Indian food and take-away in Copenhagen

Indian food - the Bindia way

Capturing the essence of Indian cuisine is a challenge, given the vast array of Indian kitchens and culinary traditions spread across the regions.

In the immense and colorful country of India, there exists as many kitchens and culinary traditions as regions. This is not only due to the sheer size of the subcontinent, but also due to India’s great diversity of climates, agriculture, local traditions, as well as various cooking methods and ingredients. India's culinary landscape is a rich tapestry.

Spicy or mild?

In Southern India, for instance, you’ll often find very spicy curries - like the tomato-based Madras curry with its characteristic taste of aniseseed and ginger - whereas you’re more likely to come across much milder curries in the Northern regions near the Himalayas – like the well-known and popular Korma.

In the mountainous regions to the North, it’s moreover customary to use a mix of nuts, seeds, and spices as a central part of cooking the curry. Not only does this add a creamy sweetness, but the nuts also provide essential calories in the colder climate.

As with Indian food in general, you’ll find a variety of nut mixes whether you’re in Kashmir, Punjab or any of the other 10 Indian states the Himalayas stretch through.

Yet, however local or specific it gets, there’s one word that seems nearly universal in relation to Indian food: The Curry

You can hardly say “Indian food” or “Indian cusine” without also saying “curry”. Curry, a ubiquitous term in Indian cuisine, represents a myriad of dishes. It's inseparable from discussions about Indian food and India’s culinary history and recipes, a universal element that transcends regional boundaries.

One might wonder why the seeming insistence on the usage of “curry” and what exactly a curry is. Whereas the Danish word “karry” typically only represents the characteristic spice mix you’ll find at the supermarket, the English “curry” usually denotes a myriad of different Indian dishes.

Kari?

What we today would classify as a curry originated about 4,600 years ago in India and has since spread out across the globe and become a stable in many kitchens, especially in South Asia. Nevertheless, “curry” isn’t exactly an Indian word as it isn’t found in any of the 21 languages spoken in the country.

While there do exist quite a few words that sound like “curry” - which all refer to various kinds of stews, sauces, or spice blends - the more well-known word “curry” is a part of the colonial heritage from the Portuguese and British empires.

Before the Portuguese, as the first Europeans, sailed to India in the early 16th century, it was probably unlikely that any Indian would call their local dish a “curry”. Today, as then, these dishes are typically named after their ingredients and cooking methods.

At some point in history, a Portuguese merchant has likely mistaken the Tamil word ”kari” (meaning sauce) for whatever dishes he was being served. It is a testament to the cultural amalgamation that occurred Indian cuisine during the years.

Later the British adopted the word and started applying it indiscriminately to all Indian dishes. By the early 19th century, the word was firmly established as curious guests began visiting the new “Curry Houses” of England, Indian restaurants where the exotic Indian dishes were the main attraction.

Spicy lure

Before the curry houses became widespread, the homebound Brits could have their own taste of India through the imported (and quite British) curry powders. Though obviously a commercial venture, these powders were an attempt to share their newfound fondness of the Indian curries. Just like in the very first curries millennia earlier, turmeric became one of the main ingredients in the curry powder, and ultimately gave the powders their characteristic curry colored look.

The powder was an attempt to standardize what was otherwise unique spice blends, shaped by local traditions and the chef’s schooling. In the Indian tradition, such spice blends are called Masala and are more often something you do at home, rather than buy premade.

Though the creation of the curry powder was partly motivated by a genuine fondness of Indian cuisine, the ‘powder method’, as applied outside India, often overlooked an essential aspect of Indian cooking; by applying the powder as if it was simply salt or pepper, many never extracting the rich and vibrant taste you get from crushing and roasting the spices first - experience one would have gained by a trip to the country then known as the “the Jewel in the Crown” of the British Empire.

Truly, the exciting Indian spices played a huge part in luring the great powers of Europe eastward and spreading the curries around the globe. Nevertheless, the diverse Indian curries aren’t only a popular export, they’re equally molded by indispensable imports.

Culinary imports

Despite the curry having emerged 4,000 years before the Portuguese established a trade central in Goa on the Indian West Coast, the merchants of Portugal had a significant influence on the continual development of the Indian curries. Thus, several key ingredients, often recognized as essentials of the Indian kitchen, are, in fact, rather late additions.

When the Portuguese as the first Europeans went around the Cape of Good Hope and arrived on the Indian West Coast, they had already crossed the Atlantic and therefore carried with them unique ingredients like chilis, tomatoes, and potatoes. Ingridients which all eventually became part and parcel of Indian cuisine.

The Bindia way

Our own kitchen at Bindia is greatly shaped by the North Indian food traditions from the region of Punjab, where Bindia’s founder and head chef grew up. The Punjab cuisine is typically based on lamb and chicken curries (like the Lamb Korma or the extremely popular Butter Chicken) with bread on the side.

The Punjab food culture is highly influenced by the centuries of coexistence between Hindus and Muslims in the region. In fact, some of the most characteristic elements of this North-Indian culinary culture happened when the region was invaded the Muslim Mughal Empire during the 15th century. Foreign ingredients and food habits became enmeshed with the local ones and created central elements of the North Indian kitchen like the Indian kebab or the aromatic preparation of basmati rice.

Whether it’s about cooking rice in our own bouillon, create our own unique nut mix, mold a tasty kebab, or prepare a tender butter chicken, lamb korma, or any other authentic curry, these are all traditions that we proudly honor all the while doing it the Bindia way.

While we may not be a traditional Indian restaurant, many Bindia locations offer the opportunity to sit and enjoy your meal, allowing you to savor the authentic taste experiences from India, either as take-away or dine-in.

Additionally, you can also order our Indian dishes for catering, either in individual portions or as a grand Indian buffet. Alternatively, you can simply opt for delivery directly through bindia.dk.

On busy days when you crave good and authentic Indian take-away, Bindia offers the best Indian food in Copenhagen at six locations: Amagerbrogade, Frederiksberg, Lyngby, Nørrebro, Søborg and Østerbro and delivery within each area.

We strive to deliver the greatest Indian food in Copenhagen, and our dedication to quality and taste is reflected in every bite. Our experienced chefs blend traditional techniques with modern innovations to create an unforgettable dining experience while minimizing food waste.

Explore our philosophy and values here or treat yourself to Copenhagen's finest Indian Take-Away and delivery experience here.

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Indian food - the Bindia way

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Spicy lure

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Indian food - the Bindia way

Spicy or mild?

Kari?

Spicy lure

Culinary imports

The Bindia way

The basic pillars of Bindia’s philosophy

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Our customers say

Business Hours

Social

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