About Us
“There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.” ― Mahatma GandhiThe birth of classic cuisine in India can be attributed largely to necessity. As early civilizations sought ways to preserve their food, they discovered a large family of ingredients that would not only preserve food but would also promote good health. Blending these amazing spices became an art form over time. Achieving the perfect proportion of spices is absolutely vital to the creation of authentic, delicious Indian dishes.
The various states that form the Republic of India are almost like separate countries, in that most states have their own language, climate, architecture, clothing, and of course unique cuisine. Also, Indian cuisine, if it can be clubbed together as such, has been influenced by many countries and cultures – Persian, Greek, Afghan, Portuguese, British, etc., to name a few. However, the one unifying factor is the generous use of a variety of herbs and spices to create flavorful preparations that are almost addictive.
A typical Indian meal may consist of a meat, poultry or seafood dish, one or two vegetable dishes, a daal (lentils or legumes), bread and/or rice, plain yogurt or raita (yogurt based dip/dressing), perhaps a salad and a chutney or pickle. Bread is staple in the north while rice is more prevalent in the south.
OUR STORY
Rangoli was opened in 2000, by sisters Rashmi Rughani and Varsha Makhecha. Joined by Chef Gill, the dream of owning a restaurant became a reality. With help from their husbands and business partners, Jagdish and Amit, the restaurant grew to include Catering Services, On-site Banquet Facility, and Rangoli Express (which opened in 2006.)
Rangoli (run-goalee) are a traditional folk art of India used to decorate homes, places of worship and sometimes eating establishments as well. They are used as a way to welcome the Divine but, also guests, a philosophy that we strive to convey every visit to our customers. This theme carries over to the beautiful rangoli-inspired paintings on our walls and into the presentation of food and beverages, using different colors and arrangements.
The paintings in our restaurant are the work of noted Indian artist Dr. Dinesh Sharma, the former Head of Fine Arts department at the University of Meerut-Uttar Pradesh.
Three myths about Indian food prevail:
- It’s all curry
- Curry is a spice
- It’s all HOT
There is a whole lot more to Indian food than curry as will be obvious from our menu, or for that matter a menu at any other Indian restaurant. Calling curry a spice is like calling ‘stew’ a spice. Curry originates from the Tamil word ‘Kaari’ meaning gravy. It is a style of cooking that uses multiple spices in proportions that can vary according to a chef’s preference.
The first commercial curry powder was developed in Madras – a generic blend of most commonly used spices, mainly for export to the U. K. A concept very similar to ‘Italian Spice’. Most Indian cooks prefer to combine their own herbs and spices.
Much like any place else in the world, South India with its proximity to the equator has hotter food than in the north. The hot food helps people sweat more and thereby maintain body temperature. As you go farther north, food does tend to get milder. Spicy does not necessarily equate to hot. For example, the mild creamy ‘koorma’ from the north of India is replete with spices but generally has very little chili powder. Regardless of where they originate, almost all entrées can be made very mild, mild, medium, or hot by simply varying the quantity of chili powder or fresh chili peppers.
Some health benefits of Indian cuisine:
- Largely vegetarian food – low in cholesterol, high in fiber
- Oils used in cooking and frying are vegetable based with no cholesterol and very low saturated fat content
- A large variety of meat preparations and kababs are cooked in the Tandoor – a clay oven which inherently allows fat from the meats to drip straight down
- Minimal use if any, of unnatural ingredients such as MSG
- Most food made from scratch – very little ‘Process’ content