Cuisine, Culture & History of Asia
Indian cuisine encapsulates a broad array of regional dishes, inheriting aspects of religions, cultures and ethnic diversity. The Indian subcontiment is huge, with great variations in soil types, rainfalls & temperature profiles, slope, aspect and drainage. Thus, crops are equally diverse, with variations in availability across regions. Recipes also use locally available spices, herbs, vegetables, and fruits. Added to that, recipes are influenced by religious and cultural nuances.
Foods have been melded by Hindu and Jain beliefs, a good example of which is vegetarianism, popular in Indian society.
Islamic influences date back to Mughal and Delhi Sultanate rulers, and Persian (Syrian) trade and interactions impacted on both North Indian and Deccani cuisine forms.
Over the centuries, foreign invaders, traders and colonial rulers resulted in the introduction of new food types and eating habits. The staple potato, an essential ingredient in many northern Indian recipes, came via the Portuguese. Indian cuisine has also shaped history - the spice trade to Europe is frequently quoted as the root cause of Europe's Age of Discovery. Indian food forms have had an impact across Southeast Asia.
Whilst naan bread is traditionally cooked in an Indian tandoor (earthern) oven, that need not deter you from making naan in your oven at home. An excellent alternative to an oven is a hooded gas BBQ. Naan bread is best served hot, accompanied with traditional Indian / Pakistani / Bangladeshi … [Read more...]
Kashmiri Gustaba Sag Paneer Fish Korma Tikya Kebab Prawn Curry Mughlai Chicken Malai Chicken Nargisi Kofta Pork Curry Mutton Curry Kashmiri Chicken Bombay Duck Mulligatawny Creamy Prawn Soup Cauliflower Chicken Chicken Makhani Chicken Pullao Coriander Fish Chicken Curry … [Read more...]
Kheer Kheer 2 Sewian Mango Ice Cream Carrot Halwa Kheer Shrikhand Benne Biscuit Besan Milk Burfi Honey Glazed Carrot Rice Flour Pudding Gulab Jamuns Suji Halva Carrot Halva Rasgoola Sheera Seviyan Kala Jamoon Spicy Coconut Custard (Vattalappam) Kheer … [Read more...]
Garam Masala Bengali Garam Masala Coconut ChutneyNorth Indian Coconut Chutney (Thengai Thigayal)South Indian Tamarind Chutney Tomato Chutney Cashew Nut Chutney Cilantro Chutney Malabar Curry Powder Chile Mustard Relish (Bengali Kasundi) Mango Chutney (Corom Chatni) Mint And … [Read more...]
Not strict vegie...some recipes have eggs, milk and cheese products Eggs in Spicy Almond Sauce Chick Pea Pancakes Dal Kofta Curry Bengali Eggplant with Mustard Seeds Indian Chickpeas Gobi Aloo Masaledar Sem Vegetable Kurma Vegetable Curry Green Pepper Curry Sookha … [Read more...]
The food available in India is as diverse as its culture, its racial structure, its geography and its climate. The essence of good Indian cooking revolves around the appropriate use of aromatic spices. The skill lies in the subtle blending of a variety of spices to enhance rather than overwhelm the … [Read more...]
What's for dinner tonight? Cumin, coriander and cardamom; mustard, mango powder, ginger; asafetida, fenugreek and chilies. And then there's turmeric, tamarind and saffron, curry leaf, coconut milk and kewara water, almonds, cashews and pistachios -- and those are just the seasonings! Only one place … [Read more...]
India's cuisine is as rich and diverse as her people. The spectrum of Indian cuisine can be said to lie between two dietary extremes: vegetarianism and meat-eating. India is well-known for its tradition of vegetarianism which has a history spanning more than two millenia. However, this was not … [Read more...]
Most Indian cuisine are related by the similar usage of spices and the use of a greater variety of vegetables than many other cuisine. Religious and caste restrictions, weather, geography and the impact of foreigners have affected the eating habits of Indians. For example, Brahmins (one of the … [Read more...]
