Ratri Basak Reward Points : 37600 Member Since : Thursday, December 13, 2007
ndian cuisine is also as diverse and wonderful as the colourful country. Amd i am sure in Indian food ethos Religion has indeed played a major role. Could anyone tell me about the impact of religion in Indian food?
Posted On : 3/24/2009 4:46:13 AM
Nilanjana Rai Reward Points : 27800 Member Since : Saturday, March 14, 2009
Food is a significant part of Indian ethos and like everything, this, too, has been influenced by the Indian diversity and invaders. Religion always had a huge impact on the Indian lifestyle. Hence, be it Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam or Christianity, these religious beliefs had an impact on Indian food. In fact Vegetarianism was one of the many results of religious influences on Indian food. Jains and Buddhists strictly avoid non veg foods. However, Hindu religion, too, encourages vegetarian food. During religious festivals, people stay away from non-veg foodstuffs. Preparations like, khichdi, yoghurt, and sweet dishes like, kheer are widely common in almost all religions. On the other hand the uses of pistachios, cashews, saffron, etc were popularized by the Muslims. Delicacies like biriyani, firni, etc was introduced by them. Today these food items are some of the most famous Indian dishes. With the coming of the Western invaders, once again new dishes were introduced to the Indian cuisine. Pies, cakes, cookies, pudding and roasted preparations became a part of Indian food. Today, Indian can be rightly termed as the melting pot. For more information on the influences of religion on Indian food, you can check out: http://www.indianetzone.com/37/religious_influence_on_indian_food_indian_cuisine.htm
Posted On : 4/3/2009 7:02:31 PM
Anju Malhotra Reward Points : 61200 Member Since : Tuesday, March 31, 2009
In a country of more than 1 billion people, with 16 official languages and myriad ethnic influences, there is no singular Indian cuisine. Instead, hundreds of culinary styles co-exist, each shaped by a unique confluence of geography, history, climate and religion. Each of India s 28 states and seven union territories has its own specialties. Many American diners are familiar with dishes like chicken tikka masala, lamb saag and tandoori shrimp-specialties that have become the lingua franca of Indian cooking in America. Those northern Indian foods dominate menus in the United States, leaving many customers uninformed about the rich regional variation in Indian cooking. In India s five western coastal states-Gujarat, Maharashta, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala-the proximity to the ocean, as well as a rich abundance of fruits and vegetables, defines the cuisine of the region. Common spices include mustard seeds, fenugreek, curry leaves, coriander, red chiles and many spice blends. India s northwestern coastal province, Gujarat, is known for its vegetarian cooking, with signature dishes such as undhiyu, a mixed vegetable stew with chick-pea-flour dumplings, and savory snack cakes called dhoklas, according to Cardoz. The Gujaratis are staunch vegetarians-they don t even take eggs, says Cardoz. There is a sect of Gujaratis called Jains that don t even take onions or garlic or other root vegetables because they believe that the vegetables sustain life underground. In place of onions, Jains typically use asafetida, also called heeng, a spice that smells like onion when cooked. One of the best-known dishes from the region, undhiyu stew incorporates large chunks of plantain, yam, eggplant and several types of peas and beans. The vegetables are rubbed with a paste of coconut, chile, ginger, green garlic, turmeric, coriander and garam masala-a spice mixture that often includes black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, bay leaves and coriander, as well as other spices-and then fried and folded into the beans and peas. The vegetables are braised in their juices over low heat, and the chickpea-flour dumplings soak up the flavor of the vegetables and spices. Maharashtra: Famed for street food Maharashtra is a western coastal state of India and home to India s largest city, Mumbai-formerly known as Bombay-which has more than 16 million inhabitants, according to The World Almanac 2006. Bold flavors and the use of such spices as garlic, ginger, mustard seeds, curry leaves and coconut characterize Maharashtran cuisine. The region is known largely for its street foods, coconut curries and pan-fried flat breads.
Religious Influence On Indian Food
