South Asian cuisine

History

Many foods from the subcontinent have been known for over five thousand years. The Indus Valley people, who settled in the northwestern Indian subcontinent, hunted turtles and alligators. They also collected wild grains, herbs and plants. Many foods and ingredients from the Indus period (c. 3300–1700 B.C.) are still common today. Some foods consisted of wheat, barley, rice, tamarind, eggplant, and cucumber. The Indus Valley people cooked with oils, ginger, salt, green peppers, and turmeric root, which would be dried and ground into an orange powder.

Indians have used leafy vegetables, lentils, and milk products, such as-yogurt and ghee, throughout their history. They also used spices such as cumin and coriander. Black pepper, which is native to India, was often used by 400 A.D. The Greeks brought saffron and the Chinese introduced tea. The Portuguese and British made red chili, potato and cauliflower popular after 1700 A.D. The Mughals, who began arriving in India after 1200 A.D. , saw food as an art and many of their dishes were cooked with as many as 25 spices. They also used rose water, cashews, raisins, and almonds.

In the late 18th and early 19th century, an autobiography of the Scottish Robert Lindsay mentions a Sylheti man, called Saeed Ullah, cooking a curry for Lindsay's family. This is possibly the oldest record of Indian cuisine in the United Kingdom.

By culture

Afghan

Afghan cuisine is influenced by Persian, Central Asian, and Indian cuisines due to Afghanistan's close proximity and cultural ties. The cuisine is halal and mainly based on lamb, beef, and poultry with rice and Afghan bread.

Bangladeshi

Bangladeshi cuisine is dominated by Bengali cuisine and has been shaped by the diverse history and riverine geography of Bangladesh. The country has a tropical monsoon climate. Rice is the main staple food of Bangladeshi people and it is served with a wide range of curries.

Bangladeshi dishes exhibit strong aromatic flavours; and often include eggs, potatoes, tomatoes and aubergines. A variety of spices and herbs, along with mustard oil and ghee, is used in Bangladeshi cooking. The main breads are naan, porota, roti, bakarkhani and luchi. Dal is the second most important staple food which is served with rice/porota/luchi. Fish is a staple in Bangladeshi cuisine, especially freshwater fish, which is a distinctive feature of the country's gastronomy. Major fish dishes include ilish (hilsa), pabda (butterfish), rui (rohu), pangash (pangas catfish), chitol (clown knifefish), magur (walking catfish), bhetki (barramundi) and tilapia. Meat consumption includes beef, goat, chicken, duck, and koel. Vegetable dishes, either mashed (bhorta), boiled (sabji), or leaf-based (saag), are widely served. Seafood such as lobster and shrimp are also often prevalent.

Islamic dietary laws are prevalent across Bangladesh. Halal foods are food items that Muslims are allowed to eat and drink under Islamic dietary guidelines. The criteria specifies both what foods are allowed, and how the food must be prepared. The foods addressed are mostly types of meat allowed in Islam. Bangladeshi people follow certain rules and regulations while eating. It includes warm hospitality and particular ways of serving as well. This is known as Bangaliketa (Bengali: বাঙালি কেতা). The culture also defines the way to invite people to weddings and for dinner. Gifts are given on certain occasions. Bangaliketa also includes a way of serving utensils in a proper manner. Bengali cuisine has the only traditionally developed multi-course tradition from the subcontinent that is analogous in structure to the modern service à la russe style of French cuisine, with food served course-wise rather than all at once.

Bhutanese

Bhutanese cuisine employs a lot of red rice (like brown rice in texture, but with a nutty taste, the only variety of rice that grows at high altitudes), buckwheat, and increasingly maize. The diet in the hills also includes chicken, yak meat, dried beef, pork, pork fat, and mutton. It has many similarities with Tibetan cuisine.

Indian cuisine

Indian cuisine is characterized by its sophisticated and subtle use of many Indian spices. There is also the widespread practice of vegetarianism across its society although, overall a minority. Indian cuisine is one of the world's most diverse cuisines, each family of this cuisine is characterized by a wide assortment of dishes and cooking techniques. As a consequence, Indian cuisine varies from region to region, reflecting its ethnically diverse demographics. India's religious beliefs and culture has played an influential role in the evolution of its cuisine. It has influences from Middle Eastern cuisine, Southeast Asian cuisine, East Asian cuisine and Central Asian cuisine, as well as the Mediterranean cuisines due to the historical and contemporary cross-cultural interactions with these neighboring regions.

Regional cuisine includes:

• East Indian cuisines:
  • Bengali cuisine
  • Cuisine of Chhattisgarh
  • Odia cuisine
  • Bhojpuri cuisine
  • Jharkhandi cuisine
  • Maithil cuisine
  • Bihari cuisine

• Northeast Indian cuisines:
  • Assamese cuisine
  • Arunachalese cuisine
  • Meghalayan cuisine
  • Manipuri cuisine
  • Naga cuisine
  • Mizo cuisine
  • Sikkimese cuisine
  • Tripuri cuisine
  • Gorkha cuisine

• North Indian cuisines:
  • Awadhi cuisine
  • Cuisine of Uttar Pradesh
  • Himachali cuisine
  • Kashmiri cuisine
  • Kumaoni cuisine
  • Ladakhi cuisine
  • Mughlai cuisine
  • Punjabi cuisine
  • Rajasthani cuisine

• South Indian cuisines:
  • Andhra cuisine
  • Chettinad cuisine
  • Dhivehi cuisine (Minicoy)
  • Hyderabadi cuisine
  • Kerala cuisine
  • Karnataka cuisine
  • Tamil cuisine
  • Thalassery cuisine
  • Udupi cuisine

• West Indian cuisines:
  • Goan cuisine
  • Gujarati cuisine
  • Maharashtrian cuisine
  • Malvani cuisine
  • Parsi cuisine
  • Sindhi cuisine
  • Thathai Bhatia Cuisine

• Other Indian cuisines include:
  • Indian Chinese cuisine
  • Jain vegetarianism
  • Indian fast food

Maldivian

Maldivian cuisine, also called Dhivehi cuisine, is the cuisine of the Nation of Maldives and of Minicoy, India. The traditional cuisine of Maldivians is based on three main items and their derivatives: coconuts, fish and starches.

Nepalese

Nepalese cuisine comprises a variety of cuisines based upon ethnicity, soil and climate relating to Nepal's cultural diversity and geography.Dal-bhat-tarkari (Nepali: दाल भात तरकारी) is eaten throughout Nepal. Nepali cuisine has significant influences from Neighboring Indian and Tibetan cuisines.

Nepalese cuisine includes:

• Newa cuisine
• Tibetan cuisine
• Maithil cuisine

Pakistani

Pakistani cuisine (Urdu: پاکستانی پکوان) is part of the greater South Asian with significant influence from West Asian cuisines and Central Asian cuisines due to its geographic location and influence. As a result of Mughal legacy, Pakistan also mutually inherited many recipes and dishes from that era alongside India.

Regional cuisines include:

• Balochi cuisine
• Chitrali cuisine
• Kalash cuisine
• Lahori cuisine
• Cuisine of Karachi
• Pashtun cuisine
• Punjabi cuisine
• Saraiki cuisine
• Sindhi cuisine

Other Pakistani cuisine include:

• Pakistani Chinese cuisine
• Mughlai cuisine (Karachi)
• Pakistani fast food

Sri Lankan

Sri Lankan cuisine has been shaped by many historical, cultural, and other factors. Foreign traders who brought new food items; influences from Malay cuisine and South Indian cuisine are evident.