West Indian Cuisine

 The communities that belong to the western part of the country principally practise Jainism and the religion teaches them non violence. Indian regional cuisine is majorly influenced by religion and external invasions. The major states of the region comprise of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and Rajasthan. West Indian Cuisine varies from region to region.

Features of West Indian Cuisine
Essentially, the cookery in the western region of the country is simple with dishes like Aloo Bhaji (spicy potatoes), Kadhi (chickpea dumplings in yoghurt sauce) and preparations polished off with rice and pooris (puffed whole wheat fried breads).This region has diverse food culture that is spicy and largely vegetarian with some popular meat dishes. Gujarati cuisine has a special place for desserts and snacks. Gujarati prefer the thaali style meals where multiple dishes from starters, maincourse to side dishes and desserts are served in a large plate.

Maharashtrian cuisine among the West Indian Cuisine has mainly 2 sections defined by the geographical demarcations. A large portion of Maharashtra falls in the coastal regions and depends on rice, coconut and fish. Maharashtra also resides in the hilly regions of the Western Ghats and Deccan plateau regions and use groundnut. Their main cookery follows with jowar (sorghum) and bajra (millet) as staples.

Goan Cuisine
Goan cuisine, on the other hand is influenced by the Portuguese cookery as well. Goa with its lush green coastline makes fresh fish and seafood available in ample quantity. Goan cuisine is a typical blend of regional foods such as seafood, coconut milk, rice and paste. As the area is located in a tropical climate, Goan delicacies popularise the use of spices and intense flavours. The accepted dishes of the region are Vindaloo and Xacuti. Saraswat cuisine is found in the coastal areas of Goa and contributes to the Konkani food.

Gujarati Cuisine
Gujarati cuisine depends on the influence of Hinduism and Jainism. However, Gujarati cuisine is predominantly vegetarian. And the dishes are prepared with hint of sweetness adding sugar or brown sugar. A typical Gujarati Thali consists of Roti, daal or kadhi, rice and sabzi or shaak. Most of the Gujarati dishes are specifically sweet, salty, and spicy at the simultaneously.

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Thalipith, Indian Snack, Maharashtra

  

Thalipith is a wonderful snack recipe from Maharashtra cuisine. It is a multi-grain mildly spiced pancake ideal for breakfast as well as lunch. It is made in various ways and one can choose different types of flours according to choice. Thalipith is easy to make and can be prepared at home.

Ingredients of Thalipith

1 cup whole wheat flour (atta)

1 cup bajra flour

half cup rice flour

half cup besan

half tsp chilly powder

half tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp dhania powder

Oil as required

Salt to taste

Method of Preparing Thalipith

Mix the flours and roast lightly in a pan or a griddle.

Add chilly powder, salt, turmeric powder, dhania powder and jeera powder.

Knead with water to make firm dough.

Roll into thin rotis and cook over a tawa (griddle), smearing oil on both sides, till crisp.

Serve hot.

Another method of preparing Thalipith is as follows:

Ingredients of Thalipith

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup rice flour

1/2 cup jawar flour

1/2 cup gram flour

2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp carom seeds

2 tbsp sesame seeds

3/4 cup thick poha

1" piece of ginger

4 green chillies

1 tsp garam masala

1 cup finely chopped coriander leaves

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

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Ancient Buddhist Cuisine

  

Ancient Buddhist Cuisines mainly includes variety of rice preparations, dairy products and meat preparations along with sweets, salts and spices, oils and oilseeds and fruits and vegetables. Rice remained a major cereal of Indian Cuisine which was also included within the ancient Buddhist cuisine. Buddhist cuisine include all the cereals and pulses which were largely available in India along with the dairy products, meat preparations and beverages which were common in all the genres of ancient India.

Division of Ancient Buddhist Cuisine
Ancient Buddhist cuisine was mainly divided into four categories. They were divided into Soft Food such as boiled rice, Hard Food such as roots and fruits, Beverages and Replenishable Articles.

Rice in Ancient Buddhist Cuisine Ancient Buddhist Cuisine included Rice which formed one of the staple foods of northern India. As mentioned in Ancient Buddhist Cuisine, rice included both varieties of ‘Virhi’ which was the common form of rice along with ‘Sali’ which was a fine form of variety. Along with this, there were three more types of rice namely Raktasali, Kamalasali and Mahasali which was mentioned in the Buddhist text on food. The Buddhist text narrates number of ways in which rice was cooked with some choicest flavours. Usually, boiled rice was preferred by the Buddhist along with other preparations. Next to boiled rice, the favourite preparation of rice was a gruel which is highly praised in the Buddhist works.

Pulses in Ancient Buddhist Cuisine
Buddhist text also mentions some of the most popular pulses that were cultivated in India. These include pulses like Moong, masura, masa, kulattha and kaldya or peas which was consumed with great choice. Among the common cuisines the Buddhist preferred soup which was taken with round fried pulse balls.

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Jharkhand Cuisine

  

Jharkhandi cuisine encompasses the cuisine of the Indian state of Jharkhand. Staple food of Jharkhand are rice, dal, vegetable and tubers. Common meals often consist of vegetables that are cooked in various ways, such as curried, fried, roasted and boiled. Traditional dishes of Jharkhand may not be available at restaurants. Some dish preparations may be mild with a low oil and spice content, although pickles and festive dishes may have such characteristics. Jharkhand cuisine is visible in the tribal villages or weddings.

Features of Jharkhand Cuisine
Jharkhandi cuisine is traditional and combination of various localities in Jharkhand Region. Most of the Dishes of Jharkhand are traditional and some are adopted from mixed culture of adjoining areas. However, the Famous cuisines of Jharkhand, used in all the seasons are Rice, Roti, Daal, Tarkari and sweets, and much more. The food of Jharkhand is generally very light on the stomach and easy to digest. The native folks of Jharkhand have absorbed this fact very well, as showed by the food habits of Jharkhand people

. Various Delicacies of Jharkhand
The staple diet of Jharkhand includes Urad Dal, Rahar Dal, Rice Marua Roti, Chilka Roti and Kanda. Kanda is the name for sweet potatoes which are eaten boiled with tea as breakfast. Other items used are: Konhra phool, Barri, Phutkal, Joki - Moringa oleifera, Saakhin, Khukhri and Sandhna. Sandhna are the bamboo shoots. They are cut into small size and made into a pulp which is added to as well as made into pickles. Jack fruits, Gourd, White pumpkin, Flat Beans, Long beans, Lady Finger are used in the dishes.

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Cuisine of Rayalaseema, Andhra Pradesh

  

Rayalaseema, the southern region of Andhra Pradesh, has some unique dishes in its cuisine. Due to its close proximity to Tamil Nadu and South Karnataka, the cuisine is heavily influenced by Tamil Nadu and South Karnataka cuisines. Generally known for its tangy, hot and spicy taste, the cooking is very diverse due to the vast spread of the people and varied topological regions.

The state being the leading producer of red chilli, rice and millets in India influences the liberal use of spices - making the food one of the richest and spiciest in the world. Vegetarian as well as meat and seafood (coastal areas) feature prominently in the menus. Dal (lentils), tomato and tamarind are largely used for cooking curries. Spicy and hot varieties of pickles form an important part of Telugu cuisine. There are different foods and snacks made in the Rayalaseema region. Some of the main courses include rice, jonna (jowar) and ragi roti with a combination of ghee as well as ragi sangati, usually served with spinach or pulusu.

Types of Food
There are different foods and snacks made in Rayalaseema regions. Attirasaalu (rice-based fritter using jaggery), Baadusha, Jaangri (jalebi), Pakam Undalu (a mixture of steamed rice flour, ground nuts, jaggery), Borugu Undalu (a sweet variety made corn of jowar and jaggery), Pala Kova, Masala Borugulu, Raagi Ball saddi Annam, Jonna, Raagi Roti, Ponganaalu wet rice flour, Alsandala vada, Ulavacharu, Peetala Kura, Chilli Bonda, Mirchibajji Roast and Rava Laddu are the major food items of this region. Raagi Sankati and Naatu kodi pulusu (spicy chicken curry) is a very renowned combination. Raagi Sankati is a rural Andhra staple food.

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Bihar Cuisine, Indian Food

  

Bihar Cuisine is predominantly vegetarian because traditional Bihar society, influenced by Buddhist and Hindu values of non-violence, did not eat eggs, chicken, fish and other animal products. However unlike Gujarat and other communities of the South, non-vegetarian food is quite acceptable in few traditional homes of Bihar. The cuisine of Bihar is similar to a great extent to North Indian Cuisine but has an influence from other East Indian Cuisine for example like Bengali Cuisine.

Variety of Food in Bihar Cuisine
Bihar cuisine offers several tasty morning foods which have their immense nutritional value, some of them are "Sattu", considered as an appetizer, is taken with water and is served with pickle, onion and green chillies, is a common intake of the laboured class. Another preparation of Sattu is prepared with raisins, milk, cashew nuts and pista, a favourable drink of the elite. Other morning foods, prepared with Sattu are "Parantha" in which Sattu is mixed with spices and stuffed, and another one is "Litti" which come in large varieties, cooked with flour, ginger, garlic and pepper and served with chutney, curry or pickle. Among the popular as well as of high nutritional value food is "Chokha" which is a preparation made with mashed potatoes and other vegetables and are garnished with onion, chillies and mustard oil. "Baingan ka Chokha" is a famous dish of Bihar. "Bachka" is a fried food and it needs to slice the vegetables and fried in a chickpea batter to make these crispy fritters. "Chura Dahi" (flattened rice and curd), taken with sugar or jaggery, is a favourite breakfast among the people of Bihar. Bihar cuisine encompasses different types of bread and Parathas such as "Onion Paratha", "Potato Paratha", "Sattu Paratha", "Makai Roti", "Dal Puri", "Makuni" etc. "Samosa" and "Kachoris" are enjoyed as fast food all over Bihar. "Kachori" is prepared in various ways and are of different kinds like, "Sattu ki Kachori". "Pitha" and "Bakha", steam cooked is mainly prepared in North-Eastern Bihar. "Makhana", mainly water fruit, is prepared from lotus seeds, with milk and sugar is must during religious festivals and marriages. It can also be cooked as a salty puff. Makhana or 'Chura Bhunja' is paired with uncooked sprouts soaked in water and cherished by the locale.

Bihar Cuisine has several ramifications of vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods. Most of the inhabitants of Bihar prefer to have vegetarian dishes which consist of ‘Rice’, ‘Roti’, ‘Lentils’, ‘Pickle’ and ‘Tarkari’, ‘Aloo Chokha’, ‘Kala Chana Ghoomni’, ‘Chana Dal ki Kachree’, ‘Subzi Jhingi’ or ‘Nenua Chana’, ‘Kafta’, ‘Shahi Paneer’, ‘Vegetable Korma’, ‘Palak Paneer’, ‘Bharwan Karela’ etc.

Bihar has a large number of Buddhists and Jains who consume a strict vegetarian diet and others prefer to have non-vegetarian foods. The Kayasthas of Bihar likes to consume healthy but vegetarian dishes as their meal. The Maithil Brahmins follow a tradition to offer goat or meat as ‘Prasad’ to God in many religious festivals. In Bihar, offering meat to a guest is considered as sacred. The Bihar cuisine has some special dishes among which "Tilba", "Chura", "Chitba", "Pitthow" and "Makhana" can be named. "Kadhi" is preferred among the Biharis, eaten with plain rice. "Dhuska" is a deep fried, salted item prepared from a mixture of powdered rice and ghee but is one of the many dishes of Bihar.

Tribal Food in Bihar Cuisine
Bihar Cuisine includes the food habits of the aboriginal tribes who are the residents of Chotanagpur, the Southern half of Bihar. The tribes mainly take boiled cereals, a curry of boiled vegetables or meat or edible roots seasoned with salt and chillies and millet. Among the tribal specialties are "Asur Pitha" (prepared from the flour of Mahua) and "Sauria Ghata" which is cooked like rice with the crushed maize. "Korwa Lata" and "Korwa Jatangi" are also famous among the tribes. The tribes relish a beverage called "Handia" which is prepared by fermenting rice with the help of biro (a medicinal cake), partially cooked over fire in a Handi (earthen cooking pot). Then it is cooked and mixed with powdered biro. Then the pot is kept in a cool place for some days and after a certain time the Handia gets ready to be distributed.

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Recipes in Vedic Period

  

Indian recipes have been influenced by environmental, social, religious and political factors during the ancient period of Indian history. The recipes are as old as time, yet each recipe may have its own heritage and origin. In modern India, the history of Indian food mainly carried the traditional trends of Indian cuisines including the Hindu vegetarian food, Mughal delicacies, Chinese and other foreign delicacies.

History of Indian Food
The history of Indian food can be traced back to the ancient days when the culture of preparing food with proper methods was introduced by the two ancient Indian civilizations - The Harappa and the Mohenjodaro. The first preparation of food included a number of cereals and pulses. Gradually, the ancient Indian civilization moved towards perfection. This was noticed during the Vedic period, which defined better forms of cooking with innovative recipes. In this period of time, a regular diet consisted of vegetables, fruits, grains, meat, honey, dairy products, beverages and special kind of spices.

Various Influences on Indian Cuisine
The Aryans who traveled from Central Asia introduced a number of cuisines, which complemented the Vedic food culture. Food in ancient India further faced massive changes during the rule of Maurya and Gupta Empires. During these periods of time, the consumption of meat was strictly condemned due to sacred beliefs. Most of the people remained vegetarian due to the influence of religion.

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Sindhi Cuisine, Indian Regional Cuisine

  

Sindhi Cuisine is great in taste, rich in flavour and is infused with choicest aromatic spices. Sindhi cuisine encompasses a wide variety of dishes introduced by Sindhi people. While Sindh is not geographically a part of modern India, its list of food is equally tasted and enjoyed by the people of India. Starting from snacks to main course to desserts, it has everything to offer to its food lovers.

Features of Sindhi Cuisine
Sindhi cuisine, especially the local one was greatly influenced after the arrival of Islam in South Asia. The cuisines of Middle East, South Asia, and Central Asia had high impact on the cuisine of Sindh. The daily Sindhi food has wheat flour bread and rice as prominent aspect of a meal. It also comprises of lots of onions in dry and gravy dishes giving a delicious flavour to all the dishes. There are many Sindhi people who prefer non-vegetarian cuisines but there are also certain communities who are fond of vegetarian food.

Delicacies of Sindhi Cuisine
Sindhi Cuisine comprises of various snacks such as ‘Kutti’, ‘Lolo’ or ‘Mithi Loli’, ‘Maal-apuroo Mithaee Maanii’, ‘Ku-ini Kich-anee’, ‘Chhola Dhabal’, ‘Ka-raw-o’ and ‘Bhat’. On special occasions a vegetable with seven variants is cooked which is called ‘Chiti Kuni’.

There are innumerable main course dishes like the popular ‘Sindhi Biryani’ which is prepared using steamed boiled rice mixed with special Sindhi recipe of spices. Then there is ‘Sindhi Kadhi’ which is a combination of chick pea flour and vegetables like lady finger, potato and eggplant. ‘Seyal Mani’, ‘Seyal Dab-roti’, ‘Seyal Phulka’, ‘Bhugi Bhaji’, ‘Seyal Bhaji’, ‘Sabu dal chawar’, ‘Masala Koki’, ‘Loli’, ‘Loli Du-dh’, ‘Pappad’, ‘Dhodo Chutney’, ‘Sai Bhaji’, ‘Bugha Chawar’, ‘Bhugal Bheeha’, ‘Dhangi Fulko’, ‘Kadhi Chawal’, ‘Besan ji Bhaji’, ‘Bhugal Teewarn’, ‘Dal Tikkhar’, ‘Tikhi Dal khichdi’, ‘Bhugge Chawal’, ‘Pava’, ‘Dal Pakwan’, ‘Keemo’, ‘Seyal Pallo’ are some other food items that fall under Sindhi main course dishes.

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