Joaquin Nico B.

Ramirez

HM401

Which countries are in the Indian subcontinent?

The Indian subcontinent, consisting variably of India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and
the Maldives.

CULINARY INFLUENCES

 Settlers of Ancient India – The Dravidian people were among the first to settle in India and grew
many of the crops that are common today. They also herded sheep and goats, used water
buffalo for working the fields, and drew milk from cattle for milk production. It is believed that
the cow became a sacred symbol and eventually a deity because a fertile cow could provide far
more nutrition from the dairy it produced than it could by being slaughtered for meat.
Eventually, cattle were protected from slaughter by religious laws and edicts, and this reverence
persists in India today.
 Hinduism and Buddhism – Buddhism began as a religion that believed that no animal products
derived from harming any animal should be eaten. This belief stretched the previous Hindu
belief of the diet to include all animal products, including meat. Another religion called Jainism
developed around the same time and its followers were expected to ensure that they did not
harm animals. Many people on the Indian subcontinent do eat meat, but a significant number
do not or eat, or eat a diet with little meat; this can largely be attributed to the influences of
Buddhism and Jainismo.
 Persian/Arabic Influences – Early in the history of the subcontinent, the area was an important
trade route between China and the inhabitants of the Middle East. Some of the significant
culinary introductions to India from this trade route included new types of legumes, spinach,
almond, cumin seed, okra, and rosewater.
 Moghul Empire – In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Moghul Empire ruled a vast area of India,
and many of the area's impressive architectural achievements were completed in this period.
One important legacy of this era was the great feasts that included food products such as dals
(spiced and wet legume preparations) and chutneys (highly flavored fruit and herb condiments)
that are main components of Indian cuisine today.
 European Spice Traders – European tastes for Indian spices led seafaring nations to discover
routes to India and a source of the spices. From this, Portuguese, Dutch, French, British, and
Danish trading posts were soon in place. The most significant culinary influences from this
European incursion into India were not from Europe but rather from the Americas. Some
important introductions brought in by Europeans were potatoes, cashew, kidney beans, and
chilies.
 British Colonial Period – The British introduced tea to India during their colonization of the
country. The use of silverware was also introduced to India, but its use has never fully taken
hold in India. Indians believe that for food to taste its best it must be eaten with the bare hand
and clean hands are an unspoken expectation and custom.
COOKING METHODS
Food preservation is commonplace throughout India where pickling and making chutneys are utilized to
preserve fruits and vegetables for meager times. Drying food items occurs in the mountainous north
where harsh winters limit the growing season. Salting is frequently employed to extend available food
supplies when less is available.
SPECIAL COOKWARE
A tandoor is a clay oven that becomes very hot from the fuel of wood or charcoal. Skewers are lowered
in this cylindrical oven, while flatbreads are slapped against the inside walls. Stir-frying is done on a deep
pan, called karahi, with a rounded bottom and handles on each side. Another pan called tava is used for
sautéing - a slightly concave griddle made of cast iron. To extend the available meat, tender cuts were
placed on a skewer for grilling, while the tougher cuts entered the pot for braising.
COMMON INGREDIENTS
 Rice and wheat
 Legumes including lentils, split peas, mung beans, and chickpeas
 Goat and lamb
 Seafood and fish
 Ghee
 Vegetables, including spinach, cauliflower, potatoes, peas, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes
 Fruits including bananas, plantains, mangoes, oranges, and coconuts
 Chutneys and pickled fruits and vegetables
 Garlic
 Cilantro
 Coriander, cumin, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, fenugreek, hot chilies, mustard, fennel, cloves,
and cinnamon
Settlers of Ancient India –Indian food is highly aromatic and very tasty because of the combination of
different spices, such as turmeric, pepper, and more. Indian cooks blend a variety of spices to create the
unique flavor of their dishes.
Hinduism and Buddhism –The major religion of India is Hinduism, and the strict followers of this religion
observe a vegetarian diet. Ingredients are categorized within this faith as falling into one (1) of three (3)
groups that indicate each ingredient's effect on the mind/body balance or overall health. Some food
products are sacred, some purifying, others are responsible for upsetting the balance of the mind and
body, and others are simply harmful.
These are the categorize:
Sattvic food, Rajasic food, Tamasic food
Persian/Arabic Influences –There are some ingredients which make Persian food unique such as
Narenj (a kind of citrus grows in the north of Iran), Sumac (you probably heard of this one), It's a spice
that mostly serves with any kind of Kebab, and Kashk (a dairy product made from drained sour milk).