Cuisine of India
India has rich and varied culinary traditions. These differ from region to region. Interestingly there is no ‘Indian’ food as such, nor is it always hot and there is no such dish as ‘curry’ which just means sauce or gravy.
Origins
Vedic literature informs us that around 1000 BC barley and wheat were the main articles of food and that animal flesh was ritually consumed by early Aryans.
As agrarian economy grew, cattle and other domesticated animals became more useful in agrarian activities and it became less economical to slaughter animals for meat. This was the beginning of vegetarianism. The practice grew with the rise of Buddhism and Jainism in 6th century B.C. The food consisted of various grains, fruits, vegetables and milk products. Due to the warm climate and cultivation of a large number of herbs and spices, the preparations became more and more elaborate. This is the food habit which has largely continued for over two thousand years with large sections of traditionally vegetarian Indian families – particularly in North India.
Influences
During this long period, Indian cuisine gained from foreign influences, making it a unique blend of various cuisines.
The Greek, Roman and Arab traders introduced many herbs and spices, in particular saffron. Arabs introduced coffee.
Zoroastrians brought with them Parsi cuisine. Some believe that it was they who first brought biryani to India, before the Mughals made it popular.
The Mughals revolutionized Indian food with their penchant for elegant dining and rich food with dry fruit and nuts, a style which eventually came to be known as Mughlai cuisine.
Tomato, chilli, and potato, which are staple components of today's Indian cuisine, were brought to India by the Portuguese.
The Hindu refugees from Afghanistan brought with them a style of oven, which led to an entirely new stream of dishes – tandoori.
The British infected India with their taste for tea. They also introduced knives and forks and in many city homes the dining table replaced the kitchen floor, though it is still customary in India to eat with your hands.
Regional Differences
Herbs and spices play a vital role in Indian food. Each state has its own particular blend of masalas and each family is partial to their own blend.
Spices such as bay leaf, black cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, mace, nutmeg and cayenne pepper are considered warm and used liberally in cold weather. Ancient Ayurvedic texts prescribe spices for curative and therapeutic functions - cumin seeds for digestion, cardamom for the heart, cinnamon for controlling cholesterol, turmeric as a natural antiseptic, ginger against colds and flu…
The many culinary styles in India can generally be divided into four regional categories, the North, the South, the East and the West.
The northern cuisine, perhaps the most popular, is characterized by meats and vegetables cooked in the tandoor (coal fired barbecue), use of cream in dals and yogurt in marinades. Wheat is produced mostly in the north and the grain plays a strong role in its cuisine. Unleavened breads - naan, tandoori roti, chapaatis or paranthas are traditionally eaten with food here.
The best known is Mughlai, characterised by the use of yogurt, fried onions, nuts and saffron. There are tender kebabs, creamy kormas, rich pasandas and many other dishes.
Traditional Kashmiri cooking or Wazawan includes table settings for groups of four or more on the floor where dishes (mostly non-vegetarian) are served, each aromatic with herbs and the fresh produce of the region. The unique feature of Kashmiri cuisine is that the spices used are boiled rather than fried, giving it a distinctive flavour and aroma.
Punjabis have the reputation of being great producers of food and still greater consumers of it. Punjab has bequeathed the institution of dhaba, a wayside eating joint, especially on the highways. Punjabi cuisine is not subtle in its flavour and there are no intricate marinades or exotic sauces. Mah ki Dal, Sarson da Saag and Makki di Roti, meat curry like Roghan Josh and stuffed paranthas are some of the popular dishes in this cuisine.
The rich Awadhi cuisine of Lucknow region was made popular by the Nawab of Awadh who, to deal with food shortage, ordered his men to cook food in huge handis (vessels) to feed the hungry people. This eventually led to a style of cooking called dum, i.e., the art of sealing ingredients in large handi and cooking over a slow fire.
In the south rice and dal are usually the staple diet. The typical food here is dishes cooked on the griddle such as dosas, thin broth like dals called sambar and an array of seafood. The region is also known for its heavy use of 'kari' leaves, tamarind and coconut.
Hyderabadi cuisine is greatly inspired by the Mughlai style. Some of the most traditional dishes here are Biryani, Chicken Korma and Sheer Khurma.
Karnataka has two main styles of cooking, the Brahmin cuisine that is strictly vegetarian and the cuisine of Coorg, noted for its pork dishes.
The Chettinad cuisine of Tamil Nadu is hot and pungent with fresh ground masalas. Tamil Nadu is also known for its vegetarian Brahmin cuisine which is very popular in entire India and overseas; it includes idli, dosa, vadai, uthapam....
Kerala has appam and stew, ulli theeyal, puttu and the ubiquitous banana chips. In Malabar Moppilah cuisine is popular. The Arab influence is predominant in many of its dishes like the Alisa, which is a hearty wheat and meat porridge. In central Kerala the art of Syrian Christian cooking remains the pride of many a homemaker. Their contribution to the Kerala cuisine includes the hoppers, duck roast, meen vevichathu (red fish curry) and isthew (stew).
In the east fish and rice are at the heart of Bengali cuisine. Mustard oil is used extensively and so is panch phhoron (5 whole spices) which sets this cuisine apart from all others.
Oriya cuisine is subtle and delicately spiced; fish and other seafood such as crab and shrimp are popular. Pancha-phutana, a mix of cumin, mustard, fennel, fenugreek and kalonji (nigella) is widely used.
The food of India's northeastern states such as Sikkim, Manipur, Meghalaya, varies quite dramatically. These areas have been influenced by Tibetan, Chinese, and even Western Cuisine in recent times and one finds steaks, pork or chicken dumplings, filling noodle soups featuring strongly in their menu.
In western India, Rajasthani and Gujarati cuisine offer a delectable variety of dals and achars (pickles and preserves) which substitute for the relative lack of fresh vegetables here.
Rajasthani cuisine is quite diverse. The love for shikaar among the erstwhile royalty creates a culinary art form that is unique. There is also the special all vegetarian food of Marwar or Jodhpur with popular dishes such as choorma laddoo and daal baati. Gujarati cuisine is strictly vegetarian. The popular dishes in here are oondhia, patra, khaandavi and thhepla. The typical Gujarati thali is a carnival of savoury vegetables prepared with aromatic spices, accompanied by fried snacks.
For Parsis the main dish is Dhansakh (caramelized onions and brown rice served with a mix of dals, vegetables and meat). In Goan cuisine the gravies are chilly-hot, spices are ground with vinegar and coconut. Some known dishes include Balcao, Xacuti, Vindaloo, Sorpotel and Moehlos.
Malvani or Konkani cuisine is the standard cuisine of Hindus in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, Goa and northern parts of West Karnataka. Malvani food is mostly non-vegetarian, but with many vegetarian delicacies, using coconut liberally and usually very spicy; however, the ‘Konkanastha Brahmin’ style of food of the region is vegetarian and quite bland.
Indian sweets (mithai) are a big attraction during festivals and on special occasions. Mithai is a type of confectionery made using ghee, sugar, milk, flour and a variety of nuts. While rosogulla, cham cham, sandesh and laddoo, gulab jamun, kaju katli are popular in West Bengal and North India respectively, messu, monthar and ghevar are the order of the day in Gujarat and Rajasthan. The South is less inclined towards mithais and more towards delicious payasams. Ceremonial food is served on banana leaves and skilfully eaten with your bare hands.