Unit - 5 (Food Production)

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UNIT 5
INDIAN CUISINE
Introduction
The cuisine of India is one of the world's most diverse cuisines, characterized by its
sophisticated and fine use of the many spices, vegetables, grains and fruits grown
across India. The cuisine of each geographical region includes a wide variety of
dishes and cooking techniques reflecting the varied demographics of the ethnically
diverse Indian subcontinent. India's religious beliefs and culture have played an
influential role in the evolution of its cuisine. Vegetarianism is widely practiced in
many Hindu, Buddhist and Jain communities.
Indian cuisine has also influenced cuisines across the world, especially those of South
East Asia. It is now one of the most popular cuisines across the globe, enjoyed not
only among the large Indian but also by the general population in North America,
Europe, Australia and parts of Africa.

Geographical Varieties

Northern
North Indian cuisine is distinguished by the proportionally high use of dairy products;
milk, paneer, ghee (clarified butter), and yoghurt are all common ingredients. Gravies
are typically dairy-based. Other common ingredients include chilies, saffron, and nuts.

North Indian cooking features the use of the "tawa" (griddle) for baking flat breads
like roti and paratha, and "tandoor" (a large and cylindrical coal-fired oven) for
baking breads such as naan, and kulcha; main courses like tandoori chicken are also
cooked in the "tandoor," a cylindrical shaped clay oven. Other breads like puri and
bhatoora, which are deep fried in oil, are also common. Goat and lamb meats are
favored ingredients of many northern Indian recipes.

The samosa is a popular North Indian snack, and now commonly found in other parts
of India, Central Asia, North America, Africa and the Middle East. A common variety
is filled with boiled, fried, or mashed potato. Other fillings include minced meat,
cheese (paneer),mushroom (khumbi), and chick pea.

Compiled and Prepared by: Bijaya Shrestha, Gateway College of Professional Studies
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The staple food of most of North India is a variety of lentils, vegetables, and roti
(wheat based bread). The varieties used and the method of preparation can vary from
place to place. Popular snacks, side-dishes and drinks include mirchi bada, bhujiya,
chaat, kachori, several types of pickles Popular sweets are known
as mithai(meetha means sweet in Hindi), such as gulab jamun, jalebi, peda, kulfi, ras
malai, gulkand, and several varieties of laddu, barfi and halwa.

Some common North Indian foods such as the various kebabs and most of the meat
dishes originated with Muslims. Pakistani cuisine and north Indian cuisine are very
similar, reflecting their shared historic and cultural heritage.

Eastern
East Indian cuisine is famous for its desserts, especially sweets such as
rasagolla, chumchum, rasabali, chhena poda, chhena gaja, and kheeri. Many of the
sweet dishes now popular in Northern India initially originated in the Bengal and
Orissa regions.

Rice is the staple grain in Eastern India, just as it is in South India. A regular meal
consists of many side dishes made of vegetables. Deep-fried, shallow-fried and
mashed vegetables are also very popular. Fish is frequently featured in a regular meal.

Southern
South Indian cuisine is distinguished by a greater emphasis on rice as the staple grain,
the uniquity of sambar (also called saaru, a vegetable stew based on a broth made
with tamarind and toovar dal) and rasam (also called rasa, a soup prepared with
tamarind juice or tomato, pepper and other spices), a variety of pickles, and the liberal
use of coconut and particularly coconut oil and curry leaves. The dosa, poori, idli,
vada, bonda and bajji are typical South Indian favorites and are generally consumed
as breakfast. Hyderabadi biryani, a popular type of biryani, reflects the diversity of
south Indian cuisine.

Western

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Western India has three major food groups: Gujarati, Maharashtrian and Goan. There
are two main types of Maharashtrian cuisine, defined by geographical circumstances.
The coastal regions, geographically similar to Goa, consume more rice, coconut,
and fish.

Gujarati cuisine is predominantly vegetarian. Many Gujarati dishes have a hint of


sweetness due to use of sugar or brown sugar.

Indian Herbs and Spices


1. Turmeric – Used in most areas of India for both flavour and colour. Turmeric
the spice comes from the roots of the turmeric plant.

2. Coriander – Both seeds and leaves are used. Seeds are often used as a
condiment and fresh leaves used in lentils or as a garnish

3. Chilli – Chilli is well known as an essential ingredient in Indian cuisine.


Whether you have your curry hot, medium or mild your dish will feature
varying amounts of chilli.

4. Cardamom – Black cardamom is widely used in dahls, biryanis, masalas and


curries. Also a key ingredient in garam masala.

5. Curry Leaves – Curry leaves, not to be confused with curry powder, is a


popular spice to be used in many Indian sauces including Tandoori and Tikka
Kabobs.

6. Cumin – Cumin is used as a whole seed or in powdered forms. It adds


flavours to curries and is often used as a condiment. Nearly all Indian curries
and dahls will include cumin.

7. Garlic – Garlic is used as a base to many curries and dahl in Indian cuisines.

8. Ginger – Native to India it is used in a wide variety of curries, marinade,


pickles, chutneys and tea.

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9. Fernugreek – An ingredient in curry powder and also 5 spice blend.

10. Saffron – Commonly used as a colourant in rice dishes or stews, also used to
impart flavour.

11. Asafoetida (Hing)

12. Bay leaves - these fragrant leaves with pointed ends are used in their dried
form. These are used in curries and rice preparations.

13. Cayenne pepper (Lal Mirch)- is a spice made from the seeds of plants in the
capsicum family (ranging from sweet pepper to chili - in general, the smaller
the fruit, the hotter it is).

14. Chilies (Mirchi) - it is the hottest flavor on earth. As a general rule, dark
green chilies tend to be hooter than red chilies. Small, pointed chilies are
usually hotter than larger, more rounded varieties. Whole chilies can be seeded
to make them a little less hot. Chilies and chili powder should be used with
extreme care. The hot vindaloo curries are made from the hottest chilies.

15. Chili powder - Red color, fine powder. It is very hot because it is made from
the dried, ground seeds of the chili, its hottest part.

16. Cilantro (Hara Dhaniya) - this fresh herb is a fragrant mix of parsley and
citrus. The leaves are rather like those of flat-leaved parsley, but darker. The
leaves have a very distinctive bitter-sweet taste. Cilantro it is usually added
toward the end of cooking to preserve the fresh aroma. Also it is frequently
used as a garnish. The seed of the cilantro is known as coriander.
17. Cumin (Jeera) - comes from the parsley family. The seeds are oval with
ridges, greenish-beige in color, warm, nutty aroma and a taste that is bitter,
but not hot. They can be ground to a powder. Cumin is usually dry-fried
before use (drop the whole seeds into a hot dry pan and cook until the roasted

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fragrance emerges). It is used to flavor rice, stuffed vegetables, many savory


dishes and curries.

18. Curry Powder - Curry Powder is a blend of many spices and is used widely
in savory dishes throughout India and Southeast Asia.

19. Fennel (Soonf) - is a greenish-brown, small oval seed from Pimpinella


Anisum, a plant in the parsley family. It has a sweet and aniseed flavor.

20. Garam Masala – meaning “hot spices” - is a mixture of ground spices


(recipes vary) (cloves, cardamom, cumin, peppercorns and cinnamon, bay
leaves).

21. Mint (Pudina) - Indian mint has a stronger flavor and more pungent aroma
than Western varieties. Mint is also perfect as a garnish for desserts, and goes
well with fruits, iced tea, lemonade and yogurts as well as a variety of
cocktails.

22. Paprika powder- is ground from dried sweet peppers (family Capsicum
Annum, relative of chili) the fruits of a tropical evergreen bush. It is milder
than chili powder or cayenne. Paprika has bright red color and a mild, sweet
flavor with a cardamom aroma.

23. Tamarind (Amli) - is the sticky, dried, brown pod of the evergreen tree. It has
a sour taste and very tart, citric flavor. The pulp must be soaked before usage.
In India, tamarind is mostly combined with meat or legumes (lentils, chick
peas or beans). It adds a distinctive cooling quality to curries, chutneys.
24. Curry leaves
25. Garlic (Lassan)
26. Ginger (Adrak)
27. Mustard seeds (Rai)
28. Fenugreek Leaf (Kasuri Methi)
29. Nutmeg and mace (Jaiphal and Javitri
30. Peppercorns (Kali Mirchi)

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Compiled and Prepared by: Bijaya Shrestha, Gateway College of Professional Studies

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