India has dietary restrictions on the intake of certain types of animal flesh. Buddhists and Jains are vegetarians, and Jains are mostly vegans who do not even touch root vegetables. Hindus and Sikhs do not eat beef, and Muslims do not eat pork.
The most common type of meat taken by non-vegetarian Indians is lamb, goat, or chicken meat, often served at restaurants in the form of Gosht, Korma, Tikka or Masala curry. Beef is not eaten because it contains cows’ meat, and cows are considered highly sacred.
Known for rich and complex flavours, Indian food presents the goodness of spices, herbs and flavoursome palates for a unique dining experience. Food is incredibly diverse and connected to traditions, tied to memories of sharing foods during festivals, get-togethers and social occasions.
Indian meat eaters practice certain restrictions; for instance, Islamic teaching has restrictions for halal eating, and certain products and pork are forbidden.
Some local practices allow meat eating when it is slaughtered by the method of jhatka, where the animal is killed with a single blow to the back of the neck. Some Hindu scriptures state animals killed through jhatka are permissible.
In India, 40 per cent say they are vegetarian, and many limit their meat consumption to two to three times a week. Jains would only eat food in places where standard no-meat rules are followed.
Many regional Indian meat recipes of goat meat, fish, birds, and seafood can be found, and certain religious rituals permit eating these animal meats, while some forbid eggs and beef. Cows cannot be used as food animals because they provide milk, nurture humans, and are considered divine.
Much historical evidence indicates Indians were eating pork, and it has also been mentioned in certain ancient texts. The 12th-century text Manasollasa also mentioned the instructions to prepare pig carcasses and make them into sunthakas – roasted pork steaks.
Eating became a taboo mostly after the Mughal invasions. In general, those who practice religious rituals in a certain way are prohibited from eating certain types of animal meat.
Most meat eaters in India eat fish, bovine, goat, mutton, pig and poultry. Meat consumptions vary from one religion to another. Pork is forbidden to Muslims, and beef is forbidden to Hindus. The preference and consumption of chicken has grown in the past few years, but earlier, fish and goat meat were most popular in most regions.
Red meat consumption is very low, mostly for cultural reasons, and pork is not a common ingredient in Indian cuisine. Still, it is widely consumed in the states of Goa, Karnataka and Kerala, as well as in bordering China and Myanmar.
In Coorg, the hilly region of Karnataka state that is home to the Kodava, a pork dish called panda curry is prepared, which contains green masala paste, bird's eye chilli, ground spices, dark viscous vinegar made from garcinia gummi–gutta fruit that is known for piquant taste and the trademark dark colour.
Historically, different rules are followed by different sections of society. There are fifteen names of pork mentioned in old Tamil texts, and there are also references to wild boar, rabbits, and deer that were hunted using hunting dogs for eating.
There is also mention of exotic meats such as porcupines (kuruvars) and fried snails (Mallars), and there is no taboo attached to eating domestic fowl in the southern parts of India. At the same time, fish and prawns were part of everyday foods in the coastal regions.
The scripture Sushrut Samhita mentions about eight types of meats. The Manasollas that belong to the 13th-century king Someshwaara give the pride of a place to the chapter on food entitled Annabhoga, which refers to the nuggets of liver roasted or sauteed and then served with yoghurt and decoction of black mustard.
There are other Indian meat recipes where roasted whole pigs are cooked with rock salt and pepper with a dash of lemon and then served carved in strips resembling palm leaves.
Pork is also consumed in the coastal state of Goa, where you can get sorpotel, pork curries, chorizo-like sausages and curries prepared with vinegar and tamarind. Vindaloo is a popular goan curry made from pork, spices and vinegar, which finds its place on every Goan Catholic table.
Indians eat many different types of meat and chicken dishes. Many living in vegetarian communities are strictly against meat as it is connected to violence against animals; their meals contain grains, rice, vegetable stews and spices.
But most restaurants and dhabas in India serve various meat dishes, and the popular biriyanis are prepared by pressure cooking half-prepared meat or eggs or chicken and vegetables with half-steamed rice in clay ovens.
Tandoori chicken is a popular North Indian recipe prepared from grilled chicken, curd and Indian spices. It has a distinct aromatic flavour and can deliver a smoky, tangy taste.
One of the most palatable foods on an Indian restaurant menu is tandoori chicken, where juicy chicken pieces marinated in yoghurt and a blend of regional spices are roasted in a clay oven or tandoor. The creamy, spicy, smoky flavours and tender texture are just out of the world.
Butter Chicken is a creamy and indulgent curry made from tender pieces of chicken simmered in rich tomato butter sauce.
Rogan Josh is a prevalent meat dish prepared into a striking crimson version with many Kashmiri dry red chillies and an array of spices, bringing in a perfect amalgamation of Persian and Indian culinary traditions.
Indians have a lot of vegetarian recipes, and almost 25 per cent of the Indians are vegetarians who do not eat meat, chicken, eggs or fish. Many restaurants offer vegan and vegetarian foods, and many young food lovers search for menu options to reduce meat consumption. Still, the most popular Indian recipes are tikka, korma and butter chicken, which are non-vegetarian.
Tikka is an Indian dish that contains meats, vegetables, or paneer. Small chunks of meat or paneer are mixed in a spice blend and then cooked in the oven. The small pieces of meat are marinated in yoghurt and spices such as cumin, chilli, ginger, garlic, cayenne pepper, turmeric and coriander.
Korma is prepared from creamy meat stew with yoghurt, spices, ginger, cumin seeds, coriander powder, cillies and turmeric powder. It is less spicy and contains only the flavours of the herbs such as black pepper, cinnamon and cardamom.
The typical north Indian korma is prepared from boiled cashew, almond paste and yoghurt, and the south Indian korma is prepared from coconut milk, coconut paste, cayenne papers, almonds and fennel seeds. Korma can be made into a typical Mughlai style with low creaminess or a shahi version with excess cream.
Biriyani and tandoori dishes are the most ordered meat recipes. Rice and meat (goat, chicken or mutton) or vegetables are prepared separately and then combined and slow-cooked in the oven with spices such as cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg, which create an aromatic dry dish.
The mildly spiced Butter Chicken is one of the most pleasing Indian meat recipes for dinner prepared with tender chicken, traditionally cooked in a tandoor where the gravy is prepared from fresh tomatoes, garlic and cardamom into a bright red pulp to which butter, spices and khoa are added, is a popular dish of Delhi.
In contrast, Tandoori chicken, also called Tandoori Murg, is prepped with marinade prepared from yoghurt with chicken meat seasoned with nutmeg, cumin, and tandoori masala. The marinated meats are grilled over skewers. It gives the meat pieces a unique texture and smokey, creamy, spicy, tangy flavour.
Korma is another popular meat variety where braised meat, chicken or beef and vegetables are slow-cooked in thick, mild curry sauce with cream, coconut milk, yoghurt and almonds. The curry is spiced with coriander, cardamom, ginger, and black peppercorn.
Madras chicken, prepared in the South Indian style, is a flavourful spicy curry that is less creamy than butter chicken and tikka masala.
Vindaloo is a famous Indian Goan curry prepared from meat marinated in wine vinegar and garlic. The Vindaloo traditional Indian meat recipes were made from pork, and depending on preferences, pork can be substituted with mutton, chicken, beef, vegetables and prawns. Indian herbs such as cinnamon, tamarind, cardamom and hot chillies can be used to get unique flavours.
Chicken 65 is a variety of deep-fried chicken pieces marinated in lemon juice, ginger and red chillies.
Nihari is a popular Indian meat recipe prepared from slow-cooked meat, including beef, lamb, mutton, goat or chicken meat and its bone marrow seasoned with spices, cardamom, cumin, cloves, and slow-cooked with long pepper. A typical Nihari takes 6 to 8 hours to cook.
Hindus avoid beef, and Muslims in India avoid pork. Buddha did not forbid meat eating, but Jainism is strictly against meat and non-vegetarian foods. No strict rule can differentiate between right and wrong, so the scriptures mention that the only thing forbidden is bad-mouthing.
Religious people are not bound to observe restrictions, fasting, and feasting; instead, they must restrict their thoughts, and desires must not drive their intentions.
In South India, there are no inhibitions against meat or fish. The recipe dating back to 300CE states pepper was used as a main spice for flavouring meat. Fried and boiled meat was cooked with tamarind and pepper (pulingari).
Keema is an Indian stew made with minced goat or lamb meat. Some regional communities prepare keema from cow meat by mixing the meat pieces with chilli, garlic, green peas, clarified butter and local spices.
Meat is the edible part of the flesh of dead animals -usually domesticated cattle, swine, and sheep that is used for food.
Yes, people from India eat meat. Historical evidence of the Indus Valley civilisation shows people indulged in Indian meat recipes made from meat and poultry such as zebu cattle, Indian bison, sheep, goat, turtle, reptiles, fish, and even the Vedic scripture mentions about 250 animals of whom 50 are considered fit for religious sacrifice for eating.
Meat is not banned in Indian scriptures. Historical evidence shows vendors sold cattle, sheep, swine, deer, and fowl meats. Rigveda explains that horses, rams, buffaloes and goats were sacrificial animals.
Depending on the type of deity, rituals are conducted to sacrifice animals, and for certain occasions, specifically, oxs and goats are sacrificed.
The Taittireeya Upanishad mentions the sacrifice of hundreds of bulls by the sage Agasthya. Various Indian meat recipes are mentioned in the scriptures, including the recipe where fruit juices are added to mutton and peacock meat cooked with cloves, caraway seeds and lentils.
The Mahabharata mentions the rice cooked with minced meat and buffalo meat cooked in rock salt, clarified butter, fruit juices, black pepper, caraway seeds and asafetida, garnished with radishes, lemons and pomegranate seeds.
Beef is banned in the majority of Indian states because cows are considered sacred. There are hygiene issues with slaughterhouses, which can cause meat-borne illnesses, so it is prohibited. Further, illegal slaughterhouses have been operating in various parts of India, and organisations like PETA advocated for the humane treatment of the animals, so the local government created a committee to oversee the matter.
Chicken tikka and chicken curries are the most popular delicacies where spices are added to grilled chicken, and the combination of flavours gets a unique aromatic blend of mouth-watering delicacies where delicate pieces of chicken are cooked in pureed tomatoes and milk cream over a pan. Most such soupy curries combine tomatoes, chillies, onion, garlic and flavours.
Rogan Josh is another popular Kashmir meat dish comprising braised sheep meat cooked with sauces. Indian cooks make the sauce from grilled tomatoes, onions, yoghurt, garlic, ginger, sweet aromatic ingredients and a paste of dry Kashmir chillies. Most of Rogan Josh's zestiness comes from the recipe's delectable fragrance.
The most popular Indian meat recipes are Pasanda, made from marinated lamb and vegetables. Other meat versions, such as chicken, beef or goat meat, can be used instead of lamb and cooked with tomatoes, onions, ginger, turmeric and coriander.
Galouti kebab, one of the famous Indian meat recipes for dinner, is made from mutton meat or lamb marinated in garlic, poppy seeds, peppercorns, ground ginger, star anise, nutmeg and other herbs. Another variety of kebabs served by Indian restaurants is Tangdi kebab or Kalmi kebab, a creamier version prepared with cashew, cream, yoghurt, ginger, garlic and herbs.
The non-spicy Indian meat recipes from Kashmir called Rista are made from meatballs, muttons and herbs.