One of the most extensive cuisines in the world, the multiple families of 'Indian cuisine' are characterized by their relatively extensive use of spices and herbs. Each family of this cuisine is characterized by a wide assortment of dishes and cooking techniques. Though a significant portion of Indian food is
vegetarian, many traditional Indian dishes also include chicken, goat, lamb, and other meats.
Food is an important part of
Indian culture, playing a role in everyday life as well as in festivals. In many families, everyday meals are usually sit-down affairs consisting of two to three main course dishes, varied accompaniments such as
chutneys and pickles, carbohydrate staples such as
rice and
roti (bread), as well as
desserts.
Diversity is a defining feature of India's geography, culture, and food. Indian cuisine varies from region to region, reflecting the
varied demographics of the ethnically diverse subcontinent. Generally, Indian cuisine can be split into four categories: North Indian, South Indian, East Indian, and West Indian. Despite this diversity, some unifying threads emerge in the art of Indian cuisine. Varied uses of
spices are an integral part of food preparation and are used to enhance the flavor of a dish and create unique flavors and aromas. Cuisine across India has also been influenced by various cultural groups that entered India throughout history, such as the
Mughals,
Persians, and European powers.
History and Influences
Food is integral to any culture and, as a land that has experienced extensive immigration and intermingling through many millennia, the subcontinent has benefited from numerous food influences. The diverse climate in the region, ranging from deep tropical to alpine, has also helped considerably broaden the set of ingredients readily available to the many schools of cookery in India. In many cases, food has become a marker of religious and social identity, with varying taboos and preferences (for instance, a segment of the
Jain population eats no roots or subterranean vegetable; see
Jain vegetarianism) which has also driven these groups to innovate extensively with the food sources that are deemed acceptable.
One strong influence over Indian foods is the longstanding
vegetarianism within sections of
India's
Hindu and Jain communities. At 31%, slightly less than a third of Indians are vegetarians.
[1].
Around 7000 BCE,
sesame,
eggplant, and
humped cattle had been domesticated in the
Indus Valley.
[2] By 3000 BCE,
turmeric,
cardamom,
black pepper and
mustard were harvested in India
[3]. Many recipes first emerged during the initial
Vedic period, when India was still heavily forested and agriculture was complemented with game hunting and forest produce. In
Vedic times, a normal diet consisted of fruit, vegetables, meat, grain, dairy products and honey. Over time, some segments of the
Brahmin caste embraced vegetarianism, facilitated by a cooperative climate where a variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains can easily be grown throughout the year. A food classification system that categorized any item as
saatvic,
raajsic or
taamsic developed in
Ayurveda. Each was deemed to have a powerful effect upon the body and the mind.
[1]
Later, Muslims from
Central Asia,
Arabia, the
Mughal empire, and
Persia, and others had a deep and fundamental effect on Indian cooking. Influence from traders such as the
Arabs and
Chinese, and invaders such as the
Mongols,
Turks,
British and
Portuguese diversified subcontinental tastes and meals. As with other cuisines, Indian cuisine has absorbed the new-world vegetables such as
Tomato,
chilli, and
potato, as staples. These are actually
relatively recent additions.
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.
Elements
A typical assortment of spices used in Indian cuisine.
The staples of Indian cuisine are
rice, ''atta'' (
whole wheat flour), and a variety of
pulses, the most important of which are ''chana'' (
bengal gram), ''toor'' (
pigeon pea or yellow gram), ''
urad'' (black gram) and ''
mung'' (green gram). ''
Pulses'' may be used whole, dehusked, for example dhuli moong or dhuli urad, or split. Pulses are used extensively in the form of
dal (split). Some of the pulses like ''chana'' and "Mung" are also processed into flour (''
besan'').
Most Indian curries are fried in vegetable oil. In North and West 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 and Gingelly 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 that replaces Desi ghee (clarified butter).
The most important/frequently used spices in Indian cuisine are
chilli pepper,
black mustard seed (''rai''),
cumin (jeera),
turmeric,
fenugreek,
asafoetida (''hing''),
ginger, and
garlic. Popular spice mixes are
garam masala which is usually a powder of five or more dried spices, commonly comprised of cardamom, cinnamon and
clove; and Goda Masala, a popular spice mix in Maharashtra. Some leaves are commonly used like ''tejpat'' (
cassia leaf),
coriander leaf,
fenugreek 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.
The term "curry" is usually understood to mean "gravy" in India, rather than "spices."
Geographical Varieties
Northern
Main articles: North Indian cuisine
Naan with curry
North Indian cuisine is distinguished by the proportionally high use of
dairy products;
milk,
paneer,
ghee (clarified
butter), and
yoghurt (yogurt, yoghourt) are all common ingredients.
Gravies are typically dairy-based. Other common ingredients include chilies,
saffron, and
nuts.
North Indian cooking features the use of the "tawa" (griddle) for baking flat breads like
roti and
paratha, and "
tandoor"(a large and cylindrical coal-fired oven) for baking breads such as
naan,
kulcha and
khakhra; main courses like
tandoori chicken also cook in the tandoor. Other breads like
puri and
bahtoora, which are deep fried in oil, are also common.
Goat and
lamb meats are favored ingredients of many northern Indian recipes.
The
samosa is a popular North Indian snack, and now commonly found in other parts of India,
Central Asia and the
Middle East. A common variety is filled with boiled, fried, or mashed potato. Other fillings include minced meat, cheese (''
paneer''),
mushroom (''khumbi'') and chickpeas.
The staple food of most of North India is a variety of
lentils, vegetables, and
roti (wheat based bread). The varieties used and the method of preparation can vary from place to place. Popular dishes include
buknu,
gujiya,
chaat,
daal ki kachauri,
jalebi,
imarti, several types of pickles (or
achar),
murabba,
sharbat,
pana and
aam papad. Popular sweets include ''mithai'', such as
gulab jamun,
peda,
khurchan,
petha,
rewdi,
gajak,
milk cake,
balushahi,
bal mithai,
singori,
kulfi,
falooda,
khaja,
ras malai,
gulqand, and several varieties of
laddu,
barfi and
halwa.
Some common North Indian foods such as the various
kebabs and most of the meat dishes originated with
Muslims advent into the country.
Pakistan was part of
North India prior to the
partition of India. As a result,
Pakistani cuisine is very similar to northern Indian cuisine.
Eastern
East Indian cuisines employ thickening agents such as
cashew or
poppy seed paste. Milk-based sweets are also very popular fare, being a particular specialty in
Bengal and
Orissa.
Bangladeshi cuisine is very similar to East Indian cuisine.
Fish and
seafood are very popular in the coastal states of
Orissa and
West Bengal. Many of the sweet dishes now popular in Northern India initially originated in the Bengal region.
Southern
Main articles: South Indian cuisine
The South Indian staple breakfast item of Idly, Sambhar and Vada served on a
banana leaf.
is distinguished by a greater emphasis on
rice as the staple grain, the liberal use of
coconut and particularly
coconut oil and curry leaves, and the ubiquity of
sambar and
rasam (also called ''saaru'/'chaaru'') at meals.
South Indian cooking is more vegetarian-friendly than nemple in
Udupi,
Kataka, has lional cooking in Udupi Ashtamatha is characterized by the use of local seasonal ingredients. ''Garam masala'' is generally avoided.
The
dosa,
idli,
vada,
bonda, and
bajji are typical Sian snacks. Andhra, Chettinad,
Hyderabadi cuisine, Mangalorean, and Kerala cuisines each have distinct tastes and methods of cooking. In fact each of the South Indian states has a different way of preparing sambar; a connoisseur of South Indian food will very easily tell the difference between sambar from Kerala and sambar from Tamilnadu and 'pappu pulusu' in
Andhra cuisine.
Western
Saraswat cuisine forms an important part of
coastal Konkani Indian cuisine.
Poha is an important food item made from rice that originates in Western India.
Indian Cuisine in the West
Britain has a particularly strong tradition of Indian cuisine that originates from the
British Raj. At this time there were a few Indian restaurants in the richer parts of
London that catered to British officers returning from their duties in India. Currently, the favourite dish in the United Kingdom is supposedly chicken tikka Masala, even before Fish and Chips
In the
20th century there was a second phase in the development of Anglo-Indian cuisine, as families from countries such as
Bangladesh migrated to London to look for work. Some of the earliest such restaurants were opened in
Brick Lane in the
East End of London, a place that is still famous for this type of cuisine.
In the
1960s, a number of inauthentic "Indian" foods were developed, including the widely popular "
chicken tikka masala". This tendency has now been reversed, with subcontinental restaurants being more willing to serve authentic Indian,
Bangladeshi and
Pakistani food, and to show their regional variations. In the late twentieth century
Birmingham was the centre of growth of
Balti houses, serving a newly developed style of cooking in a large,
wok-like, pan, with a name sometimes attributed to the territory of
Baltistan, (however, the Hindi word for bucket is also ''Balti''). Indian food is now integral to the British diet. Chicken tikka massala is thought to be Britain's most popular dish.
[4] There are now 8,000 Indian restaurants in Britain, turning over in excess of £2 billion and employing 70,000 workers.
[4]
Indeed contemporary Britain has become quite a melting pot for Indian cuisine. In the past Indian food adapted to its surroundings, and mild "indian-style" dishes like
Chicken Korma and Chicken Tikka Masala became hugely popular. However, since Indian food has now become an everyday part of the British diet, there has blossomed an avid and enthusiastic market for authentic Indian cuisine, which has seen many more inventive restaurateurs create new and vibrant dishes which challenge the customers pallet rather than pander to everyday tastes. Dishes like Mirchi Rasoi Jhinga, the Hariyali Sheekh Kebab and Jhangi Champey have their roots in Indian Britain rather than India. Some of the finest Indian food anywhere in the world can now be found in Britain.
After the
Immigration Act of 1965, South Asian immigration to the United States increased, and with it the prevalence of Indian cuisine, especially in
San Francisco,
Los Angeles,
Chicago, the
New York City neighborhoods of
Murray Hill,
Jackson Heights and East 6th Street, and in
Edison, NJ. All-you-can-eat
buffets with several standard dishes are typical in some Indian restaurants in the United States.
Indian restaurants are common in the larger cities of
Canada, particularly in
Toronto and
Vancouver where large numbers of Indian nationals have settled since 1970. A number of the more adventurous restaurants have transformed their offerings into so-called Indian "fusion" menus, combining fresh local ingredients with traditional Indian cooking techniques. Indian restaurants can also be found in many European and Australian cities, particularly Paris, London, and Istanbul.
Due to the large
Indian community in
South Africa, the
cuisine of South Africa includes several Indian-origin dishes; some have evolved to become unique to
South Africa, such as the
bunny chow. Many others are modified with local spices.
Beverages
A cup of chai.
is a staple beverage throughout India; the finest varieties are grown in
Darjeeling and
Assam. It is generally prepared as ''masala chai'', tea with a mixture of spices boiled in milk. The less popular
coffee is largely served in South India. One of the finest varieties of ''
Coffea arabica'' is grown around
Mysore,
Karnataka, and is marketed under the trade name "Mysore Nuggets". Other beverages include ''
nimbu pani'' (lemonade), ''
lassi'', badam dood (milk with nuts and cardamom) &
Chaach (made from curd/yogurt ) ,
sharbat and
coconut water. India also has many indigenous
alcoholic beverages, including
palm wine,
fenny,
bhang and
Indian beer. However the practice of drinking a beverage with a meal, or
wine and food matching, is not traditional or common in India.
Etiquette
Main articles: Etiquette of Indian Dining
A traditional North Indian thali
Several customs are associated with the manner of food consumption. Traditionally, meals are eaten while seated either on the floor or on very low stools or cushions. Food is most often eaten without cutlery, using instead the fingers of the right hand. However, these traditional ways of dining are losing popularity as modernization has modified these customs. Silverware and Western-style seating arrangements are becoming the norm in urban areas of India.
Traditional serving styles vary from region to region in India. A universal aspect of presentation is the
thali, a large plate with samplings of different regional dishes accompanied by
raita, breads such as
naan,
puri, or
roti, and
rice. In South India, a cleaned banana leaf is often placed under the food as decoration.
Media
See also
★
Cuisine
★
Curry
★
Black salt
★
Paan
★
Udupi cuisine
★
Saraswat cuisine
References
★ .
Citations
1. Japanese warm to real curries and more Raju Thakrar
2. .
3. http://www.menumagazine.co.uk/book/dawnofhistory.html
4. Lloyd, J & Mitchinson, J: "The Book of General Ignorance". Faber & Faber, 2006.
5. Lloyd, J & Mitchinson, J: "The Book of General Ignorance". Faber & Faber, 2006.
External links
★
Authentic Indian Recipes
★
★
eating the Indian way
★
Indian cuisine with video
Modern Indian cuisine - cookbook
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