Flavours of India with Postcard

India a country where culture and tradition meets with each other. It is a land where you can see the diversity in languages, traditions, food culture with every step you take. 

This country gives you so much to see and taste just like a platter of food with unlimited cuisines in a single serving. You have to travel state by state to try out the delicacies it has to offer  and be truly amazed with the unique flavors each state can give your taste buds. 

What if there is an option without the need to travel and yet get the delicacies right at at your home? time to try out the products from Postcard(https://thepostcard.in/). I tried, and I felt every product is truly authentic, here is some of my thoughts in detail. 

******Welcome to Rajasthani flavors with Postcard******

Rajasthan's culture dates back to the years of kings where it has been ruled by various kings including the Rajput, Marathas and even the Muslim rulers which has resulted in cultural  diversity in Rajasthan. 

Rajasthani food is known for its various spices and also its sweetness. Rajasthan is famous for dal baati and kachori. Most of the Rajasthani dishes are made in ghee, more than 70% of people in Rajasthan are lactovegetarian making it one of the most vegetarian states in India.  

Famous Rajasthani spices include black pepper, cumin and mango powder.  

Jaipuri Chana Jor - Quite thick, roasted really well to the core which made it very crunchy, and with the right amount of dry mango made it really tasty. 

Jaipuri Watermelon Seeds - Perfectly roasted seeds, blended  with black pepper, longi mirch, amla and amchoor powder, this is a snack just for any time. 

Jaipuri Dal Mel - mixture of lentils like chana, green peas, moong daal, peanuts and a combination of spices like black pepper, cumin, chilies, mango powder and pudina powder, this is by far the most crunchiest snack ever. 

Jodhpuri Masala Papad Churi - Made up of Urad dal and  blend of spices like salt, black pepper, cumin and chilies. Bit on the spicier side, but a neat replacement of your favorite masala papad.

******Welcome Maharashtra and Gujarat with Postcard******

The third largest state of India, Maharashtra occupies a significant portion of the deccan plateau and sits along the Konkan coast looking out into the Arabian sea. The Maharashtra culture is one of the most diverse and brilliant all throughout India. The diversity of Maharashtrian cuisine reflects the multitude of cultures that teem the entire state. Among the wide variety of dishes that appeals to the milder as well as the spicier taste buds. The most well known are wada pao, bhel puri, sabud dana khichdi, puran poli, ragda pattice and misal pao.

The foreign influences of the Mughals and the Arabs are also present in gastronomical heritage of the state. Deserts and sweets that are traditionally popular include Srikhand, Basundi amras and modak while Kairi cha pnha and soi kadhi are some of the most refreshing drinks. 

The diverse and vibrant state of Gujarat has a significant contribution to the cultural aspect of India. the sheer simplicity and amiability of Gujaratis have made them a flourishing community. Gujarati cuisine is quite similar to that of Maharashtra and most of Gujarati's are vegetarians. Some of the famous Gujarti delicacies include dhokla, fafda, khandvi, dhal dhokli, undhiyu, handvo, ganthiya, dal vada, khakhra and thephla. In Guajarati dishes the flavors are a blend of sweet spice and sour taste. 

The Gujarati's are noted for their sweet tongue and hence every meal is followed by a sweet dish or sometimes even a jaggery. 

Kolhapuri Bhadang - Puffed rice, peanuts, garlic, traditional to Kolhapur with its spiciness in the form of red chili and turmeric powder would always remind you of the coasts of Maharashtra. 

Maharashtrian Shankarpale - the moment you open it, you'll find the aroma of pure desi ghee which perfects cooks chunky bites made of wheat flour. Sugar which is blended well in the flour instead of the coat, is felt in every bite of the crunchiest snack you'll ever have. 

Jamnagri Chiwda - Taste the perfect Guajarati sweetness with flat rice flakes combination of nuts like raisins, cashews and black grapes. Blend of curry leaves and dry mango powder makes it such a delicacy which you'll never find outside of Gujarat. 

Jamnagri Kachori - I am sure most of us like Kachori, but then a good taste and a good oil used is very hard to find by. Well that search is over with the kachori, though dry and with a sweet taste which is common in a place like Gujarat, this one would surely treat your taste buds. 

******South India - Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka with Postcard******

When we hear someone says Kerala, so many beautiful sights cross our minds. Famed as gods own country, Kerala is indeed an ideal location spot and has also been called as one of the paradises of the world. Well known for its scenic location, Kerala architecture which is used to design its majestic temples and festivals like Onam, its varieties of food and also its vast and rich Malayalam literature. 

The food of Kerala consists of a wide variety of vegetarian and non vegetarian food. Coconut is grown in abundance in Kerala hence they use Coconut oil and milk in thickening flavors. Kerala food consists of many rice preparations. Chilies, curries, mustard seeds, turmeric power, asafetida are all frequently used. 

Bengaluru is known as the garden city of India for its greenery and presence of many parks in the entire city. Bengaluru has a wide and varied list of restaurants, types and cuisines amongst that Udupi restaurants are very popular and serve predominantly vegetarian regional cuisine. 

The diversity of cuisine available is reflective of social and economic diversity of Bengaluru. Road side vendors, tea stalls, South Indian, North Indian, Arabic food, Chinese and western fast foods are very popular in the city. Bengaluru can also be called as a foodies paradise because of its wide variety of foods and edibles with a touch of Bengaluru's Uniqueness and traditions. 

Mysuru is known as the cultural capital of Karnataka. Culture of Mysuru is a fine combination of the historical heritage and the contemporary achievements of the city. Mysuru has lend its name to popular dishes like Mysore Masala Dosa and Mysore Pak. Mysuru cuisine includes a delicious palate of food items all of which have rice as the main ingredient. this resembles to a large extent the Udipi cuisine. 

Tamil Nadu is the southern most state of India, which is supremely rich in culture and heritage. Known to be one of the oldest civilization in the world , people of Tamil Nadu belong to the prestigious Dravidian family. 

Rice is the staple food here, Sambhar and coconut chutney is served with almost everything here. Tamil nadu has always been a hub for food connoisseurs to take a great pleasure of some of the finest traditional cuisine on the country. 

Kerala Peanut mixture - welcome the favor of coconut in every share of mixture you would eat, curry leaves add that authentic south Indian aroma in a combination of rice flake and peanut mixture. 

Bengaluru Hurigalu - All the lentils you can think of and this one contains a mix of all in a crunchy avatar, with chili powder, black salt and Garam masala adding its own tangy ness to the lentils. 

Bengaluru Kodubale - crunchy rings made up of rice and gram flour, with garam masala and chili flakes adding its own spiciness. this is one of those tea time favorites for sure. 

Mysuru Murukku - Very classic south Indian bites made up of gram and rice flour, cooked in palm oil and a mix of salt and spices makes this a perfect tea time snack with the flavors of south India. 

Sattur Sewal - Crunchy flakes made up of rice flour, with a little mix of gram dal. There is a slight hint of butter, of course there is a decent amount of garlic and ground nut oil which gives a distinctive aroma and flavor. 

***Make way for Madhya Pradesh, Varanasi, Kolkata and Odisha with Postcard***

Madhya Pradesh is the heart of India, this state has sub tropical climate much like North India. Madhya Pradesh has culturally defined cuisine which varies from region to region. 

Wheat, jowar and maize form the most staple food of the people of state, vegetable and protein rich lentils are a must in their daily meal. The people of Madhya Pradesh have a sweet tooth which is very clearly reflected in their food habits. 

Varanasi is the oldest city of India known as the city of Gods situated near the banks of Ganges. Varanasi is famous of its great culture and popular destinations for travelers and tourists. Street food is an essential part of Indian culture and cuisine and Varanasi is popular for its street food. It is the most popular city for quality and tasty food items. 

Kolkata is surely the friendliest of all India's large cities, and although quite understated, you will leave with a real sense of West Bengal and its people. Kolkata is the city of joy of India but calling it a city of food is not wrong either. It is a place where people can hold a non stop discussion about food. Even two strangers can become friends only with one common passion as food. People say that food resides  in the hearts of Kolkatians. 

Odhisa, the battle ground for the famous Kalinga war for Ashoka the great lies on the country's east coast when the sun rises here, it rises over a land of temples thriving on top of a solid foundation laid by heritage  as opposed to the hustle and bustle of Metropolitan concrete jungles, Odisha comes as a sigh of relief to the one seeking the peace of mind. 

Odhia's love rice, it is the staple around here. compared to the cuisine of other state, Odia cuisine uses less oil and spice but packs in a bountiful dash of flavors. A typical Odia meal consists of rice, dalma, a vegetable dish or two, something fried and a fish curry. 

Burhanpuri Gathiya - spices to the core and easily the most spicy mix we ordered from Postcard. very authentic to areas of Madhya Pradesh especially with the oils used such Palm oil, groundnut and Soya bean oil. Black pepper, mint and coriander gives it the local flavors you would need. 

Banarsi Red Chili Pickle - 200% of Indians like pickle with at least one of their daily meals. Red chili is amongst the favorite of many, you will instantly feel the smell of mustard powder as you open up the pack. very neatly packaged and a truly truly well blend of spices makes up for a very typical north Indian flavor. 

Kolkata Chanacur - This tangy chai time favorite is a combination of variety of spices like cinnamon powder, Chat masala, ginger powder, Jaljeera masala and Mirchi. Even with such an assorted combination , you will get a taste of each and every spice, which makes it an extremely favorite item in my list. 

Cuttak Barohmaja - The spicy odia mixture, authentic to the core when it comes to the palm oil used, combination of peanuts, peas, pulses and a mix of refined flour for the crunchiness. this one would surely take you to the remotest parts of Odhisa.