CUISINE
INDIA - a country of more than 1.2 billion people, with over a dozen languages, 800 recognized dialects, and several religions, India is as diverse as it gets and so does it Cuisine.
Here at Passage to India we are attempting to bring forth the Regional specialties of this very diverse cooking wherein the recipes have evolved over millennia with the accent being on local produce and the way foods influence the well being of the body, mind and soul. The basic tenet of Indian food philosophy being "eat what is available around you in nature, if it can grow and prosper, so will you"
The Aryans who occupied the North and the Dravidian's who occupied the South were the first influencers in India. India's cuisine has also been influenced greatly by the multitude of invaders throughout the country's history; the Mughals, British, Dutch, Turks, and Portuguese all left their mark. By adding their own cooking styles and ingredients, they provided a rich diversity, resulting in a unique cuisine. In the words of the legendary Madhur Jaffrey "Nothing was ever discarded. It was made Indian."
India is also a country with a 3000 year old religious heritage. Home to Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Islam, Jainism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and the Bahai religions (to name a few) – all dictating what can and cannot be eaten. The Jains don't eat garlic, the Muslims don't eat pork, and the Hindus don't eat beef. Other faiths have limitations on any vegetable grown under ground. Then there are days when people fast and on those days' special meals need to be prepared according to the guidelines for that particular faith. There are specific norms for food that are followed for major life events like pregnancy, birth, baby's first foods and death.
From the lap of the Himalayas in the North to the coast of southern Indian, from the Ghats of Western India to the eastern Bay of Bengal, from the deserts of Rajasthan, to the backwaters of Kerala, from the luscious fields of Punjab to the mountains of Kashmir -- the geography, climates and the landscape are as diverse as they get.
The different Indian states are so unique in their geography, culture, language and tradition that they are almost like individual nations. In addition to all the factors mentioned so far, another important factor that has influenced the cuisine is the focus on the medicinal values of the ingredients. The Vedas or ancient Indian texts explain how to combine food, exercise and meditation to obtain the right balance in ones physical, spiritual and mental forms. Religion has not only integrally affected what is cooked but how it is prepared as well. The Muslim tradition of preparing "halal meat" or the Hindu tradition of not tasting a meal as it is being cooked (since the first offering of the meal has to be for the Gods and for a cook to taste it while it is cooking is considered "unclean") has certainly had its impact on how foods are prepared. The Hindu cook relies on the sight, texture, smell and color of the spice mixes to know exactly when they are ready as opposed to taste.
The history, climate, geography, religion and regional areas have all influenced the cuisine. Intrinsic culinary traditions are constantly being updated by the ever changing political and socio-economic landscape. The country is like a mosaic quilt with each part of the quilt (a state) being unique and yet an integral part of the whole.
What holds this diverse cuisine together is the aromatic and flavorful spices. The art of Indian cooking is in blending these spices so they are in perfect harmony in each dish.
The basics of an Indian meal, despite of all the contrasts and contradictions, are similar. There will generally be some lentil, regional vegetables, pickles, chutneys, rice or bread, possibly a meat or fish dish, served at every meal. Desserts are usually milk based. Food is eaten with fingers, using pieces of bread to mop up the vegetables and curries.
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