This is why Indian food is so delicious, according to science

Ever wonder just what it is that makes Indian food so darn tasty? A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur have, and their curiosity inspired them to scientifically analyze more than 2,000 different recipes to shed some light on the subject.

Study authors Anupam Jaina, Rakhi N K, and Ganesh Bagler investigated the frequency with which overlapping compounds factored into a dish's ingredients, Time.com reported in a story published Wednesday. The trio of researchers used recipes posted on the website TarlaDalal.com and looked at the "subtle molecular-level differences that distinguish the cuisine."

A plethora of flavors

They found that the average flavor sharing in Indian cuisine was "significantly" lower than they had expected. Unlike in Western cooking, where ingredients are usually paired together for their similar flavors, the average Indian dish includes a minimum of seven different ingredients, most of which do not contain overlapping flavors, according to the study authors.

While cayenne, green bell pepper, coriander, and garam masala tend to be paired with ingredients with no chemical overlap, each one brings a unique component that winds up being incorporated into the finished meal, the website added. The result is a menu filled with flavorful dishes for a cuisine that uses more than half of the estimated 381 known cooking ingredients on Earth.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/03/this-is-why-indian-food-is-so-delicious-according-to-science/