Demystification of Indian Cuisine Heritage
Excerpts from the Internationally Renowned Magazine - (Ingredients South Asia)
A Culinary Tour of India - Indian Food Description
This article is just an overview on Indian cuisine and as it was published in an international magazine, I preferred to start my first blog with this article close to my heart.
Enjoy reading and feel free to pour genuine comments!!
The cuisine of any country or region depicts about many aspect of that
country or region. The cuisine is actually a mirror which depicts or reflects
the diversity, culture, availability of raw material, cooking traditions and in
short characterizes the crucial details of the country. Indian cuisine is no
exception to it.
The gastronomy of India is, undoubtedly, rich
and phenomenal and speaks volume about the culinary perspective of India.
A Culinary Tour of India - Indian Food Description
The Indian cuisine has been characterized by
the following main aspects:
Religious influence:
India being the secular country has many religions which have marked their portentous
presence in fabricating the Indian cuisine. Hinduism considers food as the most
valuable gift of the God to the humankind and hence is considered with great
reverence. It strongly advocates the philosophy that human are what they eat
(jaisa khaey ann,waisa hoey mann). It also strongly restricts eating the meat of
milk-giving animals like cow and buffalo. Buddhism advocates vegetarianism and Jainism
preach that meat, underground vegetables, tubers and all root vegetables
should no way be consumed by their followers. The commodity like Honey is also
not to be eaten in Jainism. Jainism even dictates the time period to its
follower stating when to consume food like food should consumed only between sunrise
and noon as this would help them to attain spirituality. Judaism prohibits
eating pork meat, they believe in slaughtering animals through the jugular
veins, and they strictly have different cooking vessels for food of different
nature. Christians are very liberal in consuming all types of meat and are
renowned for their creative skills in culinary fields. In Islam, the pork meat
and alcohol is sternly prohibited and consume only halal meat. Parsis have also
restrained themselves from eating beef meat like Hindus. Thus, Religions in
India have their own restrictions and code of culinary rules.
Caste restrictions:
Several castes have their own rule of preclusion and this has its own impact.
For instance, in general, Brahmins are considered to be a staunch vegetarian segment
but we have many sub-sects in Brahmins which are strict non-vegetarian like
Saraswat Brahmin. They consume fish and are referred to as Pesco-vegetarian
(segment which consider fish eating as vegetarian act). The Kashmiri Brahmins
or Kashmiri Pandits are meat eaters but they restrain from eating onion and
garlic. The Iyengar Brahmins of Tamil Nadu are typically vegetarian and don’t
even use onion and garlic in their meal preparation. They are famed for their
scrumptious vegetarian meal nevertheless. The Udipi Brahmins of Karnataka also
practice vegetarianism and has taken vegetarianism to a distinct level.
Regional availability:
It has been the most influential factor in framing the culinary elements of any
country. India has been immensely diverse and varied in its cultivation and
produce, hence it cast a huge variation in local delicacies. The locally
produce ingredients are basically found in almost every crucial preparation of
that particular region. For instance, Kashmir has saffron in plentitude and the
use of saffron in almost every preparation is very apparent. They incorporate
it in delicacies such as bread like sheermal, gravy preparation like dumaloo, and
dessert like mechama; various pulao preparation and beverages like kehwa.
Similarly, in Rajasthan gram flour play the same role and is used in piece de
resistance such as gatte ki subzi, pithorey ki subzi, papad ki subzi, kadhi,
gatte pulao, mohanthal, dilkhusal, gotma, boondi, missi roti, mirchi bada and
many such preparations. The fish is in abundance in Goa and Bengal, both being
the coastal area and hence fish is consumed in almost every main meal on a
daily basis. The South of India is blessed with copious quantity of coconut and
hence coconut is used in the distinct configuration of coconut oil, coconut
milk, coconut kernel, coconut fruits, coconut dessicated etc. in numerous preparations.
Wheat is in amplitude in Punjab and hence this state has varied number of wheat
bread like tandoori roti, lacchha parantha, naan and its variations.
Climatic and
Atmospheric Impact: The land of India stretches to a
huge area from Kashmir
(North) to Kanyakumari (South) and Gujarat (West) to Manipur (East). It is very
multifarious in terms of quality of water and it can easily be understood by
old saying “Kos-kos par badle paani, chaar kos pe baani”; which
translates to – The taste of water changes every mile whereas dialect (baani)
changes every four miles. So, the distinct land has distinct “aabohawa” and this has its own impact on
the cuisine of India. For instance, Bikaner is a city located in Thar Desert
area and due to its sand and water quality, Bikaner is renowned for namkeen
preparation with varied and unparalleled taste, which is not found in namkeen
prepared elsewhere.
Preservation
Technique: The wonderful land of India has
mastered the skill of preservation technique from the period of antiquity. The
preparation of achar of almost every vegetable and fruits is the beautiful
demonstration of this preservation technique. Achar is described as really
healthy as it has been incorporated with certain anti-flatulence ingredients
like fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, asafetida etc. It is also made healthy
with usage of mustard oil as well. Other best example is the paneer (chhurpi) prepared
of yak milk in Arunachal Pradesh known as Chhurpupu which can be stored for 4-5
years in the skin of yak. Thus, the preservation of certain ingredients has
shaped Indian cuisine to some extent.
Traditional Equipment: It
would sound bit nonsensical that the traditional equipment have also imparted
and contributed to the unique taste to the Indian food. Sil-batta is one such
equipment used for grinding spice mixture with water or vinegar. The spices
grinded in this fashion lends undoubtedly distinct and more desired flavor to
the dish as compared to the dish prepared with spices grinded in electrical
operated equipment like mixer. Earlier the roti or chapatti was prepared on mud
tawa lending trenchant taste. Similarly, the dishes like baati cooked on cow-dung
cakes is liked by baati baked in oven. Other equipment contributing in this
segment is wet grinder. Wet grinder with drum and stone is used for grinding
batter of idli and dosa and this method of grinding also imparts a different
taste as compared to the batter grinded in electrical grinder.
Ayurvedic References:
Ayurveda is a way of lifestyle and this gives approval to many food
combinations to be consumed improving the health and life of diners. Ayurvedic
strongly emphasizes and advocates the food to be eaten depending upon the season,
body’s adaptability, eating habits, digestibility, appetite and so on.The people
complying with such guidelines have helped people to prolong their lifespan.
Lifestyle: Change
has been a prime feature which cannot be avoided. The change in eating habits
and liking towards certain taste and dishes has also taken place from time to
time. This feature has experienced the people of all state having an
inclination towards certain dishes like Golgappa or pani puri or ghup chup or
paani batashe. It has become a common practice to go at eateries during outing
with families and eat Golgappa. This common dish has woven the penchant of
people across all states. Similarly, dishes like kachori, samosa, chaat papdi,
idli, dosa, momos, soya chaap etc. have been liked by all across the country. People
are busy and heavily stressed in their life and to pacify this they prefer to
go out and dine at roadside eateries. So, lifestyle and special liking towards
certain delicacies have also framed culinary features of our country.
Foreign Invasions: The
Indian food has, to some extent, been shaped and fabricated by Foreign invasion
and their reign. The substantial impact of Moghuls, Britishers and Portugese
are apparently visible on Indian Cuisine. The Moghuls have ruled India for a
long time and hence the Kashmiri food, Awadhi food and Hyderabadi food depicts
the character of Moguhlai cuisine. Many scrumptious food of their have become
an inseparable part of Indian food. Their royalty, their traditions has
benefitted culinary aspect of our country. The versatile and multi-faceted
equipment Tandoor is also only due to Moghuls invasion in India. Dishes like
sheer kurma, khubani ka meetha, breads like sheermal, taftan, bakherkhani,
biryani, kebabs etc. have glorified the dignity of Celestial cuisine of our
land. Similarly, Britishers have also gifted certain things like Breakfast Tea,
various baked item and so on. Portuguese also do not stand far behind in this
race and their impact is predominantly seen on Goan food. The food of Goa has
altogether distinct unique feature as compared to the food of the other state
of our land. Goan food is said to be the cuisine of Portuguese influence and is
considered to be the cuisine similar to Lesbon food. Goan food has delicacies
like cafreal, xacutti, sorpotel, vindaloo, reachedao etc. which is truly
Portuguese in character. Portuguese has brought many spices and vegetables like
potatoes, tomatoes etc. along with them and now it has become a part of Indian
culinary system.This factor has enriched our Cuisine and has taken it to a
significant arena of varied mouth-watering and scrumptious delicacies.
Thank You & Do comment!!
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