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Meat
Unlike Western cuisine, meat in India is usually not the basis of a meal, but it is eaten in smaller portions with some meals. Goat, lamb, and mutton are the most commonly eaten meats in India.
The majority of India's over one billion people practice Hinduism, and many, but not all, Hindus are vegetarians. As you probably know, Hinduism forbids the consumption of beef, and Islam, in turn, forbids the eating of pork. The Christian minority in India is not subject to any religious dietary restrictions, and this is especially noticeable in Goa, where local Christians eat both beef and pork.
The food in Goa was heavily influenced by Portuguese traders, who were the first to bring New World ingredients such as chilies, potatoes, and tomatoes to India. The cuisine features vinegar, hot chilies, and coconut.
North Indian cuisine, on the other hand, is strongly influenced by Arabic and Persian cooking traditions and is referred to as Moghlai cuisine. It uses rich dairy products such as butter, cream, and yogurt, as well as saffron and nuts. Cooking kebabs in tandoors (clay ovens) is also a North Indian cooking method.
As mentioned, meat is not the central ingredient in Indian dishes. Indian meat dishes, whether with bone or diced, are often braised in sauce or spiced broth, fried, or prepared as meatballs and kebabs. Indian cooks have perfected the art of tenderizing meat with marinades and slow braising. To tenderize and season meat, a marinade of yogurt and spices is usually used.
In India, mainly goat meat is used, which is sold here as mutton. Since lamb is more readily available in Germany, I have replaced the goat meat recipes with lamb. The meat is traditionally cooked on the bone because the bone marrow contributes to the texture and flavor of the sauce, but you can also prepare the meat recipes without bones.
I use inexpensive cuts of meat such as shoulder, neck, or leg for braised dishes, as they can handle plenty of spices and are suitable for slow braising. Shoulder is the perfect cut for quick kebabs, the meat is so juicy that it tastes excellent after just a few minutes on the grill or in the pan.
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