Cultural immersion can be fun, isn't it? While I was Googling for turmeric in the Philippines - it turns out that the Bicol region actually is a pioneer in growing turmeric. Turmeric has been used in a variety of dishes such as Middle Eastern and South Asian dishes. Bicol also grows a lot of chilies which they use in their Magayon Festival. This would be an opportunity for Indian restaurant owners (who specialize in Hyderabadi-style foods) to open up in the Bicol region. At the same time, this would be an income opportunity for the Bicol region and in extension, the national government.
What's in common with Bicolanos and Hyderabadis? Bicolanos love spicy food and their food is said to be spicier than the rest of Filipino cuisine. Both Bicolanos and Hyderabadis use coconut milk in some of their dishes. Some Indian curry would use coconut milk as a flavoring over ghee (which is clarified butter). I've heard of fish curry cooked with coconut milk in India - think of it a spicier version of Bicol express. When order food in a Hyderabadi-style restaurant - it's better to order it mild (which is still spicy) than spicy (because it actually means extra spicy) unless you've got the aggressiveness of Hyderabadis and Bicolanos. For a start, it provides an extra cuisine that Bicolanos would love and give income to those running a Hyderabadi-style restaurant.
The opening of the restaurants is not just about Bicolanos having something to spend on. I did mention that the Bicol region is a hub for growing turmeric and chili. Consider that coconut milk is also widely used in Bicol. They can be seen as an OPPORTUNITY for Bicolanos involved in the spice trade to sell to these Hyderabadi-style Indian restaurants. Indian restaurants (in general) rely heavily on turmeric and chili. The Hyderabadi-style restaurants would want to get the coconut milk fresh from Bicol. One wise move foreign investors do is when they decide to purchase locally-supplied raw materials and get local services to help them out. That in turn will provide growth opportunities for local businesses. Indian investors will be buying raw materials from Bicolano agriculturists. In turn, it would be extra income for Bicolano agriculturists which they can use to expand their business and earn more income. More income earned by businessmen means more taxes for both at a regional and national level.
Certain arrangements can be done. For one, there are Filipino-Indians who are of South Indian descent who may be running restaurants. Some of them may also be of Hyderabadi descent. Another way is for an Indian restaurant owner from another country to get a Bicolano partner or let a Bicolano franchise the business. Some international companies expand via franchising agreements in countries where they do business in. Either way, it's a business opportunity that shouldn't be missed one way or another.
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