Take A Bite Of The World - Recipes

Namaste India, History & Trivia

Indian cuisine, the foods and methods of their preparation traditional to India. India does not have a single cuisine. Due to its wide variety of climates, soil types, cultures, and religions, as well as influences from other countries, India has a diverse range of cuisines. These cuisines vary substantially and use locally available spices, herbs, vegetables, and fruits.

The cuisine of northern India shows a stronger influence of the Islamic conquest. Dairy products such as milk, ghee, and paneer are commonly used, and many vegetables are cooked in yogurt or onion-and-tomato–based gravies. Food of this region is typically richly spiced.
To the east the amount of spice used in cooking decreases, and mustard  oil is more common. The cuisine of northeastern India is rice-based—rice is grown on terraced fields in the region's hilly terrain—and freshwater fish appears in many dishes.
In southern India rice is the staple food, and it is eaten with sambhar (sambar), a watery stew comprising lentil, tamarind, and vegetables. Many fruits and vegetables are pickled and consumed with meals, and coconut oil and gingelly (sesame) oils are used as the mediums for cooking. Seafood is common along the coast.
The west coast of India has distinct cuisine  as well. In Goa  rice and fish are the staples. In Maharashtra coastal fish and rice are also common, while millets and groundnuts are used in inland areas instead of rice and coconut. Further north, Gujarat is predominantly vegetarian, and most dishes have some sweetness due to the use of sugar.

In addition to the staple cuisines of each region, there is a whole barrage of street food options available too. Also, food is typically eaten by hand across India, with minimal use of cutlery.