Asia East - Food

Indian food has a colorful history that is a mélange of numerous cultures and tastes. The British rule, trade routes, invasions, and colonies have led to food influences by the Persians, Greeks, Chinese, Turks, Arabs, Egyptians, Dutch, Portuguese English, and French who came to India. Basic to Indian cooking is an assortment variety of flavors: astringent, sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and pungent.

Indian influence in Asian cuisine started in the 19th century when Indians migrated to different parts of Asia for work related purposes. Some took the opportunity to set up trade in the food industry. Indian cuisine can be divided into two mainstreams, Northern and Southern Indian cuisine.

Spices are the heart and soul of Indian cooking. But the quantity and proportions vary with the geographical boundaries. Curry powder is almost never used. Spices are freshly grounded and added in many different combinations like coriander, turmeric, cumin, chilies, fennel, and fenugreek. Other fragrant spices added are cardamom, clove, cinnamon and star aniseed. In addition to the pronounced use of spices, common culinary threads unifying local cuisines include the prominence of flatbreads and a far greater use of dairy products in different parts of Asia.

Indian food is traditionally served on a circular metal tray on which a number of small bowls also made from metal are placed. Eaten with fingers, rice or bread is placed directly on the tray while curries and other dishes are served in the bowls. For South Indian cuisine, banana leaves are often used as plates where rice is served in the center, followed by various curries and accompaniments around it. These include dried fish, lentil wafers, fresh pickles made from herbs, coconut, and acid fruits among others.

North Indian cuisine boasts of a diet rich in meat and uses spices and ingredients such as yogurt and ghee in dishes that are elaborate without being overly spicy. Here, bread and wheat-flour pancakes replace rice, which is the center of most South Indian meals. Coconut milk, tamarind, mustard seeds, and chilies are also widely used in the Southern province.

Pickles accompany many Indian meals and can be made from mangos, lemons, limes, coconut, cilantro, mint, and various vegetables and spices. These sweet/sour condiments balance the flavors of Indian meals.

"There is as diverse
an assortment of food practices in
India as there are people."

There is as diverse an assortment of food practices in India as there are people. Indians have absorbed the foods and spices and vegetables from all over the world throughout our history, to give rise to one of the most rich and sophisticated culinary traditions in the world.

Kalyan Kumar Panja is an avid traveler and a blogger with experience in travel writing and can be reached at: starkalyans@gmail.com
Heaven's Garden

Flavors of India by Kalyan Kumar Panja

Flavors of India
by Kalyan Kumar Panja