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Regional Indian Cuisine

Amit Kumar

Cuisine and Regional Cookery

the cuisine is a characteristic manner, style or quality of cooking. the cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, techniques & dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic location.

Indian Cuisine :

It has evolved along lines parallel to Indian history. India has an ancient cultural heritage which is dependent on

religion, geography and socio-economic conditions. Traditionally Indian cooking has been handed down through the generations by demonstrations and word of mouth.

A culinary history of India includes the skills, historical and regional influences. Religion and caste also play their role in influencing Indian cuisine. This is the land where Buddhism, Hinduism Sikhism Jainism were born; faith from other lands-Islamism Christianity have all taken the root in the subsequent. With Buddhism and Jainism stressing on Ahimsa many become vegetarians.

The origin of India’s eating habit arose because of the influence within the country and due to the climatic condition. People with new faith and new products, brought their practice with them when they inverted and influenced Indian cuisine. It is the spices whose use dates to the pre-Aryan period and responsible for superb preparation. Masalas spices are the very heart of Indian cooking. Different parts of plants are used as spices and aromatics in different combinations produce an infinite variety of flavor and taste- sweet, sharp, hot, mild, spicy, aromatic, fragment or pungent. The art of Indian cuisine lies not in high spicing, but in the delicacy of spicing.

The bases of an Indian meal are rice, wheat, millets, depending upon regions. It is generally eaten with lentils/pulses, vegetables, and savory pickles or chutneys. The spices transform the taste of food and tingle to the palate. Spices have medicinal value. In extremes north of India is Kashmir, where the cuisine is very rich and fruit nuts saffron nutmeg etc. used. Some popular dishes are Goshtaba (meatloaf), Mishaini (seven courses of lamb), etc.

The Gangetic plain in the middle and eastern part of India is both rice and wheat eating belt, and millet and maize are used in some areas. The normal meal used in lower-middle classes in plain rice, vegetables, dal, unleavened bread plain yogurt and milk-based sweets.

Regional cuisine:

North-Indian Cuisine:

Utter Pradesh represents a mixture of many religions and traditionally is Hindu based character. Many different castes have settled here. Quite several people in Utter Pradesh refrain from the use of ginger and garlic. The dishes are served in Thalis, which could be either very blend or very spicy. Some popular dishes are Poorie, Alu ki Sabzi, Bhujias, Kadhi Chawal, Tikkis, Masala Bhindi, Phirni, Kheer, etc.

Benaras is a Hindu city and Lucknow is a city where the Oudh and Awadhi cooking is very popular. All dishes of this region are tasty with non-vegetarian dishes such as kababs made of minced meat with nutmeg, mace, cardamoms, peanuts and fennel seeds as an all-time favorite. Kakori kababs are famous from the town Kakori. Some of the popular dishes are Pasanda, Pilaffs, Lucknowi Raan halwa, etc. Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh is famous for Archer gosh, Murgh Rizala, Musafir, Salim Gobi, etc.

Bengali cuisine:

Fish is very popular and dishes are prepared with mustard oil. Poppy seeds are used in some preparations. It gives a distinct flavor and taste. Misti Doi a sweeten yogurt is very popular. Some popular dishes are Loochi, Alu-dam, Moorighonto, chachhari, bhaja, Sorshe Dharosh, Singharas and in sweet Rasmalai, Sandesh, Rosogolla, etc.

South-Indian Cuisine:

The common basic Ingredient used for the above cuisines is tamarind, hot red chilies, coconut, mustard, curry leaves, urad dal, rice powder, etc. Cuisine is a little different as they use coconut oil.

Chinese Cuisine:

Chinese culture is the oldest civilization in the world. In unrecorded history, they were the First discovers of fire. Friendship and food were inseparably linked. A gathering without food was considered incomplete and improper.

The Chinese have a strong sense of artistry which finds the impression of Chinese cooking. Every aspect of food is taken into consideration palatability, texture, aroma, and color. Every dish is given proportion balance and harmony.

Chinese cooking calls for maximum preparation of raw ingredient and minimum cooking method. FAN and CAI-the dishes have balance, combination, and blend of color, flavor, texture, shape, and size.

Regional Cuisine:

Five regional cuisines are predominant. These are South-Eastern: Cantonese, Western: Szechwan, North-Eastern: Pecking or Shantung, Central: Honan, East Coast: Fukien.

South-Eastern: Cantonese:

The various regional cuisines were influenced by many factors, such as it was influenced by the Western traveler. When they migrated they established Chinese restaurant outside of China.

Western Szechwan:

The province is hot almost tropical. The food is highly spiced, peppery and somewhat oily. Deep frying is popular. Chicken chili fry, Szechwan Duck is a favorite dish of this cuisine.

North-Eastern (Pecking or Shantung Style):

Shanghai was influenced by the active trade between Peking and Shantung. Peking, now called Beijing, was the site of Imperial Palace. Construction of wealth attracted the country’s best chefs, which brought cooking to its highest level. It has a reputation for Mammoth feast and Banquets.

Central (Hunan Style):

The yellow river runs through the Hunan province which is famous for its yellow river crops. It’s known for its spiced concentration, sweet and sour dishes, and rich seasoning.

East Coast (Fukien Style):

This province of china is famous for seafood and clear light soups. They are known for their quality. Wine is sometimes used in cooking.

Italian cuisine:

Pasta, risotto, fritto misto, pizza are worldwide enjoyed. Italian cuisine has a great variety of different ingredients such as meats, ham, sausage, salami. liver, tongue, sweetbread (beef ,pork ,lamb, chicken), fish(seafood), vegetables (garlic ,potatoes ,artichokes ,olives ,,capers , eggplants ,mushrooms, zucchini and spinach). Rice, maize, corn and Parmesan, Gorgonzola, cheeses are commonly used. Popular herbs are basil, rosemary, oregano, Pasta dishes are widely based on tomato or tomato concasse, red and white Italian wines .gnocchi (made with potatoes) considered as pasta

Pasta is categorized in two basic styles: dried and fresh. Dried pasta made without eggs can be stored for up to two years under ideal conditions, while fresh pasta will keep for a couple of days with eggs in the refrigerator. Italian pasta is traditionally cooked al dente (“firm to the bite”, meaning not too soft).

Goes well with

French cuisine

French cuisine is a style of food preparation originating from France that has developed from centuries of social change. In the Middle Ages, Guillaume Tirel, a court chef, authored Le Viandier, one of the earliest recipe collections of Medieval France. In the 17th century, La Varenne and the notable chef of Napoleon and other dignitaries, Marie-Antoine Careme, moved toward fewer spices and more liberal usage of herbs and creamy ingredients, signaling the beginning of modern cuisine. Cheese and wine are a major part of the cuisine, playing different roles regionally and nationally, with many variations and appellation origin controlee (AOC) (regulated appellation) laws.

French cuisine was codified in the 20th century by Escoffier to become the modern version of haute cuisine; Escoffier, however, left out much of the regional culinary character to be found in the regions of France. Gastro-tourism and the Guide Michelin helped to acquaint people with the rich bourgeois and peasant cuisine of the French countryside starting in the 20th century. Gascon cuisine has also had great influence over the cuisine in the southwest of France. Many dishes that were once regional have proliferated in variations across the country.

Knowledge of French cooking has contributed significantly to Western cuisines and its criteria are used widely in Western cookery school boards and culinary education. In November 2010 the French gastronomy was added by UNESCO to its lists of the world’s “intangible cultural heritage”

History

French cuisine has evolved extensively over centuries. The national cuisine started forming in the middle ages due to the influence of the work of skilled chefs and various social and political movements. Over the years the styles of French cuisine have been given different names, and have been modified by various master-chefs. During their lifetimes, these chefs have been held in high regard for contributions to the culture of the country. The national cuisine developed primarily in the city of Paris with the chefs to French royalty, but eventually, it spread throughout the country and was even exported overseas.

Mid 20th century – late 20th century

The 1960s brought about innovative thought to the French cuisine; especially because of the contribution of Portuguese immigrants that had come to the country fleeing the forced drafting to the Colonial Wars Portugal was fighting in Africa. Many new dishes were introduced, as well as techniques. This period is also marked by the appearance of the “Nouvelle Cuisine”.

The term nouvelle cuisine has been used many times in the history of French cuisine. This description was seen in the 1740s of the cuisine from Vincent La Chapelle, Francis Marin, and Menon, and even during the 1880s and 1890s to describe Escoffier’s cooking. The term came up again, however, during the 1960s, when used by two authors, Henri Gault and Christian Millau, to describe the cooking of Paul Bocuse, Jean and Pierre Troisgros, Michel Guerard, Roger Verge and Raymond Oliver[7]. These chefs were working toward rebelling against the “orthodoxy” of Escoffier’s cuisine. Some of the chefs were students of Fernand Point at the Pyramide in Vienne, and had left to open their restaurants. Gault and Millau “discovered the formula” contained in ten characteristics of this new style of cooking.

The first characteristic was a rejection of excessive complication in cooking. Second, the cooking times for most fish, seafood, game birds, veal, green vegetables, and pates was greatly reduced in an attempt to preserve the natural flavors. Steaming was an important trend from this characteristic. The third characteristic was that the cuisine was made with the freshest possible ingredients. Fourth, large menus were abandoned in favor of shorter menus. Fifth, strong marinades for meat and game ceased to be used. Sixth, they stopped using heavy sauces such as Espagnole and bechamel thickened with flour-based “roux”, in favor of seasoning their dishes with fresh herbs, quality butter, lemon juice, and vinegar. Seventh, they used regional dishes for inspiration instead of haute cuisine dishes. Eighth, new techniques were embraced and modern equipment was often used. Ninth, the chefs paid close attention to the dietary needs of their guests through their dishes. Tenth and finally, the chefs were extremely inventive and created new combinations and pairings.

Some have speculated that a contributor to nouvelle cuisine was World War II when animal protein was in short supply during the German occupation. By the mid-1980s food writers stated that the style of cuisine had reached exhaustion and many chefs began returning to the haute cuisine style of cooking, although much of the lighter presentations and new techniques remained.

NORTHWEST FRONTIER PROVINCE CUISINE

This cuisine uses the simplistic style of preparation, where large chunks of meat, seafood, and vegetables are marinated sparingly and cooked in the clay tandoor at high temperatures so that they remain tender and succulent.

The spices and flavors are judiciously used so as not to overpower the preparations and to be acceptable to every’ palate. The rusticness of the cuisine and the focus on preserving the flavors and ingredients is another key distinction of this cuisine. Originally, the kebabs owe their origin to this cuisine.

The other important factor is that the method of cooking is quite adaptable to vegetarian ingredients also. Tandoori gobhi and Dal are as popular as chicken tikka.

The food is cooked in clay ovens or tandoor in the traditional style of the Indian North-West Frontier region. This style of cooking requires great expertise on the part of the chefs, since the meat is not accompanied by any sauce or gravy, but is only pre-marinated and cooked before serving. It takes a Chef years of meticulous training and dedication to master the technique of the art of making the bread that are a vital part of the cuisine, or to acquire the ability to gauge spices, mix marinades, and the most vital of all, to judge the heat of the tandoor and the time necessary for each dish to be perfectly cooked.

Another unique feature of the cuisine is the use of prime cuts of meat, marinated with the choicest of spices and skilfully cooked on high heat while retaining their tender moistness.

ORIGIN

The British demarcated the North-West Frontier Province in the year 1900, which comprised parts of Afghanistan, and the North-West part of pre-independence India. The cuisine has been inspired by the essence of North-West Frontier tradition, of camaraderie around the warm glow of a campfire – succulent tandoori fare, low on oil and high on authenticity.

NWF Cuisine Menu

Shorba -Soups

Curries-Gravy

Desserts

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