The Indian food boasts of an immense variety not restricted to only curry. An authentic Indian curry is an intricate combination of a stir-fried spice - a mixture of onion, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes; various spices and seasonings with which meat, vegetables or fish is prepared to produce a stew-type Indian food recipe.

Indian food is wide ranging in variety, taste and flavor. Being so diverse geographically, each region has its own cuisine and style of preparation. Indian food, renowned for its exotic gravies seems complicated for any newcomer. The Mughlai cuisine of North differs sharply from the preparations of the south. The Wazwan style of Kashmir is luxurious but the same can be said about Bengal 's Macher Jhol, Rajasthan's Dal Bati, Uttar Pradesh's Kebabs and Punjab 's Sarson Ka Saag and Makki di Roti. India food recipe is handed down from generation to generation.

The unique and strong flavors in Indian food are derived from spices, seasonings and nutritious ingredients such as leafy vegetables, grains, fruits, and legumes. Most of the spices used in Indian food recipe were originally chosen thousands of years ago for their medicinal qualities and not for flavor. In Indian cuisine, food is categorized into six tastes - sweet, sour, salty, spicy, bitter and astringent. A well-balanced Indian meal contains all six tastes. This principle explains the use of numerous spice combinations and depth of flavor in Indian food recipe.