Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ADAMYA SHYAM
Food Habits of
India & U.K.
INDIAN CUISINE
INDIAN
CUISINE
INDIAN
CUISINE
INDIAN CUISINE CONSISTS OF THOUSANDS OF REGIONAL CUISINES WHICH
DATE BACK TO THOUSANDS OF YEARS, IT WAS ALSO INFLUENCED BY THE
U.K.WHEN THEY WERE RULING INDIA DURING THE PRE-INDEPENDENCE
PERIOD, THE DISHES OF INDIA ARE CHARACTERIZED BY THE EXTENSIVE
USE OF VARIOUS INDIAN SPICES, HERBS, VEGETABLE AND FRUIT. IT IS ALSO
KNOWN FOR THE WIDESPREAD PRACTICE OF VEGETARIANISM IN INDIAN
SOCIETY. EACH FAMILY OF INDIAN CUISINE INCLUDES A WIDE ASSORTMENT
OF DISHES AND COOKING TECHNIQUES. AS A CONSEQUENCE, IT VARIES
FROM REGION TO REGION, REFLECTING THE VARIED DEMOGRAPHICS OF
THE
ETHNICALLY-DIVERSE
SUBCONTINENT.
EATING HABITS
cultures interacting with the subcontinent, leading to the diversity of flavors and
regional cuisines found in modern-day India. Many recipes first emerged during
the initial Vedic period, when India was still heavily forested and agriculture was
complemented with game hunting and forest produce. In Vedic times, a normal
diet consisted of fruit, vegetables, grain, dairy products, honey, and poultry and
other sorts of meats. Over time, some segments of the population embraced
vegetarianism. This was facilitated by the advent of Buddhism and an equitable
climate permitting a variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains to be grown
throughout the year. A food classification system that categorized any item as
saatvic, raajsic or taamsic developed in Ayurveda. A reference to the kind of food
one is to eat is also discussed in the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 17, Verses 8,9 & 10
In this period eating beef became taboo, a practice still common today.
This was the period in which several North Indian dynasties were predominant,
including the Travelers who visited India brought with them new cooking methods
and products like tea and spices. Later, India saw the period of Central Asian and
Afghan conquerors, which saw the emergence of the Mughlai cuisine that many
people now associate with India. This included the addition of several seasonings
like saffron. the addition of nuts, and the practice of cooking in a sealed pot called
a "dum". The 18th century saw the establishment of U.K.rule in India. The U.K.,
who admired the elaborate meals, adapted dishes to their taste and developed
curry as a simple spice. This period resulted in the emergence of Anglo-Indian
cuisine and the emergence of "Raj" traditions like "high-tea", an elaborate late
afternoon
meal
served
with
tea.
REGIONAL CUISINES
Andhra Pradesh
Cuisine of the southern state of Andhra Pradesh is referred to as
Telugu cuisine. Rice is the staple starch and is usually consumed
with a variety of curries and lentil soups or broths. Although
many people here are vegetarian, people living in the coastal
areas are known for their seafood dishes. Food of Andhra
Pradesh is known for its heavy use of spices and chillies. One of
the most important parts of the Andhra cuisine are the various
pickles, such as avakaya, a pickle made from green mango, and
gongura, a pickle made from the leaves of the gongura plant.
Curds are a common addition to meals to neutralize the spiciness
of the food. Another popular Telugu dish is Hyderabadi biryani, a
mixture of rice, yogurt, onions, meat and spices. Hyderabadi
Biryani is popular for its exquisite taste and is derived from
Persian style of slow cooking. While a small chunk of the
populace are vegetarians, vegetarian food is still quite popular.
Vegetarian food is generally served for breakfast and lunch.
Breakfast items like Dosa, Vada have origins in Udipi, Karnataka
but are influenced by spices native to Andhra Pradesh.
Arunachal Pradesh
Assam
Assamese cuisine, from Assam, a state in North-East India is a
mixture of different indigenous styles with considerable
regional variations and some external influences. Although it is
characterized by the limited use of spices, the flavors are still
strong due to the use of endemic exotic herbs, fruits and
vegetables that are either fresh, dried or fermented. Fish is
widely used, and so are birds like duck or pigeon. Preparations
are rarely elaborate; the practice of bhuna, the gentle frying of
spices before the addition of the main ingredients so common
in Indian cooking, is absent in the cuisine of Assam. A
traditional meal in Assam begins with a khar, a class of dishes
named after the main ingredient, and ends with a tenga, a sour
dish. The food is usually served in bell metal utensils. Pann, the
practice of chewing betel nut, generally concludes the meal.
Bihar
GOA
Seafood, coconut milk, rice and paste are
main ingredients of Goan delicacies. The
area is located in a tropical climate, and
spices and flavors are intense. Use of
Kokum is a distinct feature. Goan cuisine is
mostly seafood based; the staple foods are
rice and fish. Kingfish (Vison or Visvan) is
the most common delicacy, others include
pomfret, shark, tuna and mackerel. Among
the shellfish are crabs, prawns, tiger
prawns, lobster, squid and mussels. The
cuisine of Goa is influenced by its Hindu
origins, four hundred years of Portuguese
colonialism, and modern techniques. The
state is frequented by tourists visiting its
beaches and historic sites, so its food has
an international aspect. Goan Saraswat
Brahmin and Daivajna Brahmins can be
considered facultative vegetarians, as they
eat fish and chicken most days, reverting to
vegetarianism occasionally for religious
reasons, although Brahmins belonging to
Pancha Dravida are strictly vegetarian.
GUJARAT
Gujarati cuisine is primarily vegetarian. The typical Gujarati Thali consists of Roti (a flat
bread made from wheat flour, and called Rotli in Gujarati), dal or kadhi, rice, and
sabzi/shaak (a dish made up of different combinations of vegetables and spices, which may
be stir fried, spicy or sweet). Cuisine can vary widely in flavor and heat, depending on a
given family's tastes as well as the region of Gujarat they are from. North Gujarat,
Kathiawad, Kachchh, and South Gujarat are the four major regions of Gujarati cuisine. Many
Gujarati dishes are distinctively sweet, salty, and spicy at the same time. The cuisine
changes with the seasonal availability of vegetables. In mango season, for example, Keri no
ras (fresh mango pulp) is often an integral part of the meal. The spices used also change
depending on the season. Garam Masala and its constituent spices are used less in summer.
Regular fasting, with diets limited to milk and dried fruits, and nuts, is a common practice.
HARYANA
KARNATAKA
Madhya Pradesh
KERALA
Kerala cuisine is a blend of indigenous dishes and foreign dishes adapted to Kerala
tastes. Coconuts grow in abundance in Kerala, and consequently, grated coconut
and coconut milk are widely used in dishes and curries as a thickener and flavoring
ingredient. Kerala's long coastline, numerous rivers and backwater networks, and
strong fishing industry have contributed to many sea- and river-food based dishes.
Rice is grown in abundance, and could be said, along with tapioca
(manioc/cassava), to be the main starch ingredient used in Kerala food. Having
been a major production area of spices for thousands of years, black pepper,
cardamom, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon play a large part in its food. Most of
Kerala's Hindus eat fish except the Brahmin community and because Kerala has
large minorities of Muslims and Christians that are predominantly non-vegetarians,
Kerala cuisine has a multitude of both vegetarian and dishes prepared using fish,
poultry and meat. Rice and fish along with some vegetables is the staple diet in
most Kerala households. Kerala also has a variety of breakfast dishes like idli,
dosa, appam, idiyappam, puttu, and pathiri.
Nagaland
Orissa
Oriyas are very fond of sweets and no Oriya
repast is considered complete without some
dessert at the end. Vegeterian foods also
include foods prepared without onion and
garlic as in temple prasadam and bramhin
cuisine.
Punjab
Tamil Nadu
Tamil food is characterized by the use of rice, legumes and lentils, its distinct
aroma and flavour achieved by the blending of spices including curry leaves,
tamarind, coriander, ginger, garlic, chili, pepper, cinnamon, cloves,
cardamom, cumin, nutmeg, coconut and rosewater. The word "curry" is
derived from the Tamil word 'kari' which means "an additive to the main
course or a side dish" Rice and legumes play an important role in Tamil
cuisine. Lentils are also consumed extensively, either accompanying rice
preparations, or in the form of independent dishes. Vegetables and dairy
products are essential accompaniments. Tamil Nadu is famous for its spicy
non vegetarian dishes. The southern regions in Tamil Nadu, namely; Madurai,
Kaaraikudi or Chettinaadu are famous for their spicy non vegetarian dishes.
UTTARAKHAND
The food from Uttarakhand is known to be wholesome to suit the high-energy
necessities of the mountainous and wintry region. It is traditionally cooked over
wood fire. The cuisine mainly consists of food from two different sub regions Garhwal
and Kumaon, though the basic ingredients of both Garhwali and Kumaoni cuisine
are the same, there are some basic differences that tell apart the two. The distinctive
trait of the Kumauni cuisine is the tightfisted use of especially milk and milk-based
products as cows from hilly areas do not yield high-quality or amount of milk. The
similarity between both of them is the liberal use of Ghee and charcoal cooking. Both
Garhwalis and Kumaunis are fond of lentil or pulses and Bhaatt or rice. To combat
the extreme winters and possible exhausting of food, they also use Badi (sun-dried
Urad Dal balls) and Mangodi (sun-dried Moong Dal balls) as substitute for
vegetables at times. Main dishes from Uttarakhand include Chainsoo, Kafuli, Jholi,
Thechwani, Baadi, etc.
The dishes prepared by the people of Uttarakhan are similar to Uttar Pradesh. They
eat rice, pulses, chapatis, vegetable. Tomatoes, onions and spices are used to make
the food delicious.
Tripura
The Tripuri people are the original inhabitants of the
state of Tripura in North East India. The indigenous
Tripuri people comprises the communities of Tipra,
Reang, Jamatia, Noatia, Uchoi and others. The Tripuri
people have their own culture and cuisine. The Tripuris
are non-vegetarian, though there is a minority modern
vaishnavite Hindu vegetarian following. The major
ingredient of Tripuris cuisine for non-vegetarian food
includes pork, chicken, mutton, turtle, fish, prawns,
WEST BENGAL
Bengali cuisine is a style of food preparation originating in
the eastern India which includes states of Tripura, Barak
Valley of Assam and West Bengal. With an emphasis on fish
and lentils served with rice as a staple diet, Bengali cuisine
is known for its subtle flavours, its confectioneries and
desserts, and has perhaps the only multi-course tradition
from India that is analogous with French and Italian cuisine
in structure. The nature and variety of dishes found in
Bengali cooking are unique even in India. Fish cookery is
one of its better-known features and distinguishes it from
the cooking of the landlocked regions. Bengal's many rivers,
ponds and lakes teem with many kinds of freshwater fish
that closely resemble catfish, bass, shad or mullet. Bengalis
prepare fish in innumerable ways steamed or braised, or
stewed with greens or other vegetables and with sauces
that are mustard-based or thickened with poppy seeds.
UTTAR
PRADESH
The Uttar Pradeshi cuisine consists of both vegetarian and nonvegetarian dishes but a vast majority of the state enjoys sober
vegetarian meals with Dal, roti, sabzi and rice constituting the
essentials of daily food habits. Pooris and kachoris are relished on
special occasions. Uttar Pradesh has also been greatly influenced by
Mughal (Mughlai cuisine) cooking techniques which is very popular
worldwide. The samosa and pakora, among the most popular
snacks in all of India, are also originally from Uttar Pradesh. Awadhi
is a type of West-Central Uttar Pradeshi cuisine found in the state's
Awadh
Region.
Sikkim
Sikkim has its own unique dietary culture with specifi c cuisine and food
recipes. In the Sikkim Himalayas traditional foods are an integral part of
the dietary culture of the various ethnic groups of people consisting of
the Nepalese, Bhutias and Lepchas. Rice is the staple food. Meat and
dairy products are also consumed depending on availability. Besides
these, various traditional fermented foods and beverages, which
constitute of about 20 per cent of the basic diet for long centuries are
prepared and consumed. The dietary-culture of this region is mostly
refl ected in the pattern of food production. Depending on the altitudinal
variation, fi nger millet, wheat, buckwheat, barley, vegetable, potato,
soybeans, etc. are grown. Some of the common traditional cuisine with
their food recipes has been presented for introduction of dietary culture
of the Sikkim Himalayas, as well as for product diversifi cation.
Several
customs
are
associated
with
food
consumption. Traditionally, meals were eaten while
seated either on the floor or on very low stools or
cushions. Food is most often eaten without cutlery,
using instead the fingers of the right hand. Often roti
(flat bread) is used to scoop the curry without allowing
it to touch the hands. Other etiquette includes eating
with one hand only, preferably the right hand. Along
the coast to the south, where the staple is parboiled
rice, rural dwellers raise a hand full of rice [to eat while
urban folks tend to only use the fingers and thumb. In
the wheat growing/consuming north, a piece of roti is
gripped with the thumb and middle finger and ripped
off while holding the roti down with the index finger.
Traditional serving styles vary from region to region in
India.
One universal aspect of presentation is the Thali, a
large plate with samplings of different regional dishes
accompanied by Raita, breads such as nan, pure, or
roti, and rice. Most South Indian meals end with plain
curd and rice. In South India, cleaned banana leaves,
which could be disposed of after the meal, were
traditionally used as an alternative to plates. When
hot food is served on banana leaves, the leaves add
aroma and taste to the food. Leaf plates are still
utilized on auspicious and festive occasions but are
much less common otherwise.
Traditional ways of dining are being influenced by
eating styles from other parts of the world. Among the
DESSER
sweets, known
TS as
Indian
mythoi,
are a type of confectionery. Many
are made with sugar, milk and
condensed milk, and cooked by
frying. The bases of the sweets and
other ingredients vary by region. In
the Eastern part of India, for
example, milk is a staple, and most
sweets from this region are based
Beverage
QUIZ TIME
QUIZ TIME
What is Thukpa?
Thukpa is a kind of noodle soup .
PHOTO
GALLERY
U.K. CUISINE
U.K. CUISINE
We have a wide and varied cuisine in U.K. today, no more do we
suffer under the image of grey boiled meat. After years of
disparagement by various countries (especially the French) U.K.
now has an enviable culinary reputation. In fact some of the
great chefs now come from U.K..
However U.K.'s culinary expertise is not new. In the past U.K.
cooking was amongst the best in the world
Traditional U.K.cuisine is substantial, yet simple and wholesome.
We have long believed in four meals a day. Our fare has been
influenced by the traditions and tastes from different parts of
the U.K.empire: teas from Ceylon and chutney, kedgeree, and
mulligatawny soup from India.
Eating Habits
Many of these dietary changes reflect current nutritional advice. Since the 60s we've been
consuming fewer calories from household food (this doesn't include eating out). However,
there are an increasing number of people who are overweight or obese. The reasons for
this are not clear. But there are a few possible explanations, such as:
We are now much less active than we used to be so we need less energy from our food.
We're preparing less food at home, so as well as the food we buy for eating at home, we're
also eating takeaways and eating out.
We may be eating more snacks and sweets than we are admitting to in surveys Most of
our energy comes from carbohydrates (starchy foods and sugary foods) as it did in the
1950s.
The proportion of energy in our diets coming from fat is about the same as in the 1950s.
In the 1960s and 1970s the energy from fat in our diets increased but since the late 1980s
we have been consuming less total fat and we've also cut down on saturated fat, which
takes us nearer the target levels (35% food energy from total fat, 11% food energy from
saturated fat).
This may be due to the general switch from whole milk, butter, margarine and lard to
semi-skimmed and skimmed milk, vegetable oils and low/ reduced-fat spreads.
There have been considerable changes in the types of foods we're eating. This means that
the main sources of nutrients in our diets has been changing.
The wartime diet was not popular. However, rationing in the 1950s was able to provide a
generally healthy diet. This is despite the fact that its energy content was comparatively
high and the fat was almost entirely saturated. It was also higher in salt, but it didn't
contain the innumerable convenience foods we have today, and women were expected to
prepare most foods in their own home. It was also low in fruit, especially in the winter.
Eating Habits
Eating Habits
A period of full employment in the 1960s entailed a
steady increase in married women employed outside
the home, and, later, an increase in mothers of young
children doing likewise. Household incomes have risen,
yet women continue to be responsible for organising
the shopping and doing the cooking. The double
burden of work inside and outside the home made a
readily defined mass market for the sale of electrically
powered kitchen technologies, sold in the name of
labour saving to busy wives and mothers and for
frozen dinners, ready-prepared vegetables, cook-in
sauces and more. It also created a market in which
manufactured foods could aptly be re-named
convenience foods.
Eating Habits
Unfamiliar cuisines, imported tropical
fruits, fusion recipes even the very
expression fusion food are reminders
of the fashionable use of foods whose
meaning,
over
time,
shifts
from
n o v e l t y o r l u x u r y , t o e v e r y d ay o r
even necessity. In Britain as elsewhere
in Europe, the massive social disparities
in wealth of the Medieval period were
m a r ke d b y a r i s t o c r a c i e s d i s p l ay i n g t h e i r
superiority via gargantuan feasts. In the
f o l l o w i n g c e n t u r i e s , q u a n t i t y g a v e w ay
t o q u a l i t y, w i t h s o c i a l s u p e r i o r i t y b e i n g
expressed
by
r e fi n e m e n t
and
discrimination in taste.
Diet Barometer
Consumption of semi-skimmed milk overtook whole milk
in 1993.
Bananas overtook apples as the fresh fruit market leader
in 1996.
Over the past ten years we've started buying more nontraditional types of bread, such as French, nan and pitta
bread, ciabatta and bagels.
We're drinking 12 times as much bottled mineral water at
home compared to the mid-1980s.
In the 1980s we made our move from butter to soft
margarines and today, reduced-fat spreads are the
preferred option.
A brief history
U.K.cuisine has always been multicultural, a pot pourri of eclectic styles. In ancient times influenced by the
Romans and in medieval times the French. When the Frankish Normans invaded, they brought with them
the spices of the east: cinnamon, saffron, mace, nutmeg, pepper, ginger. Sugar came to England at that
time, and was considered a spice -- rare and expensive. Before the arrival of cane sugars, honey and fruit
juices were the only sweeteners. The few Medieval cookery books that remain record dishes that use every
spice in the larder, and chefs across Europe saw their task to be the almost alchemical transformation of
raw ingredients into something entirely new (for centuries the English aristocracy ate French food) which
they felt distinguished them from the peasants.
During Victorian times good old U.K.stodge mixed with exotic spices from all over the Empire. And today
despite being part of Europe we've kept up our links with the countries of the former U.K.empire, now
united under the Commonwealth.
One of the benefits of having an empire is that we did learn quite a bit from the colonies. From East Asia
(China) we adopted tea (and exported the habit to India), and from India we adopted curry-style spicing, we
even developed a line of spicy sauces including ketchup, mint sauce, Worcestershire sauce and deviled
sauce to indulge these tastes. Today it would be fair to say that curry has become a national dish.
Among English cakes and pastries, many are tied to the various religious holidays of the year. Hot Cross
Buns are eaten on Good Friday, Simnel Cake is for Mothering Sunday, Plum Pudding for Christmas, and
Twelfth Night Cake for Epiphany.
Unfortunately a great deal of damage was done to U.K.cuisine during the two world wars. U.K. is an island
and supplies of many goods became short. The war effort used up goods and services and so less were left
over for private people to consume. Ships importing food stuffs had to travel in convoys and so they could
make fewer journeys. During the second world war food rationing began in January 1940 and was lifted
only gradually after the war.
The U.K.tradition of stews, pies and breads, according to the taste buds of the rest of the world, went into
terminal decline. What was best in England was only that which showed the influence of France, and so
English food let itself become a gastronomic joke and the French art of Nouvell Cuisine was adopted.
Regional Specialties
Bangers and
Mash
YOU MIGHT SEE THIS ON OFFER IN A PUB OR CAFE.
SIMPLY PUT, BANGERS ARE SAUSAGES, AND MASH IS
POTATO THAT'S BEEN BOILED AND THEN MASHED UP
(USUALLY WITH BUTTER). THE SAUSAGE USED IN
BANGERS AND MASH CAN BE MADE OF PORK OR BEEF
WITH
APPLE
OR
TOMATO
SEASONING;
OFTEN
A
LINCOLNSHIRE, OR CUMBERLAND SAUSAGE IS USED.
THE DISH IS USUALLY SERVED WITH A RICH ONION
GRAVY. ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES STATED THAT THE
TERM "BANGERS" HAS ITS ORIGINS IN WORLD WAR II,
THE TERM WAS ACTUALLY IN USE AT LEAST AS FAR
BACK AS 1919.
U.K. Cheese
Cheese is made from the curdled milk of various animals: most commonly cows but
often goats, sheep and even reindeer, and buffalo. Rennet is often used to induce
milk to coagulate, although some cheeses are curdled with acids like vinegar or
lemon juice or with extracts of vegetable rennet.
U.K. started producing cheese thousands of years ago. However, it was in Roman
times that the cheese-making process was originally honed and the techniques
developed. In the Middle Ages, the gauntlet was passed to the monasteries that
flourished following the Norman invasion. It is to these innovative monks that we
are indebted for so many of the now classic types of cheese that are produced in
U.K..
The tradition of making cheese nearly died out during WWII, when due to rationing
only one type of cheese could be manufactured - the unappealingly named
'National Cheese'. The discovery and revival of old recipes and the development of
new types of cheese has seen the U.K. cheese industry flourish in recent years and
diversify in a way not seen since the 17 th century.
QUIZ TIME
Sandwich the well known breakfast meal has
been given by which country?
England
QUIZ TIME
PHOTO
GALLER
Y
THANK YOU