Indian food encompasses a wide variety of regional cuisines native to India. Given the range of diversity in soil type, climate and occupations, these cuisines vary significantly from each other and use locally available spices, herbs, vegetables and fruits. Indian food is also heavily influenced by religious and cultural choices and traditions.
The development of these cuisines have been shaped by Dharmic beliefs, and in particular by vegetarianism, which is a growing dietary trend in Indian society. There has also been Central Asian influence on North Indian cuisine from the years of Mughal rule. Indian cuisine has been and is still evolving, as a result of the nation’s cultural interactions with other societies.
Historical incidents such as foreign invasions, trade relations and colonialism have also played a role in introducing certain foods to the country. For instance, the potato, a staple of the Indian diet, was brought to India by the Portuguese, who also introduced chilliesand breadfruit. Indian cuisine has also shaped the history of international relations; the spice trade between India and Europe is often cited by historians as the primary catalyst for Europe’s Age of Discovery. Spices were bought from India and traded around Europe and Asia. It has also influenced other cuisines across the world, especially those from Southeast Asia, the British Isles, and the Caribbean.
History
Indian cuisine reflects a 5,000-year history of various groups and cultures interacting with the subcontinent, leading to diversity of flavours and regional cuisines found in modern-day India. Later, Mughal, British and Portuguese influence added to the already diverse Indian cuisine.
Ingredients
Staple foods of Indian cuisine include pearl millet (bajra), rice, whole-wheat flour (atta), and a variety of lentils, such as masoor (most often redlentils), toor (pigeon peas), urad (black gram), and moong (mung beans). Lentils may be used whole, dehusked—for example, dhuli moong or dhuli urad—or split. Split lentils, or dal, are used extensively. Some pulses, such as channa (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).
Many Indian dishes are cooked in vegetable oil, but peanut oil is popular in northern and western India, mustard oil in eastern India, and coconut oil along the western coast, especially in Kerala. Gingelly (sesame) oil is common in the south since it imparts a fragrant nutty aroma. In recent decades, sunflower and soybean oils have become popular across India. Hydrogenated vegetable oil, known as Vanaspati ghee, is another popular cooking medium. Butter-based ghee, or desi ghee, is used frequently, though less than in the past. Many types of meat are used for Indian cooking, but chicken and mutton tend to be the most commonly consumed meats. Fish and beef consumption are prevalent in some parts of India, but they are not widely consumed.
 |
 |
Vegetables are an integral part of our food and we consume them in a number of ways. For pure vegetarians India is a heaven. Some of the famous recepies are Navratan Korma,Shahi Paneer and more.
|
|
In India, bread is eaten more in the northern regions of the country because of its dry climate.There are a variety of breads consumed in India like roomali roti, naan , aloo paratha andmore….
|
 |
 |
In India, chinese food like chowmein, chilli chicken, fried rice are liked by one and all. So in keeping up with trend we have provided some indochinese recipes like fried rice, chilli chicken, gobhi manchurian andmore….
|
|
The crispness and tempting tastes of Indian snacks is liked by young and old alike. The Indian snacks are usually delicious and mouth watering. Savouries like samosa, aloo tikki etc. are commonly served in India and more….
|
 |
 |
Cooking Indian food in microwaves. Who says you can’t cook up some delicious Indian food in a modern microwave? It’s low-cal, clean and efficient.Some of these recipes are Paneer Matar,Mutton Chops, Makki Korma, Bharwan Baigan and more….
|
|
Indian desserts are very tempting and mouth watering. Be it a scorching summer or a bone clattering winter indian mithai is always too difficult to resist. A sumptuous meal is always incomplete without sweet dish likegulab jamun or kulfi or gajjar ka halwa and more….
|
|
Video links for the recipes and preparation of Indian food :-
simranjit93 