy”

🍽️  Indian cuisine is not just food. It’s an international conspiracy.

— Which city has the most Indian restaurants?

— London.

(≈ 1,800 venues — Evening Standard, 2024)

Indian cuisine is as vibrant and diverse as the country itself. Each state has its own: distinctive, unique, and unrepeatable. People eat geographically here: arrived in Tamil Nadu — eat dosa; in Punjab — butter, naan, and kebabs; in Rajasthan — dal baati; in the South — everything on a banana leaf, coconut, rice, and thoran.Where did the “fiery” reputation come from?Chili was brought to India by the Portuguese in the 16th century, and only after a couple of centuries did it settle in local cuisine.

🌟 In Kerala: When Food Becomes Music 🎼

We booked a cottage in the hills near Munnar, which turned out to be part of a private spice farm. A secluded area, reachable only by jeep: the owner picks you up at the roadside parking and drives 15 minutes through jungle trails — into a green, fragrant paradise.

We arrived by evening. The owner offered dinner — we agreed. He disappeared for a couple of hours and came back with three pots: one filled with vegetables cooked in a traditional Kerala recipe, one with meat stew for Sanjeev, and a mountain of warm, fluffy flatbreads.

That was when we had our culinary awakening. Because such a symphony of spices was simply beyond anything we expected. The dish wasn’t just delicious — it was ecstatic. Comparable perhaps to 20-year-old cognac and a fine Cuban cigar.

Onion, garlic, and chili were there — but in such delicate amounts they felt like a whisper in the background. The leading roles were played by green cardamom, fennel, freshly ground pepper, cinnamon, and grated nutmeg.

First — a spicy overture, then a mellow pause of turmeric, with a citrusy finale of coriander. We weren’t eating — we were listening: the dish played like a chamber orchestra. That’s when we understood why people in the Middle Ages paid silver for a pound of pepper, and why empires fought over spice routes. It’s dishes like these that show you: spiciness isn’t about heat — it’s about depth.

Since then, we’ve been telling everyone: Kerala food isn’t hot — it’s deeply spiced. And the fire in roadside cafes? Usually adapted for guests from other states, and a bit of budget logic (chili is cheaper than whole cardamom).

🔥 Why Does It Burn Sometimes? 🌶️

When we first arrived in Kerala and started eating in small village cafes, it felt like everyone here loved it hot. But it quickly became clear: this wasn’t a national trait, but an adaptation to the tastes of domestic tourists — primarily from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, where people really do like their food to bite back.

Also, real spices aren’t cheap: natural cardamom, star anise, or saffron cost more than chili, onion, or garlic. So many places go for the easy route: to “brighten things up,” they generously use the cheapest and spiciest. But authentic Kerala cuisine is all about the orchestra of flavor, not just heat.

🌍 Paragon — Starred Spices ✨

No time to travel to a spice farm? Head to [**Paragon**](https://paragonrestaurant.net) — a legendary restaurant that consistently appears on the [*Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants*](https://www.theworlds50best.com/asia/en/the-list/paragon.html) list and earns praise from Condé Nast Traveller. Order whatever you like — just know the portions here are serious. And definitely get the Kerala parotta.

That first spoonful will explain everything: spice doesn’t equal heat. The aroma unfolds, a gentle warmth builds toward the end — no burning mouth, no watery eyes.

By the way, the weekend queue at Paragon is a local attraction in itself: people book tables 2–3 days in advance. But it’s worth the wait — the spice mix here plays like a perfectly tuned orchestra.

🥞 What If They Still Add It?

If you’re sensitive to certain ingredients (chili, onion, garlic) — be clear! The formula “less spicy, medium spicy, no spicy” is universally understood and not considered rude. If you want things super mild — say “no spicy at all”, and repeat the golden trio: no onion, no garlic, no chili. These three can sneak into just about anything — even into a salad.

🌿 Spices in Jars — and in Your Head 🫙

After a year in Kerala, we have dozens of jars at home: saffron, black and green cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, fenugreek, turmeric, mustard seeds, Tellicherry pepper (in the Middle Ages, a pound of this cost as much as a pound of silver)… Now our pasta and roasted veggies speak a new language.

The smell of spices here begins at the farm, follows you to the market, and settles in your hair. This is the scent of India — its signature and its voice.

🫓 Flatbreads That Made History

India’s culinary variety isn’t just about spices, rice, or curry. Flatbreads here are a universe of their own: dough, heat, texture, flour type, layers, aroma — it all changes from region to region. You could build an entire foodie journey just on bread.

According to the [TasteAtlas “Top-100 Breads”](https://www.tasteatlas.com/100-best-rated-breads-in-the-world):

• 🥇 Butter Garlic Naan — #1 in the world;

• 🥈 Amritsari Kulcha — № 2;

• 🥉 Kerala Parotta — № 6;

• Plain Naan — № 8;

• Paratha, Roti, Bhatura — all in the top 100.

Each flatbread is a poem in heat and dough: you fry it, stretch it, tear it by hand, dip it into curry.

🍛 Food Tourism: Tasting as Travel

Food tourism in India isn’t a trend — it’s a way of life. No other country offers such a rich variety of local cuisines, cooking techniques, spice combinations, and taste philosophies.

You don’t just go “to Jaipur” — you go for Rajasthani kadhi. Not “to Chennai” — but for dosa with tomato or coconut chutney. Not just to Hyderabad — but for biryani you’ll never forget.

Street food, temple kitchens, mall food courts, colonial-style restaurants, new-wave gastrobars — all of them coexist here and smell amazing.

Travel across India. Taste it. This is not a metaphor — it’s a literal, edible route.

🍴 India — A Gastronomic Paradise 🇮🇳

India is one of the best countries in the world for food tourism: the diversity is off the charts. Hundreds of thousands of locals and foreigners travel just to eat.

*Street food lovers** line up for samosas (₹30), pani puri (₹30), dosa (₹40–60), or a full thali (from ₹120, in Kerala, 2025).

* Gourmets reserve white-tablecloth tasting menus.

* Blenders (like our Director of Fun Sanjeev) have breakfast at a temple, lunch with taxi drivers, and dinner at a place where the menu is only in Malayalam.

> Vegetarian vs Meat Eater: ~40% of Indians don’t eat meat. But on the coasts — fish is king. In Punjab — meat and biryani reign.

🏞️ Dilli Haat* — All of India in One Night

No time to travel across states? Visit [**Dilli Haat**](https://delhitourism.gov.in/dilli-haat) (INA Market, metro station INA). It’s an open-air bazaar-festival where each state has its own food stall. One day it’s Rajasthani dal baati, the next — Karnataka’s bisibele bath, and then Nagaland’s smoked bamboo curry. Plus handicrafts — from Kashmiri shawls to Kerala coconut candles. Entry: ₹30. Come in the evening — it’s the perfect sprint tasting tour of India.

🍮 Sweet Finale 🍯

Don’t leave without dessert: jalebi spirals, rasgulla balls, Kerala payasam — sweet proof that not everything here is about chili.

We don’t consider ourselves foodies. But sometimes it hits: “I want parotta, dosa, and Malabari-style potato.” And suddenly, you’re racing through monsoon clouds and into the Paragon queue. Where did it begin? With the smell of spice. Where does it end? A new flavor in your life.

So yes, Indian food can be spicy. But more often — it’s layered, aromatic, bright, and unforgettable. Don’t be afraid to experiment — and be honest about your preferences. Then food becomes part of your trip… or even your story.

And trust us — at some point, those flavors will whisper back to you. You’ll crave them again. And find yourself standing at the doors of your nearest Indian restaurant. Don’t resist — especially if you know one’s just around the corner. Or already blinking in your delivery app.