Welcome to Dera Restaurant (www.DeraRestaurant.net) in Spring Valley NY.

We offer Rockland County’s widest selection of fine foods ranging from Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi, Arabic and South Indian Cuisines! Our food’s quality is top notch while our prices are extremely affordable. Please see our online menus and photos of actual dishes to see how authentic our menu is! Next time you’re near Spring Valley, stop on by and enjoy delicious dishes from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and South India. Don’t forget, we do catering also! We Serve Only Halal


Facts:
Indian cuisine is distinguished by its sophisticated use of spices and herbs and the influence of the longstanding and widespread practice of vegetarianism in Indian society.

Food is an integral part of India's culture, with cuisines differing according to community, region, and state. Indian cuisine is characterized by a great variety of foods, spices, and cooking techniques. Furthermore, each religion, region, and caste has left its own influence on Indian food.

Many recipes first emerged when India was predominantly inhabited by Vedic Hindus. Later, Christians, British, Buddhists, Portuguese, most importantly Muslims from Turkish, Arabs, Mughals, and Persians settlers and others had their influence. Vegetarianism came to prominence during the rule of Ashoka, one of the greatest of Indian rulers who was a promoter of Buddhism. In India, food, culture, religion, and regional festivals are all closely related. Indian meat and fish cuisine is mostly influenced by the Muslim population.

History
Around 7000 BCE, sesame, eggplant and humped cattle had been domesticated in the Indus Valley. By 3000 BCE, turmeric, cardamom, black pepper and mustard were harvested in India.
In Vedic times, a normal diet consisted of fruit, vegetables, grain, meat, fish, dairy products and honey.[citation needed] Over time, the priestly Brahmin caste embraced vegetarianism, which is facilitated by a cooperative climate where a variety of fruits and vegetables can easily be grown throughout the year.
According to the traditional Indian medical system Ayurveda, food is either satvic, rajasic or tamasic depending on its character and effect upon the body and the mind.

Over the centuries Indian cuisine has been influenced by traders such as the Arabs and Chinese, and invaders such as the Persians, Mongols, Turks, British and Portuguese. The tomato, chilli, and potato, which are staple components of today's Indian cuisine, are relatively recent additions. They came to India from America through Europe.

Islamic rule introduced rich gravies, pilafs and non-vegetarian fare such as kebabs, resulting in Mughlai cuisine (Mughal in origin), as well as such fruits as apricots, melons, peaches and plums. The Mughals were great patrons of cooking. Lavish dishes were prepared during the reigns of Jahangir and Shah Jahan. The Nizams of Hyderabad state meanwhile developed and perfected their own style of cooking with the most notable dish being the Biryani, often considered by many connoisseurs to be the finest of the main dishes in India. During this period the Portuguese introduced foods from the New World such as potatoes, tomatoes, squash and chilies.
In the last century, the Indian fast food industry has seen rapid growth.

Elements
A typical assortment of spices used in Indian cuisine. The staples of Indian cuisine are rice, atta (whole wheat flour), and at least five dozen varieties of pulses, the most important of which are chana (bengal gram), toor (pigeon pea or red gram), urad (black gram) and mung (green gram). Chana is used in different forms, may be whole or processed in a mill that removes the skin, eg dhuli moong or dhuli urad, and is sometimes mixed with rice and khichri (a food that is excellent for digestion and similar to the chick pea, but smaller and more flavorful). Pulses are used almost exclusively in the form of dal, except chana, which is often cooked whole for breakfast and is processed into flour (besan). Most Indian curries are fried in vegetable oil. In North India, groundnut oil is traditionally been most popular for frying, while in Eastern India, Mustard oil is more commonly used. In South India, coconut oil is common. In recent decades, sunflower oil and soybean oil have gained popularity all over India. Hydrogenated vegetable oil, known as Vanaspati ghee is also a popular cooking medium.

The most important spices in Indian cuisine are chilli pepper, black mustard seed (rai), cumin (jeera), turmeric, fenugreek, ginger, coriander and asafoetida (hing). Another very important spice is garam masala which is usually a powder of five or more dried spices, commonly comprised of cardamom, cinnamon and clove. Some leaves are commonly used like bay leaf, coriander leaf and mint leaf. The common use of curry leaves is typical of South Indian cuisine. In sweet dishes, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, saffron and rose petal essence are used. (Source Info)