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Bharatiya Cuisine: A Way We Celebrate Our Culture

Geetha Patil and Sunil Kumar D.
12/20/2024

Bharatiya Cuisine: A Way We Celebrate Our Culture
by Geetha Patil and Sunil Kumar D.

Bharatiya cuisine consists of a great variety of regional and traditional cuisines native to the Bharatiya subcontinent. Our cuisines vary significantly due to diversity in soil, climate, culture, ethnic groups, and occupations, and use of locally available grains, spices, herbs, and fresh produces. Bharatiya cuisine is also heavily influenced by religious beliefs and practices, cultural choices and traditions. Historical events such as invasions, trade relations, and colonialism have also introduced certain foods to Bharat such as potatoes, tomatoes; chilies, peanuts, and guava that have become staples in many regions of Bharat. With distinct regional delicacies, Bharatiya foods are becoming iconic dishes in the word with the signature aromatic spices. Moreover, the present day bustling street food culture, celebratory dishes, and ancient beverages make up the vibrant world of Bharatiya food.

 

Bharatiya spice trade between Bharat and Europe has not only shaped the history of international relations but also spices were bought from Bharat and traded around Europe and Asia. Bharatiya spices have influenced other cuisines across the world, especially Europe, the Middle East, Southern African, East Africa, Southeast Asia, North America, Mauritius, Fiji, Oceania, and the Caribbean.

 

In ancient Bharat, people’s main food consists of legumes, vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy products, and honey. Staple foods eaten today include a variety of lentils (dals), whole-wheat flour (Atta), rice, and pearl millet (Bajra), which has been cultivated in the Bharatiya subcontinent since 6200 BCE. An equitable climate permitted a variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains to be grown throughout the year.

 

Traditionally, Bharatiya foods are classified into three main categories: 1) Satvika foods are cooked vegetables, milk, fresh fruits, and honey. 2) Tamasika foods bring out the lowest qualities of human behavior such as meat, liquor, garlic, and spicy and sour foods. 3) Rajsika foods that give enough energy to carry out daily work.  Food materials are also classified on the basis of their nature and use such as Sukhadhanya (cereals), Samidhanya (pulses), Phala (fruits), Shakna (vegetables), Payovarga (milk products), Madhyavarga (alcoholic beverages) and Mamasavarga (animal products).



Staple foods of Bharatiya people generally include pearl millet (Bajra), rice, whole-wheat/Jawar/Ragi/rice/corn flour (Atta), and a variety of lentils, such as Masoor (most often red lentils), Tur (pigeon peas), Urad (black gram), and Moong (mung beans). Lentils may be used whole or De- husked—for example, Dhuli Moong or Dhuli Urad—or split. Split lentils, or Dal, are used extensively used in Bharatiya cuisine. Some pulses, such as channa or cholae (Chickpeas), Rajma (kidney beans), and Lobiya (black-eyed peas) are very common, especially in the northern regions. Channa and Moong are also processed into flour (Besan) and used widely in Bharatiya cousin to prepare variety of sweet and spicy dishes.

 

Most Bharatiya dishes are cooked in different vegetable oils. Peanut oil is popular in northern and western Bharat, mustard oil in eastern Bharat, and coconut oil along the western coast, especially in Kerala and parts of southern Tamil Nadu. Gingelly (sesame) oil is common in the south since it imparts a fragrant, nutty aroma. In recent times, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, and soybean oils have become popular across Bharat. Hydrogenated vegetable oil, known as Vanaspati ghee/Dalda is another popular cooking medium.  However, butter-based ghee, or Deshi ghee, is used commonly in meals and in preparing sweets and cooking as well.

 

Most Hindu communities consider beef taboo since Hindu scriptures condemn cow slaughter and it has been banned in many states of India, except North-Eastern states, West Bengal, and Kerala. Most Hindus and Jains are strict lacto-vegetarians due to an emphasis on Ahimsa. They also do not consume garlic and onions. Jains also excludes all root vegetables such as carrots and potatoes because when the root is pulled up, organisms that live around the root also die. Non-vegetarians most commonly consume chicken and mutton. Fish and beef are not widely consumed except in some coastal areas, as well as in the northeast parts of Bharat. Muslims do not eat pork or pork products. Even canines are not considered suitable for consumption.

 

The most frequently used spices for flavoring the Bharatiya cuisine are whole or powdered chili pepper (Mirchi), black mustard seed (Sarso), cardamom (Elaichi), cumin (Jeera), turmeric (Haldi), Asafoetida (Hing), ginger (Adrak), coriander (Dhania), and garlic (Lasoon). The popular spice mix, Garam masala, a powder that normally includes seven dried spices in a particular ratio, including black cardamom, cinnamon (Dalchini), clove (Laung), cumin (Jeera), black peppercorns, coriander seeds and anise star. Each region in Bharat has a distinctive Garam masala blend. Most of the people choose freshly ground spices for a dish and then roast in hot oil or ghee to create a paste. There are other spice blends, which are popular in different regions. Panch phoron is a spice blend, which is popular in eastern Bharat. Goda masala is a sweet spice mix, which is popular in Maharashtra. Some leaves commonly used for flavoring dishes include bay leaves (Tejpat), coriander leaves, fenugreek (Methi) leaves, and mint leaves. Curry and Coriander leaves, garlic and ginger root paste are used for flavoring dishes in North and South Bharatiya cuisine. Sweet dishes are often seasoned with cardamom, saffron, nutmeg, and rose petal essences.

 

Tea is a staple beverage throughout Bharat that includes Assam tea, Darjeeling tea, Nilgiri tea. and Masala tea. Tea is often enjoyed with snacks like biscuits and Pakoda. Coffee is another popular beverage in South Bharat, which include Bharatiya filter coffee and instant coffee.

 

Lassi is a traditional dahi (yogurt)-based drink in Bharat. Salted Lassi sometimes flavored with roasted-ground cumin. Lassi can also be flavored with ingredients such as sugar, rose water, mango, lemon, strawberry, and saffron. Sharbat is a sweet cold beverage prepared from fruits or flower petals such as rose, sandalwood, bel, gurhal (hibiscus),  lemon, orange, pineapple, sarasaparilla and kokum, falsa (Grewia asiatica). Thandai is also a cold drink prepared with a mixture of almonds, fennel seeds, watermelon kernels, rose petals, pepper, poppy seeds, cardamom, saffron, milk and sugar.


Other beverages include nimbu pani (lemonade), chaasbadam doodh (milk with almonds and cardamom), Aam pannakokum Sharbat, and coconut water. panner soda or goli soda, a mixture of carbonated water, rose water, rose milk and sugar, naranga soda, a mixture of carbonated water, salt and lemon juice, and nannari sarbath, a mixture with sarasaparilla. Sharbats with carbonated water called kulukki sarbaths are the most popular non-alcoholic beverages in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

 

Some popular alcoholic beverages include beers, fenny, a Goan liquor made from either coconut or the juice of the cashew apple. Hadia is a rice beer, created by mixing herbs with boiled rice and leaving the mixture to ferment for around a week. Chuak is a similar drink from Tripura. Palm wine, locally known as Neera, is a sap extracted from inflorescences of various species of toddy palms. People of Sikkim and the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region of West Bengal consume Chhaang.  Kallu (Chetthu Kallu) is a popular natural alcohol extracted from coconut and pine trees in Kerala.

 

Bharatiya migration has spread the culinary traditions of the subcontinent throughout the world. These cuisines have been adjusted to local tastes, and have also affected local cuisines. Bharatiya curries, Tandoor dishes such as Chicken tikka, Tandoor roti and Naans have widespread popularity.



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