Indian vegetables are cheap, varied and plentiful - and superbly cooked. Mughlai cuisine is rich, creamly, deliciously spi ced and liberally sprinkled with nuts and saffron. In the south, curries are mainly vegetable and inclined to be more hot. Coconut is a major ingredient of South Indian cooking. One regional distinction is that whereas in the south rice is the staple food, in the north this is supplemented and sometimes substituted by a wide range of flat breads, such as Pooris, Chappatis and Nan.
Sweets are principally milk based puddings, pastries and p ancakes.
Western confectionery is available in major centres. It is common to finish the meal by chewing Pan as a digestive. Pan is a betel leaf in which are wrapped spices such as aniseed and cardamon. Besides the main dishes, the re are also countless irresistable snacks available on every street corner, such as samosa, fritters, dosa and vada. For the more conservative visitor, western cooking can always be found.