AVADH CUISINE

Many scholars believe that though Mughals are the founder of ‘Mughlai cuisine’, but the actual cuisine flourished by only after coming to India. The Mughalsor Mongals knew only the roast meat done on the spit,as those Barnarians had neither the time nor interested to create an elaborate meal.

But after they came to India, they became the connoisseurs of Indian culinary art and the actual Mughlai cuisine came into scene.

In avadh, two great cuisines –one innovative and the other traditional – became classic art form. The DUM PUKHT (meaning chocking of the steam) was originated in Persia where prepared food was sealed and buried in hot sun to mature. In India it came when Nawab-asaf-ud-daulah decided to feed his starving subjects during famine of 1784 by providing them jobs of making Bara Imambara. The monument was built during the day and destroyed by night. During this stage huge amount of food were cooked and sealed in a big hundis and then kept warmed in double walled BUKHARI or oven. One day Nawab tested and liked the food, andthen he introduced this style of cooking in his kitchen.

The traditional Avadhi cuisine was flourished becauseof Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, was one of the India’s best known gourmet.

DUM PUKHT ITEMS:1.Gulnar jalpari: jumbo prawn marinated in a batter

and cooked in dum.

2.Khuroos-e-potli: marinated pieces of chicken stuffed in their skin of neck and then browned and finished in dum, oven.

3.Ahd-e-changezi: it’s a leg of lamb delicacy in peppery gravy.

4.Zaqand –e-kebabi: clove flavored lamb picatta cooked on tawa and then finished in dum.

5.Firdans-e-barein : meat balls stuffed with sunflower seeds and raisin and simmerd in a aromatic gravy.

6.Phaldari kofta: raw banana balls cooked in gravy.7.Badal jam: A brinjal delicacy, dressed in a

creamy coriander flavored yoghurt.

AVADHI ITEMS:1.Dudhia batater : prepared quail, boiled in milk

flavored with fennels, cardamom , bay leaves and then coated with a batter made of gram flour and deep fried.

2.Peethiwali machhi : fish steak marinated with arice batter and fried in mustard oil, lastly simmered in gravy.

3.Murgh mussalam: the whole chicken, marinated, stuffed and cooked in a rich gravy.

4.Gosht korma: lamb cooked in a white creamy gravy based on boiled onion paste, cahsewnut, khus-khus paste, cream and white butter.

5.Chandi kaliyani : cardamom flavored lamb cookedin rich gravy.

6.Nahari gosht: a flavored stew made of leg of lamb, lamb chops, originally a break fast food.

7.Dhingri dulma : a dish made of mushroom and paneer cooked with tomatoes and tempered with black cumin.

ANDHRA PRADESH

Andhra Pradesh is a South Indian state sharing its border with Maharashtra, Chattisgarh and Orissa. The rich heritage and culture of Andhra Pradesh are reflected in the culinary skills of its people. The mere mention of Andhra and Hyderabadi cuisine brings before the mind’s eye a wholesome meal accompanied byhot tasty pickles or ‘Biryani’ accompanied by an appetising aroma.

But there is more to the cuisine of the State with each of the three regions — Coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema and Telangana — having its distinctive style of cooking. Chillies and spice are used in abundance but this need not deter food lovers from indulging themselves in a feast. By and large, the cuisine is vegetarian but the Moghal influence in theDeccan made ‘Moghlai’ cooking popular.

Andhra Pradesh has the second-longest coastline in India of 970 kilometres and can be broadly divided into three unofficial geographic regions, namely Kosta (Coastal Andhra),Uttaraandhra (North Coastal Andhra), Telangana and Rayalaseema.

Not many know that the flag of the earlier Hyderabad state actually had a kulcha or bread emproidered on it. They hangs a tale which goes back to the first Nizam of Hyderabad, Asaf Jah I, a brilliant general who was sent from Delhi to Hyderabad to Emperor Aurangzeb in 1713. before leaving Delhi, he went to meet Hazrat Nizam-ud-din Aulia who invited him to share his meal. He ate some of the kulcha (unleavenedbread), and the saind pressed him to take more. Aftertaki8ng seven kulchas he said he was most grateful but could take no more. He wrapped them in a yellow

cloth and was about to leave when the saint blessed him, saying, ‘you and your decendants will rule the Deccan for seven generations.’ And so it came to be! During the rule of the seventh nizam, the state of Hyderabad became a part of Andhara Pradesh. Like the cloth in which he had wrapped the kulchas, Asaf Jah had a yellow flag for the state of Hyderabad.

Over time, people from different regions and various have settled in Andhra Pradesh and enriched its cuisine. Parsis, Kayaths, Marwaris and Anglo-Indians,among others, brought with them their traditions and their food helped create the cultural ethos that is the special charm of Secundrabad and Hyderabad, the twin cities.

A special favourite of festive occasion is Bakra Khori which is a bakra or lamb stuffed with a chickenand hardboiled eggs and surrounded by biryani.

Chigur ka salan would be produced, made with the fresh young leaves of the tamarind tree, cooked chopped spare ribs of lamb and succulent breast meat.Many professional cooks still avoid cooking on a gas stove, especially for banquets. Chulhas are made outside of mud and brick, and they cook on wood and charcoal! A traditional banquet menu consist of a variety of dishes eaten in courses- kababs of lamb meat, dum ka murg, a baked chicken with rich flavouring, a tomato kuttu with hard-boiled eggs, bagharey baingan or mirchi ka salan which are eaten with soft sheermal roti. A biryani of the first rice cooked with lamb is served along with boorani which is made of curds and chopped onions and vegetables. Sometimes kulthi ki kut which is a curry of horse gram(chana dal) may be served instead of tomato kuttu. There is a great variety in the kababs too,

which are served garnished with springs of mint, finely sliced rings of onions and slivers of lime on the sides. There could also be a rich korma of chicken or lamb, or raan mussallam which is a leg of lamb cooked with rich spices. The dessert could be shahi tukre or khubani ka meeta served with cream.

Badam ki jaali are flat rounds about four inches in diameter with an almond and sugar base. Ashrafi sweets are made of the same base material, but look like coins with traditional calligraphy imprinted on them.

Macchi Kaman is a very famous. Freshly cooked seekh kabab with mint chutney finely sliced onions and slices of lime would be prepared and served with hot spongy bread called Kulchas, or ulte tava ki roti, large, very fine chapattis cooked on a overturned curved griddle. These would be served on leaf plates held together with tiny thorns or twigs.

Various kababs and pathar gosht, bagharey baingan, mirchi ka salan, machli ka mahi khaliya and dum ka murg are nerver good as when they are cooked in Hyderabad on charcoal or wood fires.

The influence of various cuisine is evident in practically every dish made in our homes these days. The ordinary loaf of bread which is now available in cities and towns all over India is the base in Hyderabad for our version of bread pudding, a very special dessert called double ka meetha, and shahi tukre, made from double roti, the regular loaf of bread. The British curry puff and the mulligatawny soup which was originally a rasam or pepper water made in Andhra, Tamil Nadu and other southern areas are other such hybrids. In another instance of

cultural exchange we have local recipe for making Worcestershire sauce, whereas tamarind from India is used in the sauce made in England.

Traditional telengana cooking is as exciting in its appeal to the palate and in its sophisticated blending of tastes. This ethinic cuisine takes its special flavour from two ingredients: tamarind and hot chillies. The tamarind is a great favourite all over Andhara and is used extensively in numerous forms. Its fresh new flowers and tender leaves calledchigur are curried, and the fruit is used to make chutneys as well as cooling drinks. Tamarind is also anti-helminthic and thus gets rid of worms in the intestines. Apart from tamarind, like the other essential ingredient in Andhra cooking is the red chilly.

Kooraivikaram, the flaming stick, the very hottest red chilly is grown in Guntur, and is used extensively in Andhra. The cuisine of Guntur is amongst the ‘hottest’ in terms of its chilly content.A chutney made from these freshly plucked red chillies, pounded fine and mixed with fresh brown tamarind pulp and salt, is a speciallity of the area.The chillies of Reshampathi are used to make the bestavakkai (mango) pickle.

The gongura also known as ambada, is another very popular Andhra speciality. This is the leaf of the rozelle or hiscus sabadariffa plant which grows in well in Andhra. Gongura is cooked with the meat or with chana dal and is also made into a pickle which can stay for over a year. Asafoetida or hing is used extensively to give a special flavour to Andhra food.Asafetida is a gum-resin derived from the roots of the umbelliferous plants of the ferula genus, plants

that were originally from Afganisthan and Persia. Itssulphur compound creates a strong odour. A typical formal vegetarian Andhra Meal would include a pulihora or vegetable pulao, one savoury dish of okra, brinjal or beans of any variety, one vegetable curry of yam and carrots or a dhapalam of several vegetables, one lentil dish with lots of gravy, a pulisu which could have bottle gourd and tomatoes in it, followed by a light rasam to be eaten with plain boiled rice and a dish of curds. Rasam used to be made in lead containers to impart a particular flavour, but now the use of aluminium or lead for cooking is not encouraged as they are believed to do harm to one’s health. The menu seasoned with mustard and salt and garnished with freshly grated coconut.

A formal non-vegetarian meal includes on dish of biryani or pulihora or vegetable pulao, one dish of chicken or meat with rich savouriy ingredients, or a kabab, one seafood dish(optional), one curry of chicken or meat with gravy, a dish of lentils (dal) with gravy, which could have vegetables in it, two leafy or green vegetable dishes , one of which could be okra, broad beans or cluster beans or beans of anyvariety, or it in season, jackfruit, a dish of poriyal and one dish of rasam, which is light and very liquid, served and eaten with plain boiled rice.If biryani is served, there is also boorani, which iscurd with chopped vegetables or else a dish of plain curd.

Accompaniments to both meals would include vadialu crispies, papaddom (crisp, fried thin wafers of savoury gram flour or rice flour), green chillies soaked in curd, dried and fried crisp, called majiga mirpakayalu, achar or chutney, or both. Dessert is

likely to be payasam and jehangiri jalebis or laddoosor shahi tukre.

The food of the rich coastal belt of Machlipatnam, Vishakapatnam and kakinada is quite different from that of the dry areas of Rayalaseema; it includes fish, and the food has more coconut and has less chillies. The food of Kurnool and Cuddappa is biased towards the vegetarian. The most favoured oil here isthe sesame (gingerly or til) oil. A meal could consist of curd, boiled rice, the avakkai mango pickle, with a little of the sour green leafy Gongura, or puntikura as it is known in the Telenganaregion, which is often cooked with Bengal Gram. The Rajus who are Kshattriyas, has slightly different food. They are non-vegeterian and their food containsmore garam masala.

The Kapu or Reddy communities of Telengana have a variety non-vegeterian food. They serve the traditional sweets such as padrapeni, a light flaky sweet, the bakshalu made of boiled, mashed and fried lentils inside a pastry or a payasam of milk, sugar and rice with cardamoms.

FAMOUS PREPARATION FROM ANDHRA PRADESH:

DUMPUDU MAMSUMN: sautéed lamb, liver and kidney delicacy, specialty of Talengana.

CHINTAKANYI: lamb/ mutton chops with tamarind. KOBARI KODI/ MAMSUMN PULUSU: chicken / lamb

simmered in coconut gravy. KODI KURA MUNAKAI: chicken with drumstick in a

spicy tamarind- flavored gravy.

MAMSUMN MUNAKAI PULUSU: a lamb and drumstick curry thickened with rice flour.

PODI MAMSUMN: spicy fried mutton from Telengana. CHAPA PULUSU: fish curry. EGURU PETHELU: curried crabs. THOTIKURA PETAKAYA: spinach or similar green

leafy vegetables with dried prawn. ARTIKAI KURA: curried raw bananas with coconut. GUTTI WONKAI: stuffed brinjal with coriander in

tangy sauce. PAPPU DOSAKAI: a bottle gourd and Bengal gram

delicacy.

MADE BY Sunil Kumar Research Scholar Institute of Hotel and Tourism Management,MAHARSHI DAYANAND UNIVERSITY, ROHTAKHaryana- 124001 INDIA Ph. No. 09996000499email:  skihm86@yahoo.com , balhara86@gmail.com  linkedin:- in.linkedin.com/in/ ihmsunilkumar facebook: www.facebook.com/ihmsunilkumar webpage: chefsunilkumar.tripod.com 

BENGALI CUISINE

Bengali cuisine is a style of food preparation originating in Bengal, a region in the eastern South Asia which is now divided between the independent country of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal. Bengali cuisine is well-known for the vast range of rice dishes and various preparations of freshwater fish. Bengali cuisine is rich and varied with the use of many specialized spices and flavours.

Historical influences

Bengali food has inherited a large number of influences, both foreign and South Asian, from both aturbulent history and strong trade links with many parts of the world. Originally inhabited by Dravidians and Austronesians, and later further settled by the Aryans during the Gupta era, Bengal fell under the sway of various Muslim rulers from theearly thirteenth century onwards, and was then ruled by the British for two centuries (1757-1947).

Influence of the widows

In medieval Bengal the treatment of Hindu widows was much more restrictive than was common elsewhere and lived under strict dietary restrictions. They were usually not allowed any interests but religion and housework, so the kitchen was an important part of their lives; traditional cuisine was deeply influenced by them. Their ingenuity and skill led to many culinary practices; simple spice combinations, the ability to prepare small quantities (since widowsoften ate alone) and creative use of the simplest of cooking techniques. Since widows were banned 'impassioning' or aphrodisiac condiments such as

onion or garlic, most traditional Bengali vegetarian recipes don't use them; this is in stark contrast to the rest of the Indian subcontinent where almost every dish calls for onions and garlic. This has led to a definite slant towards ginger in Bengali vegetarian food, and even in many common fish dishes.

Traditional Bengali cuisine

Fish is the dominant kind of meat, cultivated in ponds and fished with nets in the fresh-water rivers of the Ganges delta. More than forty types of mostly freshwater fish are common, including carp varieties like rui (rohu), katla, magur (catfish), chingri (prawn or shrimp), as well as shutki (small dried sea fish). Salt water fish (not sea fish though) Ilish (hilsa ilisha) is very popular among Bengalis. Khashi (referredto as mutton in Indian English, the meat of sterilizedgoats) is the most popular red meat.

Other characteristic ingredients of traditional Bengali food include rice, moshur dal (red lentils), mug dal (mung beans), shorsher tel mustard oil, mustard paste, posto (poppyseed) and narkel (ripe coconut). Bengal is also the land of am (mangoes), which are used extensively—ripe, unripe, or in pickles. Ilish machh (hilsa fish), which migrates upstream to breed is a delicacy;

The pach phoron spice mixture is very commonly used for vegetables. A touch of gorom moshla or hot spices (elachi cardamom, darchini cinnamon, long clove, tej pata bay leaves, and peppercorn) is often used to enliven food.

Another characteristic of Bengali food is the use of a unique cutting instrument, the boti. (This

instrument is also used in Maharashtra, where it is known as vili). It is a long curved blade on a platformheld down by foot; both hands are used to hold whatever is being cut and move it against the blade, anything from tiny shrimp to large pumpkins.

Milk and dairy products, so widely used in the neighboring India, are not as common here.

While fresh-water fish is still common, mutton is more common among the Muslim population than beef anddried fish. Wheat makes its appearance alongside rice, in different types of breads such as luchi, kochuri and porota.

These snack foods are most often consumed with evening tea. The tea-time ritual was probably inspired by the British, but the snacks bear the stamp of the substantial Marwari population in Kolkata - chat, kachori, samosa, phuluri and the ever-popular jhal-muri.

Mughal influence

Islam arrived in Bengal probably around the mid-thirteenth century.

This led to a unique cuisine where even the common man ate the dishes of the royal court, such as biryani,korma and bhuna. The influence was reinforced in the Raj era, when Kolkata became the place of refuge for many prominent exiled Nawabs, especially the family of Tipu Sultan from Mysore and Wajid Ali Shah, the ousted Nawab of Awadh. The exiles brought with them hundreds of cooks and masalchis (spice mixers), and as their royal patronage and wealth diminished, they interspersed into the local population.

In West Bengal, , the food of professional chefs; thebest examples are still available at restaurants. Specialties include chap (ribs slow cooked on a tawa), rezala (meat in a thin yogurt and cardamom gravy).

Anglo-Indian or Raj cuisine

Anglo-Indian food isn't purely the influence of the British; Bengal was once the home of a French colony,and also hosted populations of Portuguese, Dutch, Armenians and Syrians. These collective western influences are seen in the foods created to satisfy the tastes of the western rulers.

English and Jewish bakers such as Flury's and Nahoum's dominated the confectionery industry which migrated from British tables to everyday Bengali ones. Another enduring contribution to Bengali cuisine is pau ruti, or Western-style bread. Raj-era cuisine lives on especially in the variety of finger foods popularized in the 'pucca' clubs of Kolkata, such as mutton chop, kabiraji cutlet or fish orly.

Many British families in India hired local cooks, andthrough them discovered local foods. The foods had tobe toned down or modified to suit the tastes of the 'memsahibs'. The most distinct influence is seen in the desserts, many of which were created specificallyto satisfy the British - most notably the very popular sweet ledikeni named after the first Vicereine Lady Canning; it is a derivative of the pantua createdfor an event hosted by her.

Chinese food

The Chinese of Calcutta originally settled into a village called Achipur south of Kolkata in the late

18th century, later moving into the city and finally into its present home in Tangra. No other part of theIndian subcontinent has any significant Chinese population. With this identity came Chinese food, available at almost every street corner in Kolkata. They were mostly Cantonese tradesmen and sailors, bringing with them aji-no-moto (monosodium glutamate)and sweet corn. As the Chinese opened restaurants forBengalis, they spiced up the bland Cantonese sauces with sliced chillies and hot sauces, creating unique dishes such as Chilli Chicken and Veg Manchurian.

Indian Chinese food was given a second boost when a large number of Tibetans migrated into Indian Territory, when China annexed Tibet. Tibetans broughtwith them their own delicacies to add to this genre, such as the very popular momo (a kind of dumpling) orthukpa (a hearty noodle soup).

Bengali immigrants to other countries have started carrying this abroad as well; Indian Chinese, including halal Indian Chinese restaurants have appeared in many places in the United States.

Bengali Meals

The typical Bengali fare includes a certain sequence of food - somewhat like the courses of Western dining. Two sequences are commonly followed, one for ceremonial dinners such as a wedding and the day-to-day sequence.

At home, Bengalis typically eat without the use of dining utensils; kata (forks), chamoch (spoons), and chhuri (knives) are used in the preparation of food.

Most Bengalis eat with their right hand. Bengalis traditionally eat on the ground with a large banana or plantain leaf serving as the plate or plates made from sal leaves sown together and dried.

The elaborate dining habits of the Bengalis were a reflection of the attention the Bengali housewife paid to the kitchen. In modern times, this is rarely followed anymore. Courses are frequently skipped or combined with everyday meals.

It is now common to place everything on platters in the centre of the table, and each diner serves him/herself

Courses in a daily meal

The foods of a daily meal are usually simpler, gearedto balanced nutrition and makes extensive use of vegetables. The courses progress broadly from lighterto richer and heavier. Rice remains common throughoutthe meal until the chatni (chutney) course.

The starting course is a bitter. The bitter changes with the season but common ones are korolla (bitter gourd) which is available nearly throughout the year,or tender nim leaves in spring. Portions are usually very small - a spoonful or so to be had with rice - and this course is considered to be both a palate-cleanser and of great medicinal value.

Another bittersweet preparation usually eaten in summer, especially in West Bengal, is a soupy mixtureof vegetables in a ginger-mustard sauce, called shukto.

This is followed by shak (leafy vegetables) such as spinach, methi fenugreek.

The dal course is usually the most substantial course.

A common accompaniment to đal is bhaja (fritters). Bhaja literally means 'deep-fried'; most vegetables are good candidates but begun (aubergines), kumra (pumpkins), or alu (potatoes) are common. Machh bhaja (fried fish) is also common, especially rui (rohu) andilish (hilsa) fishes. Bhaja is sometimes coated in a beshon (chickpea flour) and posto (poppyseed) batter. A close cousin of bhaja is bôra or deep-fried savoury balls

Another accompaniment is a vegetable preparation usually made of multiple vegetables stewed slowly together without any added water. Labra, chorchori, ghonto, or chanchra are all traditional cooking styles. torkari - the word merely means 'vegetable' inBengali.

The next course is the fish course. Common fish delicacies include machher jhol, tel koi, pabda machher jhal, Doi machh, Chingri machh (shrimp) malai curry, and bhapa ilish (steamed hilsa).

Then comes the meat course. Khashi mutton or goat meatis traditionally the meat of choice, especially West Bengal, but murgi chicken and dim eggs are also commonly consumed.

Finally comes the chutney course, which is typically tangy and sweet; the chutney is usually made of am mangoes, tomatoes, anarosh pineapple, tetul tamarind, pepe papaya, or just a combination of fruits and dry fruits.

Mishti (Sweets)

Sweets occupy an important place in the diet of Bengalis and at their social ceremonies. It is an ancient custom among Hindus to distribute sweets during festivities. The confectionery industry has flourished because of its close association with social and religious ceremonies.

The sweets of Bengal are generally made of sweetened cottage cheese (chhena), khoa (reduced solidified milk), or flours of different cereals and pulses. Some important sweets of Bengal are:

Shondesh

Made from sweetened, finely ground fresh chhena (cheese), shôndesh in all its variants is among the most popular Bengali sweets, a few hundred different varieties exist, from the simple kachagolla to the complicated abar khabo, jôlbhôra or indrani. Another variant is the kôrapak or hard mixture, which blends rice flour with the paneer to form a shell-like doughthat last much longer.

Roshogolla

Rôshogolla is one of the most widely consumed sweets.The basic version has many regional variations.

Pantua

Pantua is somewhat similar to the gulab jamoon, except that the balls are fried in either tel (oil) orghi (clarified butter) until golden or deep brown before being put in syrup.

Chomchom

This oval-shaped sweet is reddish brown in colour andit is of a denser texture than the rôshogolla.

Shondesh, chhanar jilepi, kalo jam, darbesh, raghobshai, paesh, nalengurer shondesh, shor bhaja and an innumerable variety are just a few examples of sweets in Bengali cuisine.

Pitha or Pithe

In West Bengal, the tradition of making cakes, locally known as piţha, still flourishes. They are usually made from rice or wheat flour mixed with sugar, jaggery, grated coconut etc. Piţhas are usually enjoyed with the sweet syrups of khejurer gur (date tree molasses). They're usually fried or steamed; the most common forms of these cakes includebhapa piţha (steamed), pakan piţha (fried), and puli piţha (dumplings), among others. The other common pithas are chandrapuli, gokul, pati sapta, chitai pitha, muger puli anddudh puli.

Pithas are usually a celebration of the new crop, andoften associated with harvest festivals.

Snacks:

1. Muri

2. Jhal-Muri

3. Moa

Ambal: A sour dish made either with several vegetables or with fish, the sourness being produced by the addition of tamarind pulp.

Biryani : Fragrant dish of long-grained aromatic rice combined with beef, mutton, or chicken and a

mixture of characteristic spices. Sometimes cooked in sealed containers (dum biriyani).

Bhaja or Bhaji: Anything fried, either by itself or in batter.

Bhapa: Fish or vegetables steamed with oil and spices. A classic steaming technique is to wrap the fish in banana leaf to give it a faint musky,smoky scent.

Bhate: ('steamed with rice') Any vegetable, such as potatoes, beans, pumpkins, or even dal, first boiled whole and then mashed and seasoned with mustard oil or ghee and spices. Traditionally thevegetables were placed on top of the rice; they steamed as the rice was being boiled.

Bhuna: A term of Urdu origin, and applies to meatcooked in spices for a long time without water. The spices are slow-cooked in oil (bhunno). The spices first absorb the oil, and when fully cooked release the oil again.

Chacchari: Usually a vegetable dish with one or more varieties of vegetables cut into longish strips, sometimes with the stalks of leafy greensadded, all lightly seasoned with spices like mustard or poppy seeds and flavoured with a phoron. The skin and bone of large fish like bhetki or chitol can be made into a chachchari called kanta-chachchari, kanta, meaning fish-bone.

Chhanchra: A combination dish made with differentvegetables, portions of fish head and fish oil (entrails).

Chechki: Tiny pieces of one or more vegetable - or, sometimes even the peels (of potatoes, lau, pumpkin or patol for example) - usually flavored

with panch phoron or whole mustard seeds or kala jeera. Chopped onion and garlic can also be used,but hardly any ground spices.

Dalna: Mixed vegetables or eggs, cooked in mediumthick gravy seasoned with ground spices, especially garom mashla and a touch of ghee.

Dam or Dum: Vegetables (especially potatoes), meat or rice (biriyanis) cooked slowly in a sealed pot over a low heat.

Ghonto: Different complementary vegetables (e.g.,cabbage, green peas, potatoes or banana blossom, coconut, chickpeas) are chopped or finely grated and cooked with both a phoron and ground spices. Dried pellets of dal (boris) are often added to the ghanto. Ghee is commonly added at the end. Non-vegetarian ghantos are also made, with fish or fish heads added to vegetables. The famous murighanto is made with fish heads cooked in a fine variety of rice. Some ghantos are very dry while others a thick and juicy.

Jhal: Literally, 'hot'. A great favorite in West Bengali households, this is made with fish or shrimp or crab, first lightly fried and then cooked in a light sauce of ground red chilli or ground mustard and a flavoring of pãch-phoron or kala jira. Being dryish it is often eaten with a little bit of dal pored over the rice.

Jhol: A light fish or vegetable stew seasoned withground spices like ginger, cumin, coriander, chili, and turmeric with pieces of fish and longitudinal slices of vegetables floating in it.The gravy is thin yet extremely flavorful. Whole green chilis are usually added at the end and green coriander leaves are used to season for extra taste.

Kalia: A very rich preparation of fish, meat or vegetables using a lot of oil and ghee with a sauce usually based on ground ginger and onion paste and garom mashla.

Khichuri : Rice mixed with vegetables and in some cases, boiled eggs. Usually cooked with spices and turmeric powder.

Korma : Another term of Urdu origin (literally 'braised with onions), meaning meat or chicken cookedin a mild onion and yoghurt sauce with ghee.

Luchi : Small round unleavened bread fried in oil. Porota : Bread made from wheat flour and fried in

the oven until golden-brown. Paturi: Typically fish, seasoned with spices

(usually shorshe) wrapped in banana leaves and steamed or roasted over a charcoal fire.

Polau : Fragrant dish of rice with ghee, spices and small pieces of vegetables. Long grained aromatic rice is usually used, but some aromatic short grained versions such as Kalijira or Gobindobhog may also be used.

Pora: The word literally means charred. Vegetables are wrapped in banana leaves and roasted over a wood, charcoal or coal fire. Some vegetables with skin such as begun, are put directly on the flame or coals. The roasted vegetable is then mixed with onions, oil and spices.

Ruti : Unleaved bread made in a tawa and puffed over an open flame.

Torkari: A general term often used in Bengal the way `curry' is used in English (it is speculated to be one of the origins of curry). Originally from Persian, the word first meant uncooked garden vegetables. From this it was a natural

extension to mean cooked vegetables or even fish and vegetables cooked together.

BIHARI CUISINE

HISTORY: Bihar was called Magadha in ancient times. Its capital Patna, then known as Pataliputra, was the center of the first empire built in India, that was by Nanda Dynasty. Bihar was hotbed of Indiancivilization, with its fertile land and able rulers like Chandragupta Maurya. Magadh was rich empire since the time of the Mahabharata. The land of Nalanda university, has sprouted great thinkers and philosophers, and most importantly, is the place of Lord Buddha.GEOGRAPHY: Bihar is mainly a vast stretch of very fertile flat land. It has several rivers: Ganga, Son,Bagmati, Kosi, Budhi Gandak, and Falgu to name a few.Central parts of Bihar have some small hills, for example the Rajgir hills. The Himalayan mountains areto the north, in Nepal. To the south is the Chota Nagpur plateau, which was part of Bihar until 2000 but now is part of a separate state called Jharkhand. CLIMATE: Bihar is mildly cold in the winter (the lowest temperatures being around 5 to 10 degreesCelsius). Winter months are December and January. It is hot in the summer (40 to 45 degrees Celsius). April to mid June are the hot months. The monsoon months of June, July, August, and September see good rainfall. October & November and February & March have pleasant climate

INTRODUCTION TO BIHARI CUISINE- When we think about Bihari food we think of littis and thekua, thanks to the Prasad of the famous Chhat puja performed by

Biharis all over India. However the food of Bihar hasmore to it and bears the stamp of the phases of its rich history. The food of Bihar has remained ‘home cooked’ food, and has not been promoted as a cuisine.FOOD HABITS: For people of Bihar, rice is the staple food, though they also consume wheat to a large extent. The fertile land of Bihar is conductive for the large variety of rice that is cultivated here. The popularity of baked items in Bihar (most popular being litti) can be traced way back the Greek invasion under Alexander the Great. Many Greek soldier stayed back and inter married with local women, and naturally their food habits left and influence. References that rice was staple food sincea long time can be found in historical documents. Even during the time of Lord Buddha, the elite consumed the superior quality of fine grained rice, where as the poor people had the inferior quality of fat-grained rice. At Nalanda, the Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang was given mahasali rice to eat. Each grain was as large as a bean, and when cooked, was aromatic and shining.. Centuries later, during the Mughal emperor akbar’s reign, Abul Fazl, when writing about the different varieties of rice found in the rich Gangetic basin of this place, said that if a single grain of each kind of rice was collected, they would fill a large vase. The Shali rice was popular and much in demand in Europe, while the Indians preferredthe shahpasand and basmati varieties of Patna rice. Bihari cuisine has innumerable rice- based dishes. The Buddha was offered - rice cooked with milk and mixed with honey. The Jatakas ( legendson Buddha’s previous lives) mention various items still popular today- pua( a variation of malpua )

prepared from the mixture of flour, milk, sugar, ghee, and honey, pitta rice cakes, khajjaka(now popular as khaja, a sweet prepared from wheat flour and sugar), palala (modern day tilkuta, made from tilor sesame seeds). Sariputta, one of Buddha’s disciples was very fond of palala. Gaya is famous fortilkuta. Another delicacy from Gaya is lai- prepared with sugar and beaten rice. The peras (sweatmeat madewith sugar and milk) of Gaya are also popular. The popularity of vegetarian items in the food can be traced with the long years of Buddhist influence. The advent of the Mughals broughtin the influence of non-vegetarian items. Biryanis, pulao, chicken, and mutton items got introduced by the people of Bihar which is vegetarian. The staple food of the poor man is bhat (rice), dal (lentil), roti, tarkari (vegetables) and achar (pickles). Mustard oil is the traditional cooking medium. Khichdis- the broth of rice and lentils, seasoned with spices, and served with several accompanying items like curd, chutney, pickles, papad, ghee and chokha(boiled mashed potatoes, seasoned with finely cut onions, green chillies) are popular. Non vegetarian items like, chicken, mutton and fish are popular among Biharis. How can one think of food of Biharwithout the sattu? Sattu- the flour of roasted gram is an inherent part of Bihari food. Nutritious and filling, sattu is consumed in various ways. Sattu ka ghol is a refreshing drink during summer, and mukni (sattu ki roti and paratha) are popular items for breakfast and dinner. Sattu is used as a filling for the popular litti. Among the poor, kneaded sattu consumed with salt, onions, chillies and pickles, is popular because it is filling, nutritious as well as cheap.

The gangetic plain of Bihar was a fertile ground for a variety of fruits like mangoes, jamuns and litchis.(the litchis of Muzaffarpur are legendary). Originally from China, the Buddhist pilgrims brought the first saplings of litchi plant from china as homage to the land of Buddha.

IMPORTANT DISHES:

1.BHOJPURI MACHLI: Marinated, deep fried, Rohu fishcooked in a masala made of onion, pepper, cumin seeds, ginger and garlic and served with plain rice.

2.LITTI: A baked delicacy made of atta dough stuffed with ‘sattu’, roasted, grounded gram flour. And served with achar, baigan or aloo chokha.

Litti may also be deep fried. Litties are crunchier if made with maida.

3.DALSAGGA: A ‘pui’ saag preparation with chana daltempered with dry red chillies and whole cumin seed, and served with plain rice.

4.PUA: A round shape sweet dish made of a batter ofwhole wheat flour, semolina (5:1), sugar and wheat, coconut and raisins and deep fried till golden brown.

5.THEKUA: A tear shape cookies made out of semi hard dough made of whole wheat flour, ghee, sugar, raisins, fennel, and cardamom powder and deep fried till golden brown.

6.MEETHA PARWAL: A sweet dish made of parwal( wax gourd), in which boiled, wax gourds dipped in sugar syrup and stuffed with a mixture made of grated khoya, pistachio raisins and cardamom powder.

7.PIDIKIA: A cookies made at the time of festival ‘Teej’. Maida dough is filled with a mixture of semolina, grated khoya, grated coconut, raisins, given a particular moon shape and deep fried.

8.CHIWRA: Beaten rice served with a coat of creamy curd and sugar or jaggery.

9.DHUSKA: A deep fried item prepared from a mixtureof powdered rice and ghee but is salted

GOAN CUISINE

In the extra ordinary mosaic of cultures, religions and traditions, that go up to make Indian life, certain small ethnic , religious and geographic communities have evolve such distinctive manners, habits and food customs that, although indisputably Indian, they retain a definite identity of their own.Among these unequally colorful minorities are the Goans. – Who acquired their special status some 300 years ego as a result of colonization of their homeland by a foreign power – Portugal.Goa is an almost theatrical arrangement of hills covered with dense jungles sweeping down to the gilt crescents of beaches were the glittering Mandovi river stretches in a graceful carve to meat the oceanat the capital ‘Panaji’

History:Goa was celebrated in ancient Indian literature for its wealth and beauty. In fact, its name seems from the Sanskrit word for ‘cow’- traditional symbol of prosperity. For thousands of years, goa was ruled by various dynasties of Indian kings and many religions were represented there. It was originally a Hindu state. But the arrival of the Portuguese began an erathat was shatteringly different from anything the community had known. In 1510 Alfanso d’ Albuquerque, who later left his name in America, sailed up the Mandovi River with23 ships and captured Goa from its current Muslim Rulers. After violent Hand to Hand fighting, he kneltdown in the public square and dedicated the city to St. Catherine as homage to her feast day. From then on goa’s story was dominated by the catholic zeal of

the conquerors who sparked one of the most brutal andwholesale religious conversion recorded in Asia. Those Hindus who could afford to escape left goa to settle in other parts of India. Goa is roughly now half catholic Christen and Hindu. St Francis Xavier arrived in goa in 1542 and devoted his life to spreading Christianity in goa. The Portuguese finallyleft India in 1961 after which the Goans became the member of the republic of India.

The difference between the living habits of the goan christens and their Hindu neighbors are very small. It is in their food that the particular custom is expressed. Being a coastal region there is no goan who is not familiar with eating rice and fish. Goa inits daily life has two main religious influences the Hindus and the Christians but one should not forget that there is a little bit of Muslim influence as well.

Food habits:Being a coastal region palm and coconut trees grow abundance. Every part of the coconut t is used by thelocals. The coconut milk is used cooking widely, the flesh is used for garnishing and the oil derivatives make an excellent cooking medium. From the palm treesis extracted ‘palm vinegar’ which is unique in itselfand forms an integral part of the goan cuisine as it is widely used in marinades, gravies etc. spices suchas cinnamon, cardamom, dried red chilies, peppercornsare grown in some parts of goa. And find a prominent place in the delicacies of this region. The Goans form the northern part of the state grind their masalas and coconut separately but the southern part prefers to grind the masalas and coconut together

before pressing them through a muslin cloth to extract the moisture.Rice is widely cultivated in goa. And is the staple food of the people. Apart from the rice the cereals consumed is wheat in the form of freshly baked breadsby the Christian communities and the chapattis by theHindus. Sannon -a fluffy white bread of rice and toddy, that in appearance and texture resembles is Idlis, is also eaten in goa. The taste however unique, the toddy giving sannon a sweet taste and an accent unlike another wheat cake. The rice is coarsely ground, then fermented with toddy an finallysteamed to make small cakes.

Goa has unique brand of alcohol called based drink called feni, which is fermented from cashew nut, as well as palm sap which is fermented and heated. Feni is very popular in goa and is consumed by the Goans along with their meals.

From goan come countless fish and seafood recipes using the oceans and the river fish, as well as the many kind of shellfish that crowd the rocky outcroppings on its shore. Fishermen set out at dawn or dusk and return loaded with fresh fish which are sold immediately, the fish which are left over, left for sun drying on the beaches. One particular varietyof goan fish preparation has become so popular all down the west coast that it is known by the generic name ‘goan fish curry’. It is a very liquid kind of preparation somewhat the consistency of a thick ‘bouillabaisse’, made of a mixture of several kinds of fish that are cooked wholes, or very coarsely cut into pieces, the recipe requires large quantity of coconut ground into a fine paste with hot masalas of red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and

turmeric paste. Goan cook their fish in this mixture adding plenty of onion , tomato and water to provide the sauce and then seasoning it with tamarind , curryleaves and green chilies. Goan like their famous curry to be almost scarlet with chili and it is hot.Among shellfish prawn, lobster, crabs, and clams are consumed abundantly. Prawn curry, prawn balchao, prawn peri peri are few of the favorite dishes of theGoan. Among the bewildering varieties of seafood in goa clams are a delicacy. Clams coated with spices, steamed until they pop open and tossed with grated coconut from a golden gingery teesryo. Goans cook it in coconut milk and lime juice and sprinkle it with chopped fresh coriander leaves. It is served by itself – like moules mariniere in a bowl. Hindus eat it with chapatis which soak up the juice.

The common meals consumed are pork, lamb and chicken.The goan Christians have also produced pork dishes which makes their cuisine unique in India. This rangefrom the familiar roast suckling pigs that composes the standard Christian dinner, to search an erotic item as baked pork head stuffed with brains, peas, onions, ginger, mint and green chilies, basted with vinegar. The more usual goan dishes, however, includesome truly delicious and original uses of pork. Pork baffat is a dry curry cooked in an aromatic masalas with virtually no gravy, but the thing that makes it suppressing and delightful is the addition of sliced radishes, near the end of the cooking time. It is thecontrast between the crisp, clean taste of the radishand greasy texture of the pork that gives the dish its distinctive flavors.Pork indad is a true curry with plenty of gravy that differs from many of the other pork dishes because ofits appealing offbeat sweet and sour taste. The

tamarind, cloves and cinnamon is the masalas gives the meat an almost perfumed flavor, while the sugar and vinegar in the gravy take the curse of the fattiness and provides the dish with its special characters. Another spicy red curry called Sorpotel made of pork, pork liver; pork blood is an absolute mass at any goan Christian banquet or feast. It is served with the accompaniment of sannon. Pork vindaloo is another famous preparation of goa.

Goa is the only place in India where sausages is used. The Goans produce pork and liver sausages as well as several other kinds of highly spiced sausages, the best of which is Chourisam. It must be marinated for 24 hours in a complicated masalas mixedwith vinegar before the sausages are made.

Chicken xacuti and Cafreal is the most well known chicken dishes form goa. Chicken xacuti is made from broiled ground spices such as peppercorn, fennel, coriander seeds cardamom, cinnamon nutmeg and coconut. Cafreal is a pot roast preparation of chicken in a marinade of goan vinegar, ginger garlic paste, chili paste, goan Worcestershire sauce and tomato sauce.Sweets are not so popular in goa. Bebinka – pancake baked on one of the top of the other with jaggery, applied in layers, ingredients are jaggery, egg, milk, coconut and flour, and they are made into shapeof cake.Alebele is another goan sweet dish, pancake with spicy coconut filling. The traditional recipe calls for a pancake made from flour, egg, milk, ghee and a pinch of salt. The filling is made of grated fresh coconut combined with jaggery, fresh ginger root and aniseeds.

Characteristics: The main characteristics or features of goan cuisinecan be listed as follows:

1.The food consumed is very spicy and sharp with a maximum consumption of red chilies.

2.The masalas are ground freshly and fine to extendof grinding over and over again till the paste isclay fine.

3.Coccum is commonly used by the Hindus and the Christian use goan malt vinegar.

4.Many dishes are consumed pickled or marinated in oil and vinegar.

5.The most popular food items in goa are sea food and pork. The consumption of pork being maximum by the Christians.

6.Goans do not have a sweet taste. Bebinka and alebele are the popular sweet dishes.

GUJRATI CUISINE

Gujarati cuisine is in many ways unique compared to other culinary traditions in India. It is one of the few cultures where majority of the people are vegetarian. This vegetarianism may have originally sprung from religions, ideologies and beliefs of the region. Gujarat is a land of all the religions like Jainism, Islam, Buddhism, and Zoroastrianism (Parsees).In Gujarat the staple food is millet. Geographically Gujarat is divided into three main regions.

REGIONS OF GUJRAT

Western Gujarat, kathiawari is a dry region where fresh green produce is scarce. But production of dairy products is huge. Some of the best pickles (athanas) come from here.

Central Gujarat, Ahmedabad, Kheda, and Baroda regionsare hailed for their food grains and are known collectively as the “granary of Gujarat “. A majorityof the people are farmers who grow store and market grains. Dhoklas, vadas, bhakarvadis, theplas and other such items are contribution of the region.

Southern Gujarat, Surat is a region with heavy rainfall; hence the vegetation is lush green with vegetables growing plentifully.

For a taste of traditional Gujarat cuisine, one has to try the typical Gujarati thali that consists of

variety of dal, kadhi, two or three vegetables and pulses, puri/chapatti/rice, chutney, pickles and papad.

GUJRATI CULTURE

There are certain customs that are followed by the people here, which are uniquely their own. For example, the tradition of preparing and storing farsan at home. These are then offered to welcome guests.Surtis also famous for their vaghar, which is the tempering of food .The vaghar, gives food a distinctive flavor. More over the ingredients used aid digestion. Hing is used in all vaghars.

FOOD HABITS

Farsan or snacks from essential part of the gujratidiet those snacks prepared once in ten days and stored in air-tight container. The first category of snacks is usually deep fried or shallow fried. The other variety is either steamed. Methi Na Moothia is spiced fenugreek leaf dumpling with a touch of sweet – sour to counter the bitter taste of the fenugreek.

Kobi Na Moothia is delicious steamed and spice cabbage “farsan “is one of the delightful ways gujrati’s eat their leafy vegetables.Bhakasvadi is a deep fried farsan which is the specialty of Baroda. It combines fennel and grate

potatoes filling. It is deep fried long pastry case with a stuffing of potato and fennel.Khandvi is a rolled savory farsan, made of besan; buttermilk etc. served with grated coconut and coriander leaves.Potaya is fried papad; paper thin gram flour farsan ‘a specialty of Kutch.

GUJRATI CULTURE

Kutchis, jains and vaisnavs are some of the many found in Gujarat. They have different tastes and choice in food depending not only on the climate theylive in but also their religious believes.The Jain retain from eating any Root vegetable. So it’s no potato, garlic and onion for them.On the other hand, the vaishnavs and Kutch’s follow no such belief.Oondhiu is a vegetable medley with fenugreek leaf dumpling. Karela Bhinda Nu Shak is a bitter gourd andlady finger vegetable dish. This is favorite in Kutch. Bharelu Shak is a delicious shak of various stuffed vegetables.

A typical gujrati meal is inconceivable without either dal or kadhi or even yoghurt for that matter. The gujrati dal is associated with sweet taste. Gujrati cuisine offers an array of different dal preparation. Gujrati dals obtain their flavor from the vaghar.

GUJRATI PREPARATIONS

Yoghurt too plays a very important role in the Gujarat diet. It is eaten in number of ways in its unflavored natural form or in its derivative kadhi orbuttermilk. Kadhi may be defined as cooked and spicedform of buttermilk. Meethi dal is sweet and sour dal using using jaggery. Osaman is tempered dal water. Meethi kadhi is, sweet yoghurt curry pleasantly spiced and prepared in all gujrati homes, Bhindani kadhi, kadhi with lady fingers.

Bhat and kichdi form an essential part of any gujratimeal and are relished wit the vast range of dal this cuisine offers. The kichdis are usually had with a kadhi or plain yoghurt. Papads, athaanas or pickles, chutneys and ghee are perfect accompaniments to any khichdi-kadhi combination. Shak vala bhat is a mildlyvegetable pulao; tuver ni dal khichdi is rice and turdal khichdi, best eaten with meethi kadhi.

FESTIVALS OF GUJRAT

Jains do not eat anything grown below the ground. So it’s no roots or tubers for them. The holy festival of Jain sector is “PARYUSHAN”. During the festival period, Jain consumes pulses, legumes, kadhis or flour preparation. Dal dhokli is thick, spiced dough slices in a sweet and sour dal. (Dhokli is made of atta, besan and bajri flour, made into dough and cut into stripes, cooked in dal)Maag is a moong preparation, delicately spiced with ginger and garnished with coriander leaves. Chola is a sweet and sour preparation made of chick peas, eaten with gheewali rotis.

SWEET DISHES

Farsan (snacks) and mishtan (sweet meats) are offeredtogether to guests. Moreover, they don’t form the last item of the meal but are served during the meal itself.Most gujrati sweet meats are flavored with cardamom and contain almonds or pistachios. The main ingredients of the sweet may vary from thickened milkto Bengal gram flour. Channi – sugar syrup made to a specified stiff consistency.Shrikhand: sweetened hung curd, flavored with saffron, garnished with almond slivers.

Golpapdi is wheat flour sweet that is very easy to prepare and forms a barfi, when cooled. Lapsi is broken wheat (daliya) sweet. Boondi Na ladoo refers the drops of gram of which this ladoo is made.

Normally, fruits or vegetables – grated, chopped or slice and immersed in besan and seasoned yoghurt, make a raita. Chutney on the other hand, consists of fresh herbs orcondiments, ground to a fine paste or pureed and eaten in small quantities with a snack or a meal.

Pickles and murabbas form an intrinsic part of Indiancuisine. Gol kesi is a sweet and sour mango pickle flavored with dry coriander powder, mustard and fenugreek. Chhundu is shredded mango pickle, hot and

sweet. Murabbo is a sweet preserve, a pickle preparedand eaten by almost all Indian communities.

Khamam dhokla is a salty, steamed cake made from chick pea’s flour, is very famous throughout Gujarat.And the best gujrati bread is methi thepla, made of dough of jowar and wheat flour, mixed with coriander,green chili and chopped fenugreek.

IMPORTANT DISHES FROM GUJARAT:

1.KHAMAN DHOKLA: It’s a savory dish made of steamedlentil, chana and urad dal (8 : l) are soaked then ground, mixed with ginger, green chilly paste with soda hing, salt etc. then left overnight mixed with lime juice and steamed in tray. To season mustard seeds, hing and curry leaves are tempered and poured on top. Garnished with grated coconut and greed coriander.

2.DAL DHOKLI: Is dumpling of lentil curry. Dumplings are made of whole meal flour, turmeric,chilly powder etc. the dough is rolled and cut into fancy shape and cooked in toovar dal.

3.AMIRI KHAMAN: It is a savory dish made of ground chana dal. The soaked dal is ground with little water. The mixture is then cooked in oil with mustard seeds, hing, green chilly, ginger, garlic, etc. with the addition of little milk till the mixture doesn’t stick to the pan. The mixture is spread on thali and garnished with coconut, coriander and sev.

4.METHI NA MUTHIA: A steamed dish made from whole meal flour, besan and chopped fresh fenugreek etc. the dough is rolled and steamed then cut into slices. And sautéed in mustard seeds and asafetida.

5.KHANDVI: A smooth mixture of besan, water and curd (1:2:1/2) is mixed with green chilli, gingersalt etc. steamed for 15-20 mins. Then spread on oiled surface and cut into long strips. Each strip is rolled out and finally a tempering of mustard seeds and hing is poured on top. Garnished with coconut and coriander.

6.SHRIKHAND: Dehydrated yoghurt whisked with castorsugar and small cardamom powder, saffron may be added. Garnished with silvers of almond and pistarefrigerated and served chilled.

7.DOODH PAK: It is made by cooking rice in milk till soft then sweetened and flavoured, garnishedwith almond and cardamom.

8.BASUNDI: It is made by reducing milk till it thickens; granular texture is obtained, sweetenedand garnished with almond and chironji.

9.PURANKOLI: Small balls of dough which is made of whole meal flour and ghee (2:1) is stuffed with mixture made of arhar dal. To make stuffing dal is cooked till soft sugar is added and then cook till it dry. This is called puran. The volume of puran and dough is same, Rolled and shallow friedin ghee.

10. MOHAN THAL: A desert made by cooking besan inghee 1st then in milk till reddish brown in color.Lastly cooked with sugar syrup, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder etc. till the mixture leaves the pan smoothly. Spreaded on greased thal, garnishedwith almonds and chironji. When set cut in small squares.

11. THEPLA: Gujrati bread made of whole wheat flour, boiled rice, besan, curd, chopped green chillies, green coriander, methi leaves etc. Rolled in thin circles and shallow fried in ghee.

HYDERABADI CUISINE

INTRODUCTION:

Hyderabad is the capital city of state Andhra Pradesh, situated in the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh. Hyderabad is known for its rich history, culture, and architecture representing the unique characteristic of a meeting point for North and South. It is and emerging information technology and

biotechnology hub of India. Hyderabad and Sikanderabad is known as twin cities separated by Hussain Sagar lake, a man made lake at the time of Ibrahim Qutub Shah in 1562.Char Minar monument built in the centre of Hyderabad was built by Muhammad Quily Qutb Shah in 1591 is a tourist place. Hyderabadis also situated across the river Musi.

HISTORY:

The Hyderabad city was until 1948, the capital of Hyderabad state- autonomous royal kingdom within India, two and half times the size of Ireland. Its Muslim ruler the last Nizam, was a direct descendant of a Moghul governer who had declared his independence in the early eighteenth century just as a central Moghul authority when Delhi was beginning to weaken. He was one of the richest man of world andhe had his own currency and private railway system. Later after independence, his state also emerged withthe new democratic country, and became the brand new state of Andhra Pradesh with Hyderabad city as its capital. The grandeur of its court used to wear jewels the size of pigeons egg when they entertained,the city was lit up, fountains played and dining tables set for hundreds glittered with gold plate. If liquor was being distilled in a private Sharaab khana, of winery only a few Hindu nobles were granted royal permission to do this as Muslims were technically not supposed to drink, rare flavors of quail were added for the delight of the guests to come.

CLIMATE:

Hyderabad has tropical wet and dry climate. In summer the maximum temperature reaches to 40-45 degree centigrade and minimum 25 degree centigrade. In winter maximum temperature is 28 degree centigradeand minimum 13 degree centigrade. It has red sandy soil and with areas of black cotton soil.

CULTURE:

The women wear salwar kamiz and among the Muslims burka is necessary, Moghul jewellery can also be seenwith some old women. The men wears sherwanis (fitted,knee length jacket. Bangles are most popular among women. Eighteenth century hookah (Hubble bubble pipe)made of finest bidri work (gun metal inlaid with silver) can be seen in most of houses

FOOD HABIT:

It is the cuisine of region, of which every Hyderabadis justifiably proud and which no hyderabadi, rich orpoor can do without. The cuisine combines the very best of muslim foods – kebabs, pilafs, kormas, and yoghurt dishes – with a haunting aromatic, tart, pungent, and creamy flavorings of the south – mustardseeds, cassia buds(kebab cheeni), cinnamon, curry leaves, hot chillies, peanuts, tamarind and coconut milk. Unfailing courtesy and an almost over whelming sense of hospitality are in its blood and will be with it until the last breath is drawn. That is Hyderabadi way. It was also known that a trueHyderabadi would go anywhere in the city for a well prepared dish. Home made fruit drinks-Sharbats- some

flavored with sweetly aromatic khas roots (vetivert) others with the purple, sweet and sour juice of tiny falsa berries(grewia asatica) are generally served when the guest enters the home. A sauce of roasted and ground sesame seeds which, in the Middle East might appear under the guise of mild flavored Tahini is mixed withfiery green chillies and tart tamarind paste to become the mouthy wateringly good til ki chutney. Dried beans and lamb which are often stewed together in Persian cookery are perked up here with tamarind, cumin seeds, red chillies and curry leaves to become the Dalcha of Hyderabad. In a formal occasion Chowki (low square dining tables seating, four to eight on the floor) pickles are laid down. Apart from more common lime and mango, exquisitely pickled partridgesare also found. Food is served in Nawabi style and authentic hyderabadi dishes are served course by course. Hyderabadi’s morning start with the breakfast stew Nahari with drunkable sheermal. One bouquet garni which is famous is ‘potlika masala’ that includes sandalwood powder, earthy khas roots (vetivert) and even whole dried roses. Khichri is also served in brunch which is a fluffy mixture of rice and split lentils, is first lubricated with a dollop of ghee and then eaten with a simple kheema, minced meat served with onions, garlic, ginger and red chillies. Rice flour papadums provide crunch and texture while creamy, minty, sesame chutney and a tart mango pickle add pep and pungency.

Khagina (gingery scrambled eggs) is also served in breakfast as well as parathas (flaky griddled breads)and cups of sweet tea to wash every thing down.

Hyderabadi biryani : Biryani is the most famous amongthe delicacies of Hyderabad. An authentic meal of hyderabad invariably includes a Mutton Biryani, a rice dish made with mutton. Chicken and vegetarian biryani are also popular.The Nizams served some 26 varieties of Biryanis for their guests. It is a traditional celebration meal made using goat meat and rice and is the staple of a die-hard Hyderabadi.

The Hyderabadi Biryani is so named as it is created in the city of Hyderabad, India. The blending of mughlai and Telangana cuisines in the kitchens of theNizam (ruler of the historic Hyderabad State), resulted in the creation of Hyderabad Biryani.It, like other biryanis, is made using Basmati rice which is only found on the Indian subcontinent. The spices, meat and other ingredients are carefully chosen, the method of preparation involves more time taken for cooking.There are 2 styles of preparing biryani. The Katchi(raw) Biryani is prepared with the Katchi Yakhni method (with raw gravy). The raw meat is marinated in curd and cooked only by the dum, or the baking process, which is done with rice. This is a challenging process as it requires meticulously measured time and heat to avoid overcooking or undercooking the meat.In Pakki Biryani, where the meat is cooked with all the accompanying spices and then the rice is simmered

with the resultant gravy redolent of mace, ittar and kewra in a sealed vessel with saffron and cardamom.

A Biryani is accompanied with Dahi ki Chutney (curd &onions); Mirchi ka Salan(Chilly curry); salad and sometimes boiled egg. The salad includes tomato, carrot, cucumber, radish, turnip, onion & lemon slices.Apart from side dishes such as Mirchi ka Salan, it can also include Dhansak and Baghare Baingan.

IMPORTANT DISHES:

1. HYDERABADI MURGH KORMA: A cashew nut based chicken curry favored with nutmeg cooked by slow braising.

2. MURGH NIZAMI: A semi dry chicken masala cooked with nuts ( cashewnut, peanut, coconut) and seeds(sunflower seed and sesame seeds)

3. MURGH DO PIAZA: A mild chicken curry cooked with an abundance of onion and garnished with coconut and sunflower seeds.

4. DALCHA GOSHT: A lamb stew with dried beans and soured by tamarind.

5. NAWABI TARKARI BIRYANI: A delicious mix vegetablebiryani which is mild and light

5. MIRCH KA SALAN: A rich hot dish made of long hot pepper cooked in sesame seed flavored gravy.

6. NAHARI: A very nourishing stew made of lamb trotter and tongue, cooked by simmering usuallyovernight flavored by cassia bark(cinnamon), cardamom and highly aromatic bouquet garni( potlika masala that includes sandal wood powder, khus root, whole dried roses). A breakfast dish usually eaten with bread like shirmal.

7. LUKMI: Ravioli like squares of pastry dough filled with spiced minced lamb and deep fried.

8. BAGHARE BAINGAN: Small whole aubergine slit friedtill brown then cooked in nutty sauce containing sesame seeds and peanut and tempered with curry leaves and mustard seeds.

9. TOMATO KUT: An aromatic puree of fresh tomatoes with tamarind, curry leaves and browned garlic.

10. KACHHI BIRYANI: An aromatic rice preparation in which raw meat and raw rice are cooked together.

11. KACCHE DAHI KE KOFTA: Minced meat, green coriander, mint, browned garlic and garam masala are ground to a very fine paste, formed into balls fried and just before service put in seasoned beaten curd and tempered with garlic, mustard seeds, curry leaves and red chillies.

12. DOUBLE KA MEETHA: A glorious bread pudding liberally sprinkled with almond and pistachios.

13. MARAG: A clear Arab meat broth with pieces of meat is called marag.

14. HALEEM: A smooth velvety paste of broken wheat and meat usually eaten with pieces of hard boiledegg and lime juice.

15. QABOOLI: It is layered casserole dish made of partially cooked rice, yellow split peas cooked with ginger garlic and yoghurt a puree of green herbs (Coriander and mint) and browned onion. It is gently baked in a large pot.

16. ASAFIA MURGH: Whole roasted chicken with almond, curd and garam masala.

17. BAKRA KHORI: Whole lamb cooked with unique savoryspices.

18. METHI MURGH: Chicken with fresh fenugreek leaves.

19. NARGISHI KOFTA: Kofta made of whole boiled egg coated with minced meat fried and simmered in rich gravy.

20. SHIKHAMPURI KEBAB: Patties made out of finely pounded meat, stuffed with a pheasant mix of paneer, mint, green coriander, green chillies.

21. CHIPPE KA GOSHT: Chunks of meat marinated in a paste of onion, green chillies, coconut, garlic, garam masala and yoghurt and then cooked very slowly in a new clay pot so the meat smells a bitlike parched earth after a rainfall.

22. BADAAM KI JAALI: Light round marzipan ‘sandwiches’ where the top layer with its filly greed cut outs, reveals real silver varq.

KARNATAKA

INTRODUCTION: Karnataka is divided into three regions.

- A narrow coastal strip along the Arabian sea

- The hills of the western ghats and- The sprawling plains to the east.

The hills produce the best cardamom and black pepper. Karnataka state has a combination of several types of cuisine. Thoughthere are similarities between the food of Karnataka and its southern neighboring states of Tamilnadu and Kerela, the typical Mysore style. Dakshina Kannada cuisine is well known for its own distinctive textureand flavor. The coastal area from the northern borderwith Maharashtra and Goa down to Mangalore has a style not very different from coastal Goan cuisine orcoastal Kerela cuisine. As one goes north the food begins to resemble that of Maharashtra. There is, in fact a large amount of resemblance in food of the four southern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerela. There are subtle distinctions and recognizable differences in flavor.

The central areas of the state have a style that is marked by simplicity and tradition while in the coffee growing districts of the coorg district; there are culinary delights as vibrant and distinct as the people themselves. The best known fare is undoubtedly the Udipi style of cooking.

CULINARY ASPECTS

In the coastal belt of Karnataka, jaggery and coconutplay a major role in the cooking, both in the preparation of the main meals as well as the snacks and savories.

Karnataka’s culinary culture revolves, round three staple items- rice, ragi, and wheat jowar (millets). However the people in the northern districts have a preference for wheat and jowar rotis. In rural Karnataka, Ragi is widely used with each meal in the form of rotis as ‘mudde’. Muddeis steam cooked ragi rolled into balls and served with hot chutney or huli (sambar).

The kodavas or coorgis, culturally very different from the state, are presumed to have influence of the Greek ancestors. The coorgi cuisine is very distinct and theyt are theonly Hindus all kinds of meat and serve non-vegeterian food and alcoholic drinks for their marriage ceremonies and traditional festivities.

The coastal belt, seafood and fish are available in plenty. The cuisine is simple and full of flavor. Jaggery and coconut play a major role in all preparations. Rice continues to be staplediet through wheat gaining gradually acceptance. Coconut is widely used in Mangalorean cuisine too. Coconut oil is a cooking medium and coconut gratings or milk.Are used for curries .local vegetables are used for awide variety of .preparations and for chutneys the skin of the vegetables are also used

Kori-roti-dry broken pieces of rice pancakes or handkerchief like neer dosai made from unfermented rice batter of watery consistency accompanies most ofthe gravy dishes.sanas-idlis fermented in toddy are yet another popular accompaniment for most of the gravy items .predominantly Hindu prepared special food is made during festivals and days of fasting the‘ekadasi’ fast is broken on ‘dwadsi’ with a cooling kanji served with only ghee and pickles. The chilies from bedige are mainly used for its bright red color and less pungency. The tamarind in Karnataka is highly priced than other varieties because it is lessacidic and almost faintly sweet in the plateau, the cooking medium is sesame oil or groundnut oil. The Bhakri meal of north Karnataka, based on jawar, is very different like the ragi meal of the south Karnataka.

DAKSHINA KANNADA CUISINE

This cuisine has evolved in areas in and around Mysore which was a big kingdom and was ruled by Hindu kings for a long time. The influence of Tamilnadu is there due to affinity and a typical mealhas kosambri(lentil salad), playas (seasoned vegetables), kootu and saaru (rasam).other specialties includes bisibella bhath hulianna, Gojju (bittergourd preparations) and majjige huli( vegetables stewed in butter milk). A typical breakfast would include uppittu, kesari bhath, masaladosa, idli, pongal, etc. Mysore pak, Obbattu or holige are important sweets. Festive occasions would also include payasa (kheer) made of vermicelli or green gram dal or raw rice

Varieties of dosa , bagala bhath, gatti, avalaki preparations , ‘chithrana’ or rice preparations, ‘palya, or vegetable dishes, ‘munchi’, ‘gashi’ , ‘gojju’, are other popular dishes.

MANGALOREAN CUISINE

The bunts form a major of the tulu speaking communities of south kanara. Apart from the local produce and fruits rice is used mainly to create numerous delicacies. Kori roti is a very popular dishof the bunts

Konkani speaking Christians of Mangalore originally migrated from Goa in the 18th century. The food habits and plates are of Goan origin.as time elapsed, this cuisine had a blend of the local taste .this community used the local taste. This community used the local ingredients available and sowas little different then the Goans.Popular dishes include Shevige, Mutlim, Bhakri, Varieties of Idli, Kori roti. Kori Sukka, Cundapur koli thalna, Kori kothambri, Ajadina, Kaidina, Chakuli etc are some of the other popular dishes.

Dessert and snacks selections include Kheer, payasa, Khotige, Kulkuls, Nevrious, Manni, Kokisam etc.

UDIPI CUISINE Udipi Cuisine is acceptable in all over the country now because of the healthy mix of various ingredients. It exploits the natural affinity betweenrice, coconut and jaggery. Another popularized combination is the Black gram dal and rice used for Idli, dosa and other items. The horse gram is a

delicacy in Udipi areas and stock obtained after longhours of boiling is used to prepare Rasam or Saaru. Special food is prepared on festivals and of fasting. In the month of December-January ‘Hugi or Pongal is prepared in the homes daily and distributedin some temples. Popular dishes include Pathrodey, Pundi Gatti, Kadubu, Huli, Saroo, Shevige Chithrana, Huggie, Tambli, Seepe palya, Menaskai, Khotige, Kairasa, Mossergojju, Paradi payasa, Holigey etc.

GOWDA SARASWAT BRAHMIN CUISINE

The Aryans, who traveled from central Asia to India, hundreds of years back settled on the bank of River Saraswathi. They are referred to as Saraswaths. Later on they had proceeded north to Goa and then to the Karavali region. These communities are referred to as Gowda Saraswat Brahmins.

These communities ate fish although they were Hindu Brahmins. This cuisine has a very good selection of vegetables, herbal roots preparation andfruit preparations. Popular dishes include Ravadhan, Uppukari,Akkiunde, Appa, Bakri, Biscuitroti, Shevige, Dali toya, Kodhel, Sasive, Sukka, Gojju, Tambli, Ambat, Sangli, Kootu, Payasa, Sukhrundo, Panchakajjai, and Garjikai etc.

COORGI CUISINE

Most of the Coogi curries, noted for their flavor and taste, are taste, are coconut based that is lightly spiced and moderately sour. Non vegetarianfood fare rules at both the daily tables and on festive occasions. Pork is the specialty and is cooked with a mixture of spices and ‘Neeru puli’ a special black tamarind extract.

Popular dishes include Pandi Kari, Kori Barthad, Meen gashi, Mamsa Kari, Palya, saar, Kadumputtu, Noolputtu, Bhakri, and Akkiotti etc.

RELIGIOUS COUSTOMS AND EFFECTS ON FOOD Karnataka being predominantly Hindus celebrates almost all-Hindu festivals Krishna Jayantiis very auspicious in Udipi. On ‘Pother Parban’ Or Harvest festival –a feast of home made sweets, pancakes and puffed rice are made. No meats are cooked the harvested new rice is cooked to payasa or shaker bhath and distributed. Following tradition ‘Ekadasi’ (eleventh day after full moon) fast are observed and the fast is broken the next day with kanji.

The main temples also serve meals for its devotees during the day.

SEQUENCE OF MEAL AND SERVICE: In Karnataka the banana leaves is placed with

the tip facing the top and not the left side. The service starts with the service of pickle and raita or tambli. Then the playas or bhajis along with dalitove is served, now rice is served with plain dalor varan and then it is blended with some home made ghee.

In places where meat is consumed the gravy items may include curries of fish, chicken, mutton or pork.It is usual to have a dry meat preparation on the side if the gravy is vegetarian Desserts or sweets are made only on festive occasions and functions.

FAMOUS DISHES FROM KARNATAKA

CHITRA ANNA: tempered rice preparation with coconut and cashew nut.

VAANGI BHATH: sautéed brinjals and rice preparation using special vaangi bhath masala powder.

KOSAMBARI: dry soaked moong dal and grated carrot proportion with granted coconut. it is a raw salad.

SAAGU: mixed vegetable preparation (carrot, beans, potato etc) enriched with coconut and poppy seeds paste, served with puris.

RASAM: famous toovar dal water, enriched with pepper, coriander leaves, tomatos etc.it has water if shorba like consistency.

OBATTU: the kanandiga version of poran poli, it is served with a dollop of ghee.

KHARA BHATH: semolina and mixed vegetables, dry preparation served with onion raita.

HESERABELE PAYASA: semi thick moong dal halva sweetened with jaggery.

NEER DOSA: dosa presentation with batter made of onlyrice and water. neer means water.

KORI SUKKA: mangalorean style chicken curry finished with coconut and coriander leaves.mani: sweet preparation made with rice, flour and

coconut

KASHMIRI CUISINE

The northern most part of India, embraced by the snowdusted peaks of the Himalayas, ahs a temperate climate. Here lies the valley of Kashmir with its magnificent gardens and terraced lakes. Growing food was and is more of a problem. Many precious terraces are reserved for the staple. Rice, wheat, too, is grown to make Kashmirs superb breads such as the flaky, bun shaped kulcha and the sesame encrusted tsachvaru, both very popular accompaniment of tea.

Because so much land is covered by mountains and lakes, the Kashmir has taken to harvesting the water.The lakes- Dal, Nagin, Manasbal and Wular are filled with the rhizomes of the lotus often called the lotusroots, called ‘nedr’. They are cooked with fish and lamb, made into ‘meatballs’, cooked with yoghurt as ayakhni; dipped into rice flour batter and made into fritters, best of all they are fried in mustard oil to make crunchy chips (nedr churm)

Green tea called ‘Kahva’ is drunk for breakfast and then sipped through the course of the day. Breads arenibbled with the tea.Kashmri breads are related more to the breads of Afghanistan, central Asia and the middle east than tochapatis, poories, and paratha of the rest of the subcontinent. Most breads, like buns, can be sweet orsalty. Some breads are encrusted with poppyseeds, other with sesame seeds. There is nothing quite satisfying as a chewy girda, still warm from the bakery, smothered ‘Kulcha’ form Bnadipora. The soft ‘Bakirkhani’ from sopore with a hole in its centre orthe delicate ‘Krep’ and the biscuit like ‘Sheermal’ from pampur. What is served at the two main meals,

what it is called and how it is called and how it is cooked to depend to a large extent on whether the family is Hindu or Muslim. Two dishes are always present, rice and either kohlrabi or a green of the cabbage family. These vegetables and many other seasonal greens like moinja haak, vappal haak, etc. are considered staples and are in amiably cooked in mustard oil and water with the addition of red and green chillies for extra flavouring, hindus throw in asafetida, muslims add garlic and sometimes cloves and cinnamon as well. Sometimes cloves and cinnamon as well. In Kashmir it is the asafetida and garlic that seen to separate the hindus from the muslims.

While the Brahmins of the rest of India abhor meat, kashmiri pandits have worked out quite a different culinary tradition for themselves. They eat meat withgreat gusto, - lamb cooked with yoghurt (yakhni), lamb cooked in milk (aab gosht), lamb cooked with asafetida, dried ginger, fennel and lots of ground red chillies (roganjosh) – but frown upon garlic and onions.

Kashmiri muslims eat many of the same meat dishes, but just spice them differently using lots ofgarlic, dried red cockscomb flowers (maval) for food colouring, and onion. The onion is neither the shallot of south India nor the pink skinned round onions of the northern plains. It is praan, the onionof Kashmir, a strange cross between a spring onion and a shallot.

Ver is a spice mixture. It comes in the form of athin, hard cake with a hole in its centre. It can contain garlic and praan for Muslims, asafetida and fenugreek for hinus, as well as lots of freshly foundred chillies, cumin, coriander, dried ginger, cloves,

cardamom and turmeric. All the spices are ground, then made into a patty with mustard oil. A hole is made with patty and left to dry on wooden planks in the shade. Small amounts are broken off as needed, crumbled and then sprinkled over many

foods to give them a “Kashmiri” flavour. The first snowfall is celebrated by the Muslims with a dish of harissa, a kind of porridge made of meat and grains that is eaten with delicious girda bread. Hindus enjoy rajma gogji, red kidney beans simmered gently with turnips.

In spring Kashmiri’s enjoy, Timatar goli – meatballs cooked with tomatoes and yoghurt; dhaniwal korma – lamb cooked with fresh coriander; marzwangan korma - lamb cooked with the strained puree of Kashmiri chillies. Kashmiri’s make exquisite fresh chutneys using either walnuts or sour cherries, or yellow pumpkin or white raddish. In a Kashmiri meal there will always be a lots of rice, some kind of greens, heddar (mushrooms cooked with tomatoes, dry ginger and fennel), shikar (slightly vinegared duck cooked with garhi and red chillies) and gard muj (fish cooked with white raddish). Kashmiris eat fish at room temperature as they believe that reheating fish disintegrates them.

Autumn is good season for banquets. The Kashmiri Muslim banquets is known as Wazwan, the word ‘waz’ mean chef, a master of culinary arts and “wan” means the shop with its full array of meats and delicacies.

The wazwan consists of thirty six courses of which fifteen to thirty dishes are varieties of meat.

Guests are seated in groups of four on a dastar khan – the traditional seating o floor and share the meal on a large metal plate called a ‘trami’ consists of amound of rice divided by four sheek kababs, four pieces of methi korma, one tabak maaz (rib chops braised in aromatic broth and shallow fried till crisp) and two pieces of trami murgh – one staged onezafrani yoghurt and chutneys are served in small earthen pots. There are seven standard dishes that are a must for all wazwans; Rista, Roghan josh, TabakMaaz, Dhaniwal korma, Aab gosth, Marchawangan Korma and Gustaba. Gustaba is the final dish.

IMPORTANT DISHES:

1.TRAMI MURGH (ZAFRANI): Chicken cut into halves and cooked in meat stock till dry and lastly flavored with saffron.

2.TRAMI MURGH (SAFED): Chicken cut into halves, cooked in diluted milk along with saunf and saunth. Saffron is not used.

3.RISTA: Bounded, poached meat balls in a red spicygravy flavored with saunth.

4.GUSTABA: Pounded, poached meat; balls bigger thanRista in a white onion and curd based gravy.

5.TABAKMAAZ: Lamb meat chops boiled in flavored water and then shallow fried both side till crisp.

6. KABARGAH: Lamb meat chop boiled coated with riceflour and gram flour (50:50) batter and deep fried till crisp.

7.AAB GOSHT: Pieces of lamb 1st cooked in water flavored with saunf, saunth and garlic then cooked in cardamom flavored milk.

8.DHANIWAL KORMA: Mutton cooked in yoghurt based fresh coriander gravy.

9.MARZWANGAM KORMA: mutton cooked in lots of red chilly paste and finished with Mawal extract.

10. CHUSTE: Spicy dry curry of goats’ intestine.

11. GULAR KEBAB: Minced meat kebabs with orange filling round ball like shape.

12. PAO GOGJI: Waters of turnips cooked in dry spices.

13. HAAK (KASHMIRI SPINACH): Leafy vegetable cooked with green chilly, chilly powder, sugar, or jaggery and other spices like Sachh Vari powder.

14. SARVARI: Rice with black gram, chick peas or peas.

15. KARAM HAAK: This is a leafy vegetable with a bulbous root. While haak leaves are cooked whole,Karam Haak leaves are cut. Other ingredients and method of preparation is same as for Haak, however the bulbous root should be shallow- friedin oil with salt and red chilly powder and added to the saag.

KERALA

INTRODUCTION:

Kerala situated between the Western Ghats and the Arabian sea is home for Malayalee Christians, the namboodri Bhramins, Kerala Hindus and the Moplahs. Kerala has a beautiful coastline running along the coast line running along the western side.lush green paddy fields with small rivulets passing through and fro with its lifeline connected to the Arabian sea, peaceful backwater and coconut lagons, all of which has made it one of the most popular state of India. Before integration into Kerala state, the coastal land comprised of Cochin, Malabar and Travancore, ruled by the maharaja of Zamorin. Christians localized themselves to Cochin, the Muslims to Malabar and the Hindus to Travancore. Each community has its distinct specialty and it is not difficult tolocalize a dish to the particular region.

CULINARY ASPECTS

I love my mother’s food or my grandmother’s food. Howwere they able to dish out such delicious food? For the older generation, cooking was a ritual. Although cooking a meal was time consuming.

Ingredients used:- coconuts available in abundance and its rich oil is used to make rich aromatic gravies , delicately flavored stews , seasoned dry vegetable preparation , delectable sweets , Payasams , and Pradamans. The native housewife uses lentils, grams, Malabar, bananas and jackfruit to make desserts with taste without parallel. In the

coastal towns, fish or seafood predominates on the menu.

During the ‘Chakra’ or the fisher folk festival marked by the abundance of ‘catch’, much fish is dried and salted. Kerala, renowned for its spices, attracted people from all parts of the world. The impact with the different culture had its effects on the living styles, food habits and religion of the locals. The natives adapted to eating meat and fish slowly evolving an indigenous cooking style of their own with the available local ingredients.

Keralites usually use parboiled rice, which is tastier and more nutritive in value. The back gardensof every house provided green chilies, plantains, rawpapaya, jackfruit, ash gourd, Mangalore cucumber etc.Tamarind is collected , salted , beaten and rolled into balls before storing in porcelain ‘Barnis’ or ‘ jars’. ‘Uppu manga’ made from small mangoes and red chillies with spices. The abundant Nendram bananas are also used for making the popular Kerala chips andalso Halwa or ‘Verrati’. Jackfruits are also used in the same way. All ripe mangoes are used for vegetablepreparation like ‘Pullisseri’ and ‘Morekootan’, and the extra ones are transformed to mango fruit leathers. Cardamom, pepper, nutmeg, tea, coffee, cloves, ginger, turmeric, yam, pineapple and cashew nuts are some of the other grown items here. Coconut is used in a very versatile manner to churn out numerous dishes. Coconut is ground with red chillies, coriander, sambar onion and peppercorns forsimple gravies while the same masala is stir fries togolden color and then ground for making more aromaticgravy. Coconut paste is flavored with ground mustard

for pachadi and khichadis. Chandra karan mangoes “pulliseri’ is the specialty during season.

SYRIAN CHRISTIAN CUISINE:The influence of various cultures of traders

visiting Kerala coasts for spices and the conversion to Christianity of the locals had an impact on the native food habits and slowly a distinct cuisine evolved amongst the natives of the community.The Appam and the stew is a must for any occasion. Beef cutlets with salads. Chicken roast, ‘Erachi ularthiyathu’(beef), ‘Meen milagitathu’ (fish) and ‘Peera pattichthu”(fish) are some of the famous dishes. The Christians use coconut oil, mustard, curry leaves and coconut milk in mist of the dishes. Local toddy is used to enhance the taste of ‘Aappam’.The daily diet has to include a fish gravy or dry fish along with a beef preparation taken with rice or‘Aappams”.

MOPLAH CUISINE:Moplah cuisine holds its origin to the

numerous Arab traders, who used to visits Kerala, eventually got married to local ladies and paved way for moplah style of cooking. For the Moplah the lightly flavored Biryani- made of mutton, chicken, fish or eggs takes the pride of place. Mussels are the favorite in seafood.

The Arab influence is very visible in the rich meat curries and desserts” Pathiris”, a chapatti like bread made from rice flour or wheat flour is generally prepared for all meals. ‘patharis’ are alsostuffed with fish, mutton, beef or chicken- fried or steamed and served. They retain form consuming pork. Desserts are mainly made from eggs, sugar and flour.

Some popular desserts like ‘chattipathiri’, ‘mutta mala’, halwa’, ‘tharipola’. Etc are a must for festive occasion.

NAMBOODRI BRAHMIN CUISINE:Hindus in Kerala, other than the Namboodris, eat

meat and fish as a matter of course. The Namboodris are strict vegetarians and usually involves themselves with the service of god. There is no use of onion and garlic is their food.

To be precise, serving a “Sadya” has its own rules. The narrow tip of the leaf should face the left & service starts from the bottom left half of the leaf on which the small yellow bananas is placed followed by jaggery coated bananas chips, banana chips and papadum. Then beginning from the top left half of theleaf are placed lime curry, mango pickle, injipuli , lime pickle, thoran, olan, aviyal, pachadi and kichadi. Only after these are placed, does the personbegins to eat. Thereafter the rice is served at the bottom center. The sambar & kalan is poured in the rice. Then the meal is over, pradaman (dessert) is served. After dessert, rasam is taken with rice or drink straight. The meal ends with curd rice or buttermilk service to aid digestion.

RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS AND EFFECTS OF FOOD:

“ONAM” the most popular festival falls in the month of August or September. At this time the harvest is

over and the granaries are full. Peoples are happy and participate in the festivals.

The boat race takes place in Aranmula & Kutanad backwaters.

“Vishu” falls in April- may, when the rains are just about to commence. It is offer of pooja to mother earth. The house elders organize a visual treat in the night with coconuts, vegetables, fruits cereals and ornaments- all arranged on a plantain leaf with photograph of Deities in the center. Everyone is supposed to see the “vishu kani” or the visual treat, the first thing in the morning.

“Tiruvathira” in December –January is a festival of women. “trichur pooram” or the grand elephant march is an event worth watching.

The Moplah community celebrates Ramzan. All kinds of special dishes are made break the fast of Ramzan. During Christmas, the Christians also make all theirmeat delicacies and sweets.

FAMOUS PRODUCTS FROM KERALA:

1.APPAM : These are rice flour pancake, cooked on flat tawa.

2.UNNIAPPAM: It is rice flour product. A batter is made of rice flour, jaggery, mashed banana, and milk and then cooked.

3.UPPAMA: It is a savory vegetables and semolina pilaf

4.MEEN VEVICHATHU: Fish in very hot red chilli sauce, pickled for 3 days. As souring agent- kodampoli (fish tamarind) is used.

5.ERACHI OLARTHIATHU: It is a red meat (beef, lamb)curry made by boiling beef with spices till wateralmost evaporates, and then lightly fried with curry leaves and shallots.

6.THORAN: A vegetables usually made of shredded papaya.

7.PRATHAMAN: A delicious pudding made by boiling mung dal with coconut milk, flavored with palm sugar and ginger powder, garnished with fried cashewnut, coconut flakes.

8.KALAN: Green plantain stewed in butter milk.

9.OLAN: Little square of ash gourd (winter melon) poached with lentil and yoghurt.

10. KOOTU: A dish made of different vegetables such as pumpkin, carrots, spinach etc with chana dal and coconut.

11. KONJU PAPPAS: Prawn cooked in coconut milk, soured by kodampoli.

12. MEEN MOILEE- Thick steak of fish (seer) cooked in coconut milk, flavored with curry leaves.

13. POOTU: A cereal dish made steaming the mixture of ground raw and parboiled rice with grated coconut in bamboo tube in upright position. It may be eaten with milk and small sweet banana.

14. KONJU PULAO: A prawn/ shrimp pilaf

15. PACHADIS: It is flavored and spiced yoghurt. It can be made with different kinds of vegetablessuch as okra, pumpkin etc.

MAHARASHTRA CUISINE

Bombay may be the capital but pune, much further in land, is its soul. When wheat is preferred by north and rice in south, maharashtrians eat both but use the rice in different forms- from steamed rice flour dumpling (MODAKS) served at ganesh puja to delicate rice flour biscuits (Anarsa) served at diwali. Anarsa is a light, airy, lacy biscuit with slightly chewy texture and very difficult to make. First rice is socked for several days, in fresh water each day, and then dried, pounded to fine flour. It is then mixed with jaggery and little oil and left in a open tin for around 5 days. The mixture will have a texture of soft dough. The dough is patted into thin rounds on a leaf lined with poppy seeds and then deepfried in medium hot oil.

In a typical wedding banquet, foods are arranged on thali in a very special order like the numbers on a clock, the left side is for seasonings, relishes and

savories, the rite for vegetable, split peas ad sweets. At 12o’clock position is the most basic seasoning- salt, following it on left are the wedgesof lemon, a fresh coconut chutney, then 2 fresh relishes (Koshimbirs) one made with cucumber bits andcrushed peanuts-, other with boiled and mashed pumpkin with ground mustard and yoghurt. Then a sweetand sour mango chutney and then comes the savories- papadam, sago crisps and a few bhajjas (vegetable fritters)

To the rite hand side of the salt came- Aruchi bhaji another wet. Batata bhaji is popular as a dry one- potato cooked in cumin seeds, curry leaves lime juicewith a touch of coconut and sugar. Wet one may be brinjal preparation flavoured with Maharashtra’s famous Kala masala-(contains usually roasted and ground cinnamon, cardamom, sesame, cumin and pieces of black coconut)

Next comes sweets which include, jalebis, a special kheer made with semolina dough rolled and cut to resemble rice.

Then placed on a masala bhat/ fried rice with vegetable such as cabbage etc with puran poli.

The first course is served at 6 o’clock position and may be a small mould of rice with toovar dal and little pouring of ghee.

The Marathas belonging to working class and agriculture were India’s best warriors. They have eaten and enjoyed what ever comes in their way. On hunt they marinate quail in yoghurt; clove and black pepper wrap them in wet clay and put into shouldering

fire to bake. Marathas eat their food hot and unsweetened. Kolhapur is famous for its hot lamb dishes and villagers around Kolhapur are known to drink up the rogan of the dish. Traveling west from Kolhapur, one reaches ratnagiri on the konkan coast. This area has a distinction of producing best mangoesin the world- Alphanso. Maharashtrians only eat freshmango as a fruit but also make juice and eat with freshly fried poories and chircoot , a spice similar to Szechwah peppercorn is used on the konkan coast for the preparation of fish dishes.

Bombay the state capital and also western India’s principal sea port has vibrant blend of different cultures and food habits. Crawford market which was built in 1871is used for the sale of fresh products- best oranges from Nagpur, cherries from Kashmir , sweet and sour lichis from Dehradun , ugary baby melon from Lucknow and Alphanso from Ratnagiri. In spite of different taste, there is one equalizer in Bombay to which everyone succumbs- that is Bhel-Puri.The time sun down this favourite snack is made of a tossed mixture of puffed rice , wheat flour crisps , chopped onion , chopped boiled potatoes , 2 chutneys one is made up of green coriander and green chillies and another a thick sweet and sour tamarind and datesand lastly topped with sev, a fine vermicelli made out of chick pea flour.

POPULAR DISHES FROM MAHARASHTRA

TOMATO SAAR: Saar is not exactly soup. They are soupy and eaten with Indian breads or with rice.

FARAVSI BHAJI: it is a green bean dish cooked with either urad, moong or yellow split peas. The dish is

cooked in a reverse double boiler method- the food isin the bottom pot and water on top. In result the food is cooked in the minimal water that drips down as condensation. It is a nutritious protein dish.

BATATA AMBAT: It is a potato dish cooked with tomatoes and fresh coconut,

AROOQ: it is a minced chicken fritter contributed byIraqi Jews who are settled in Bombay.

KOLHAPURI MUTTON: it is a fiery hot mutton dish, very much liked by mahrattas who were once the bravest of Indian warriors.

TOMATO PALAK BHAT: rice dish cooked with tomato and spinach.

BHOPLA CHA BHURTA : Tempered mashed ashgourd.

MASALYACHI VANGI : Sliced of brinjal cooked with flavored coconut paste garnished with green corianderleaves

ARBI CHI BHAJI : Sweet and sour arbi preparation.

BUND GOBI CHI KOSHUMBIRI: Cabbage and mung dal preparation, having strong flavor of hing.

KATACHI AMTI : It is ground peanut and chana dal preparation, enriched with gram flour, hing , jaggeryand garam masala.

VARAN : Grated coconut and toovar dal preparation POMFRET MASALEDAR : Pomfret in rich masala

BOMBAY DUCK KABAB: Shallow fried stuffed Bombay duck

MUTTON PULLAO: Rich mutton pilaf

VALCHI KHICHDI: Spicy rice and val / sprouted field beans (whole) preparation

BATATA VADA : Mashed potato balls, coated with besan batter and deep fried.

BHEL PURI : Spicy chat preparation made of puffed rice , boiled diced potato, coconut and tomato, served topped with meetha chutney.

BESAN LADU: Mixture of cooked besan and rava, sweetened with sugar and shaped into balls

KAJU CHI VADI : Ground cashewnut sweet pudding.

DUDH PAK : Rice kheer preparation

PURAN PULI : Thick sweet breads stuffed with sweet and ground cooked chana dal and coconut.

PUNJABI CUISINE

INTRODUCTION:-

The legandary punjabi cuisine which has no doubt been responsible to a great extent for promoting the love of indian food outside india.the influence from the persians, afghans, greeks and mongols has resulted in the cuisines not only rich and exotic but robust and earthy as well..”The taste of punjab” would perhaps inspired the indomitable tandoor . The rich and spicy tandoori preperations topped up with butter will be tantalisingly tasty and nutritious. Mention punjab and the first image that comes to mindis that of lush green fields. Mention punjabi food and the first thing that comes to mind is makkai ki roti and sarson ka saag. Punjabi cuisine is like the punjabis themselves. It is simple, sizeable and hearty - with no unnecessary frills or exotic accompaniments. “variety is the spice of life” is thediversity which has put the boundaries in indian food.

Punjabi people have vigorous appetites and their lovefor food is visible from the food pallet that they offer. The Punjabi food, like other Indian cuisines is very spicy. The use of Tandoor is very prominent in Punjabi cooking. A Tandoor is a kind of an eathernoven which are half buried in the ground in which charcoal is used. Food cooked in these ovens is earthy smelling which lends a very exotic and rich aroma to it. Marinated meat, chicken, fish, paneer,

rotis and naans of many types are cooked in this ovenand the results are absolutely amazing.

Punjabi food includes a large variety of breads like:Nans, parathas, chapati's made of maize flour are so soft that they simply melt in the mouth. With the passage of time the Punjabi cuisine has undergone a lot many changes like the addition of rumali roti andlacchha paratha. Punjabi cuisine is synonymous with spicy, creamy and aromatic gravies.The Punjabi dishes are lavishly garnished with chopped and slivered and sliced spices, while gravies are made rich by the use of ghee and cream. For most of the people living abroad Indian cuisine is synonymous with the Punjabi cuisine. For them, savoring Indian food means having naans, gravied vegetables, curries and pulaos.

ABOUT THE STATE:-

The land of punjab is a land of earthy culture, emerald green fields and warm people whose robust rustic ways of bonhomie are very much a part of theirheritage. Beyond its joyous people and carpet spreadsof fertile fields, this 'land of milk and honey' has a host of culinary treasures that it readily offers to the others too.

THE SEASONS OF PUNJAB:-

There are three well defined seasons in the punjab. These are:

1. Hot season (mid-april to the end of june)2. Rainy season ( early july to the end of september)

3. Cold season (early december to the end of februaryAgriculture

Punjab is called the "granary of india" or "india's bread-basket." it produces the following:

60% of india's wheat40% of india's rice

In worldwide terms:2% of the world's cotton2% of world’s wheat1% of the world's riceThe largest grown crop is wheat.Other important crops are rice, cotton, sugarcane, millet, maize, barley and fruit. LOCATION & MAP OF PUNJAB

PEOPLE FOOD HABITS

Punjabi people have a heavy diet as their main occupation is farming.

Their diet mainly consist of:ChickenMuttonHome made cheeseYoghurtGhee & butter

Famous breads:Nans ParathasRotis

Famous desserts:Gajar ka halwaGulab jamun

SPECIALITIES

Most punjabi menus are made according to the season. The universal favorite is chole-bathure which is a round-the-year item and is available at every waysidedhaba. But, the pride of the punjabi winter cuisine is (sarson-ka-saag served with blobs of white butter accompanied by makke-di-roti and lassi

INGREDIENTS :-

• Garam masala• Ghee (clarified butter)• Dahi (yoghurt)• Paneer (home-made cheese)• Haldi (turmeric)• Amchur (mango powder)• Lal & hari mirchi (red & green chillies)•

MENU OF THE DAY

AMRITSARI MACCHI( fish dipped in a batter of gram flour along with different masala’s & ajwain)

DAL MAKHNI( a rich punjabi lentil preparation consisting of black urad dal, red kidney beans & lots of butter)

TANDOORI ROTI( a typical punjabi bread used as a staple diet made of refined flour, milk, egg and salt)

GULAB JAMUN

( a unique punjabi dessert made of khoya, chenna mixed together & made roundels deep fried & dipped insugar syrup & served hot)

POPULAR DISHES

CholeBhature SukhiDal PaneerAmritsari PalakMakkaiMalaiMakkiDiRotiLassiPatialaAloo(Potato)TikkiSukhiChannaDalPistaLassiBainganDaBhurthaSagGosht (LambandSpinach)ChaampMasala (LambChopsMasala)MurghaKariChicken (Curry\withTomatoes)MurghMakhan (SilkenChicken)MattarPaneer (PeaswithFarmerCheese)SuchasDalLobhia(ChandniVegetarianCuisine'sNorthAmericanBlackeyes)ChickenDilrubaGajar Halwa(Quick Glazed Carrot Halwa )Dal makhani Tandoori murgSaarso ka saagMakai ki rotiGulab jamun

NAAN (20 PAX)

It is the most popular staple diet for the punjabipeople which is made up of refined flour and oilalong with the other ingredients.

INGREDIENTSQUANTITYFlour 2 kgSalt 20 gmSoda bi carbonate 3 gm Baking pwd 10 gmEgg 2 nosSugar 22 gmYoghurt 50 gmMilk 100 mlRefined oil 80 ml Kalonji 8 gmMelon seeds 12 gmButter 100 gm

Methods:-

At first we need to sift flour with salt bakingpowder and sodium bi carbonate.then another bowl wemake amixture with yoghurt, milk,refined oilegg,sugar

and we mix it well.after this we add the mixture intothe flour and then knead it and make asoft dough.thenwe make roundels and stretch it to make a elongatedoval shape and insert it into tandoor for 3 mins andafter taking it out from the tandoor we apply butterand serve immidiately.

GULAB JAMUN (20 PAX)

A wonderful and most popular pujabi dessert is gulabjamun which is made of grated khoya and chenna andmade into poundels and ten deep fried and dipped insugar syrup and served hot usualy

INGREDIENTSQUANTITYKhoya500 gmChenna100 gmSugar1 kgWater500 mlSoda bi carbonatea pinchRefined flour60 gmGhee/vanaspatito deep fry

Methods:-

At first khoya and chenna are to be kneaded to mashany granules.then we make the sugar syrup.after thatwe mix khoya and chenna ,add four and the dissolved

soda bi carbonate.we kned gently and make 40roundels.then we heat ghee and vanspati and deep frythe roundels in low heat till golden brown and thendip it in the sugar solution and serve it hot.

AMRITSARI MACCHI (20 PAX)

A popular punjabi fish preparation made from a batterof gram flour which includes many other ingredients and ajwain.

INGREDIENTS QUANTITY fish 1kg malt vinegar 60 ml salt as reqd ginger paste 50 gm garlic paste 50 gm ajwain 10 gm red chillies 5 gm turmeric 3 gm pepper pwd 3 gm gram flour 150 gm water 120 ml

oil to deep fry lemon 2 nos chat masala to sprinkle

METHODS:-

First of all we marinate the fish with salt,pepper and lemon juice.then we prepare the batter.after marinatin the fish for 20 minutes we dip the fish into the batter and deep fry and then sprinkle chat masala and serve hot immidiately

DAL MAKHNI (20 PAX)

A rich punjabi lentil preparation consisting of blackurad dal and red kidney beans and lots of butter.

INGREDIENTS QUANTITYWhole urad dal 600 gmRed kidney beans 120 gmSalt TTGinger chopped 60 gmGarlic chopped 60 gmGreen chillies chopped 20 gmButter 150 gm

Refined oil 180 mlGinger paste 125 gmGarlic paste 125 gmTomato puree 250 mlRed chilli pwd 20 gmButter 240 gmCream 240 mlCorriender leaves 20 gm

Methods:-

At first we soak both the dals overnight.then boil the dal with salt,chopped garlic,ginger and green chillies until the dal becomes soft.then we mash the dal.then in the heated iol we sautee ginger garlic paste and then add red chilli pwd and tomato puree and simmer for sometime.then add the boiling dal intoit and mix well.add white butter,cream and mix again with salt.after finushing garnish with chopped corriendr and serve hot.

Punjab is bounded on the west by Pakistan, on the north by Jammu & Kashmir, on the north-west by Himachal Pradesh & on the south by Haryana and Rajasthan.

Punjab, the land of five rivers. Perhaps, it would beappropriate to call it the land of plenty. The

fertility and the field of richness of its dairy havebeen the envy of the subcontinent.

Some of the most evocative hymns in the Rig-Veda prayto the sun and the rain gods to ensure a good crop and healthy milk cattle. a verse in the Yajur-Veda , composed around 800 B.C. is illustrative of the Punjabi Aryan’s , preoccupation with food .” may I prosper through the sacrifice and have plenty - milk, ghee , honey - and enjoy food with my kith and kin. May I have freedom from hunger and have my bins full – wheat, lentils and other grains.

Ayurvedic texts refer to Vatika – dumpling of sun dried, spice cooked delicacy made with lentil paste –or what we know as Vadi. The art of making Vadi reached its acme in Amritsar with the merchants of Marwar who were invented by Ram Das, the fourth guru of the Sikhs, to streamline the trade in the sacred city. There is also reference to Vatika or Vada, made of soaked, coarsely ground and fermented mash (husked urad) daal that was the progenitor of the dahi vada on this menu.

The unhusked mash is the mother of all lentils. Rajmaderives from the word raj mash. Other pulses mentioned are chaak (channa dal) and alisandaga (identified as kabli channa) that is started to have reached India with Alexander the great’s troops, who came to India via Afghanistan rare is an Indian menu without maah di daal and pindi channa.

As soon as partition occurred, the “restaurization” of the nation began. The Punjabi people introduced tandoori cuisine and pleasure of eating out. This

road side dhaba was born to cater to the basic food needs of the uprooted.It would be no exaggeration to say that the most stylish and elegant eateries in the country are Punjabi.

There are some sub regions that have contributed to enriching the cuisine of Punjab.

PESHAWAR: the most north-western of districts in India. Peshawar city was rich with fruits, game birds, fish, peaches, apricots, plums, lime, apples etc.

AMRITSAR: shaped like an oblong between the Ravi and Beas rivers, the district lies northwest of gurdaspurand south west of Lahore. The chief crops are wheat, grams, barley, maize, rice, cotton, pulses and sugar cane.

FAIRS AND FESTIVALS OF PUNJAB

The festivals in Punjab have always been celebrated with much exuberance and fan farce. Punjab being a predominately agricultural state that provides itselfon its food grain production. Baisakhi is indication of arrival of harvesting season.Tika is celebrated in the month of Kartik, one day after Diwali. Lohri is celebrated in the month of December –January. .

FOOD HABITS

Food of Punjab is wholesome and very rich in taste and texture. In Punjab, the tandoor is much more thanversatile kitchen equipment. The tandoor is used for cooking all trends roti, parathas, naan, kulcha and for cooking non vegetarian dishes like tandoori chicken and tandoori jhinga.The foods of Punjab usually have a thick creamy consistency. They use desi ghee, white butter in almost all the dishes. Milk and milk products are available in abundance like paneer, curd, and cream etc. One of the main crop of Punjab is mustard or sarson and this is used to make famous vegetarian dishes i.e. sarson ka saag, accompanied with makki ki roti (roti prepared with maize flour).

SPICES

Various masalas used in Punjabi cuisines are garam masala ( made of cumin seeds , black cardamom seeds ,black pepper corn , green cardamom , cinnamon , mace,shahi jeera , bay leaves and dry rose petals , coriander seeds , fennel seeds , cloves and ginger powder , nutmeg ), aromatic garam masala ( made of green cardamom , cumin seeds, black pepper corn , cinnamon , cloves and nutmeg ) chaat masala ( made ofcumin seeds , black pepper corn , black salt , dry pudina , hing , tartaric acid , am choor , ajwain , ginger powder , yellow chili powder ), tandoori chaatmasala ( made of cumin seeds , black pepper corn , black salt, dry pudina , kasoori methi, green cardamom, cloves , cinnamon , ajwain , hing ,

tartaric acid , mace , mango powder , ginger powder ,yellow chili powder )

It cannot be denied that spices in their new form have certain disadvantages. Whole or ground spices donot always impart their flavors readily and when we use proprietary, pre-ground spices, much of the aromatic quality is lost. This is the result of the volatility of essential oils and oleoresins which arethe life of the spices.

THE TANDOOR

The discovery of fire was a blessing to man. And use of tandoor in Punjabi cuisine is the distinct characteristics. India got its first taste of kebab with the Muslim invasions. The tandoor is a cylindrical clay barrel, dug in the ground and lit with wood, was use to bake breads. it is not only used for making breads and kebabs . The delicacies cooked in the tandoor have a unique flavor. The tandoor shell should be placed on a slightly raised platform. A fire –proof brick wall should be erected around it. The gap is filled with sand. The top covered with either a slab of Kota stone or fire proof tiles. The tandoor should be enclosed on the sides with the same materials. The sand bricks and Kota stone all provide insulation and prevent heat from escaping. An iron ring should be placed on the opening to strengthen the mouth of the tandoor. Punjabis use home made tandoor to make breads like naan, roti and kebabs etc.

FAMOUS DRINKS

Punjabi cuisine is quite rich in refreshing drinks like kanjee ( fermented carrot and mustard paste drink , served in earthen ware “matka” ), shikanjvi (chilled drink made of chili water , lemon juice, salt ,sugar black salt powder and black pepper powder), lussee (sweetened dahi diluted with water and flavored with rose syrup) and mattha/butter milk (made of diluted curd , broiled cumin seed powder , chopped ginger , chopped green chili , fresh coriander leaves with crushed ice and salt )

FAMOUS PUNJABI DISHES

AMRITSARI MACHHI: Ajwain flavored batter fried fish pieces, served with chutney and lemon wedges.

MULTANI TIKKA: Crispy ajwain flavored paneer and onion tikka, served with tandoor kebab masala.

BHARWAN SHIMLA MIRCH: Tandoori stuffed shimla mirch.

TANDOORI JHEENGA: Tandoori prawn enriched with tandoori masala.

MURG MALAAI KEBAB: Chicken supreme kebabs rich in cream and saffron.

SARSON DA SAAG: Green leafy vegetable preparation made of mustard leaves, served with makki ki roti.

BAINGAN KA BHARTHA: Smoky flavored mashed brinjal preparation served with tandoori paratha.

MAAH CHHOLE DI DAAL: It is a dal preparation made of urad dal, rajma, channa dal, enriched with cream and desi ghee.

AMRITSARI KULCHA: Potato cauliflower, paneer stuffed roti cooked in tandoor.

CHOLLE BHATURE: Cooked spicy chickpeas served with deep-fried yoghurt based bread.

MAKKI KI ROTI: Roti made of maize flour, atta, and Maida.

MISSI ROTI: Roti made of cooked mashed chana dal and mung dal, atta, maida, onion, green chili etc. Cookedon tandoor.

RANNA GOSHT: A rich heavy and thick mutton preparation in which mutton boti and mutton mince is cooked together with onion and masalas till done.

MURGH MAKHNI: Tandoori chicken in tomato based rich gravy which is enriched by addition of cashew nut cream and butter.

SHAHI TUKRA, KESARI KHEER, GAJJAR KA HALWA, PHIRNE, is the best sweet preparation of Punjab.

MADE BY Sunil Kumar Research Scholar

Institute of Hotel and Tourism Management,MAHARSHI DAYANAND UNIVERSITY, ROHTAKHaryana- 124001 INDIA Ph. No. 09996000499email:  skihm86@yahoo.com , balhara86@gmail.com  linkedin:- in.linkedin.com/in/ ihmsunilkumar facebook: www.facebook.com/ihmsunilkumar webpage: chefsunilkumar.tripod.com 

PARSI CUISINE

Parsis are another Gujarati speaking majority. They are Zoroshtrians who who fled Iran in the 8th century.There is saying among the Parsis that the community can be divided into two groups: one that loves good food and the other that loves eating.Parsi food is delicious blend of western influences, a Gujrati love of sweet and sour mixture, and the Persian genius for combining meat with dried fruits such as apricot.

To enjoy the parsi food, it is best to attend a lagannu bhonu or a wedding style banquet. Parsis have their food course wise and usually seated.Drinks are served first, then the guests are seated at a long table. The food is placed on a leaf plates or banana leaves, the first food is meva nu achar, sweet chutney made with carrots and dry fruits; wafermade with potato and sago, come next, and followed bywholewheat griddle breads or chapattis. Then comes the fish course (probably patrani machhi). It is soontime for the chicken or meat courses, next comes the egg course, which consist of beaten eggs pored over sautéed onion and baked.Half way through the meal is the appearance of the pilaf, rice studded with meat and potatoes, which is to be eaten with well spiced toovar dal. Ice cream, chocolate, betel leaves and fennel seeds follow. Fennel seed are much needed digestive.

Love of eggs is a Parsi weakness. Parsis cooked eggs with all types of vegetables and sometimes with smallfish as well. Favorites are eggs cooked with savory

potatoes, wafers, tomatoes and greens. Another specialty is Akoori ( scrambled eggs). The parsi poro (flat omelets) is also made in many ways.Fish is an important part of Parsi meal. Having settled on the western coast, Parsis not only enjoy eating it but also consider it auspicious. The favorite includes black and white pomfrets, the boi and the grey mullets.No Parsi dish can be completed without mutton or chicken dish. Most of these dishes are cooked with vegetables and the name of the dish is self explanatory.

FAMOUS DISHES :

1.PATRANI MACHHI: Fish with freshly ground coconut , wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.

2.KOLMINO PATIO: A popular Parsi delicacy in which onion is fried and paste of garlic, coriander, garam masala and red chilli is added and finishedwith tamarind and jaggery. Prawns are cooked in the curry.

3.SALI JARDALOO MURGH: Popular among the Parsis, the dish is sweet and sour, made with chicken anddried apricot, served with crunchy fried potato straw.

4.DHANSAAK: It is a whole some meal in which lamb is cooked in dal and various other vegetables till everything is cooked, along with masala to give rich gravy. The usual accompaniments ism deep fried kebabs and meats balls.

5.BATAT NI TARKARI: Quarters of boiled potato tossed in oil with mustard, cumin, turmeric and chopped green chilli and chopped coriander.

6.BROWN RICE: Traditional accompaniments of dhansakare rice cooked with browned onion and added withcaramel to give color to the rice and the characteristics flavors.

7.NAN KHATAI: Considered as cookies. Flour with butter, sugar, a little curd, soda bi carbonate and other flavoring agent are mixed together to form a dough, which is divided into small portions and baked.

MADE BY Sunil Kumar Research Scholar Institute of Hotel and Tourism Management,MAHARSHI DAYANAND UNIVERSITY, ROHTAKHaryana- 124001 INDIA Ph. No. 09996000499email:  skihm86@yahoo.com , balhara86@gmail.com  linkedin:- in.linkedin.com/in/ ihmsunilkumar facebook: www.facebook.com/ihmsunilkumar webpage: chefsunilkumar.tripod.com 

RAJASTHANI CUISINE

LOCATION: Situated in the northwestern region of India, colorful Rajasthan has the neighboring country of Pakistan as its northwestern boundary, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana as its northeastern and northern frontiers, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh manning its east and southeastern fronts and its southwestern borders being manned by Gujarat.

The main geographic features of Rajasthan are the Thar Desert and the Aravalli Range, which runs through the state from southwest to northeast, almostfrom one end to the other, for more than 850 km. Mount Abu is at the southwestern end of the range.

CLIMATE: Summers are hot and winters are cold. Maximum temperature is about 48 egree centigrade and minimum is approx 8 degree centigrade.Average annual rainfall is between 20- 40 cm.

IMPORTANT FESTIVALS:

When we talk about Rajasthan we cannot forget fairs and festivals which add color to the deserted land of Rajasthan. Camel festival is organized by Rajasthan tourism and development corporation in Bikaner in month of January every year. Pushkar is 11 kms from Ajmer and also famous for its camel fair. Pushkar fair is well-known for its camel trading and other religious activities. Kite festival is organized in Ajmer.

FOOD HABIT:

Because of less colour in landscape, the dresses and cuisine of rajasthan is colorful, redchilli powder and turmeric powder are very common ingredients. Each region in India has its own traditional dishes and specialities. In the royal kitchens of Rajasthan, as well as most other states, food is a very serious business and raised to the level of an art-form. Rajasthani cooking was influenced by the war -like lifestyle of its inhabitants and the availability of ingredients in this region. Love for shikar has made game, particular favorite with royality. Wild boar, venisonand pheasant etc. all offer exotic delicacies. There are many ways of cooking game, Sule- the smoked Rajasthani kebab, for example is barbecued in different ways. Games are also pickled for future, pickled rind of wild boar is a very special dish.

GEOGRAPHICAL IMPACT ON FOOD: Food that could last for several days and could be eaten without heating was preferred, more out of necessity than choice. Scarcity of water and fresh green vegetables has all had their effect on the cooking. In the desert belt of Jaisalmer, Barmer and Bikaner, cooks make minimum use of water and prefer, instead, to use more milk, buttermilk andclarified butter. Dried lentils, beans from indigenous plants like Sangri, Ker etc are liberally used. Lentils in different forms- moong dal khilma, mongodi ki sabji, besan ke gatte – are the principal source of protein. As a substitute of tomato, mango

powder is used, asafetida is used to enhance the taste in the absence of garlic and onion. Bajra and corn is used all over the state for preparations of Raabdi, khichdi, and rotis. Various chutneys are made from locally available spices like turmeric, coriander, mint and garlic.

Rajasthani cuisine is predominantly vegetarian and dazzling in its variety because of Marwaris who does not take even ginger andgarlic. Though the supply of vegetable is limited there are many varieties of dishes. Myriad delicacies are made with lentils, spiced imaginatively and then made palate- worthy by incorporating generous dollops of ghee, Dal baati churma(which are spicy lentils with baked balls of wheat with lots of ghee) may have been the staple in the past but today paneer, mawa, and dried fruits and nuts embellish therecipes. The spice content is on the higher side, even by Indian standards. Rajasthanis also relish ghee which is an integral part of many of the preparations. The most famous dish would probably be dal-bati,. The variety of sweet dishes is also immense and sweets are relished as much as the spicy curries in Rajasthan.

Apart from spicy dishes, you will find an exclusive range of delecacies from each regions of Rajasthan like the ladoos of Jaisalmer, mawa kachori of Jodhpur, malpuasof Pushkar, dil jani of Udaipur, mishri mawa and ghevar of Jaipur, sohan halwa of Ajmer, mawa of Alwar, and rasgullas of Bikaner, to name a few. Bikaner also has a whole range of other savories and snacks like the world famous Bikaner ki bhujia.

MOST IMPORTANT DISHES:

1.MAAS KE SULE: Kebab made of game lamb, chicken or fish. Boti is marinated, then arranged on skewer and cooked over charcoal grill. Then finished by smoking in a container with lid. While smoking clove is also given on live charcoal with butter. This process is known as Dhuannaar method.

2.SAFED MAAS: It is a white colored lamb delicacy cooked in yoghurt with white paste made of almond and coconut, finished with cream.

3.LAL MAAS: A very hot lamb dish served with phulka.

4.MAKKI KA SOWETA: A spicy dish made of lamb and corn.

5.KHAD: A layered savoury cake made of layers of lambmince cooked with phulka, then wrapped with silverfoil, then baked. Cut into wedges and served with kachumber, mint chutney and lemon wedges. Originally cooked in whole (khad) in the ground with charcoal and hot sand.

6.BESAN KE GATTE: Gram flour dumplings cooked in a sharp cumin and asafetida flavored yoghurt based gravy. Gatte or dumpling is made up of gram flour, yoghurt, warm water, shaped into a cylinder, boiledfor 15-20 minutes, then cut into slices and deep fried in ghee.

7.MANGODI KI SABJI: Small dumplings of moong dal sundries and before cooking, deep fried and cooked in rich gravy.

8.MAWAE KI KACHURI: Kachuri stuffed with mawa + cardamom+ mace+ nutmeg etc. fried, before eating a

hole is made and sugar syrup is poured . Mawa is made by cooking besan with ghee.

9.KAIR SANGRI KA AACHAR: Kair ( small fruit like green peas), sangri(veg green in colour, grow in bunches, looks like small spaghetti) Kumatia( lookslike chocolate gems) , dry whole red chilli soaked overnight, then tempered in oil with dried mango peel.

10. KHEECH: Whole wheat grain boiled with little salttaken with a thick sauce made of sagari, hot water and flour or with mangodi ki sabji.

11. Churma: is the most popular delicacy usually served with baatis and dal. It is coarsely ground wheat crushed and cooked with ghee and sugar. Traditionally it is made by mashing up wheat flour baatis or left over rotis in ghee and jaggery.

12. Ghevar: is a honeycomb shaped delicacy made using plain flour and ghee. Ghevars are usually large in size approx. 200 mm. or 250 mm. (8" or 10") squaresor rounds and are either sweetened with syrup or served topped with sweet raabdi or thickened milk..

MADE BY Sunil Kumar Research Scholar Institute of Hotel and Tourism Management,MAHARSHI DAYANAND UNIVERSITY, ROHTAKHaryana- 124001 INDIA Ph. No. 09996000499email:  skihm86@yahoo.com , balhara86@gmail.com  linkedin:- in.linkedin.com/in/ ihmsunilkumar facebook: www.facebook.com/ihmsunilkumar webpage: chefsunilkumar.tripod.com 

TAMIL NADU

INTRODUCTION: Tamil Nadu provides its visitors with avariety of delicacies, both vegetarian as well as non-veg, though most food in Tamil nadu consists of grain, rice, lentils and vegetables. Situated on the southernmost part of India is referred as the cradle of Dravidian culture, the ancient Indian culture distinguished forits unique languages, customs, architecture. Huge temples with towering Gopurams, intricate rock carvings, classical music, dance and of course, the cuisine give proof of it.

CULINARY ASPECTS

Rice has been the staple diet of the Tamilian and Thanjavur is regarded as the ‘granary ofthe south’ usually parboiled rice is consumed due to its nutritive value. Rice predominates in all dishes of the Tamilian and preparations of rice for all mealof the day. Lentils too are consumed extensively as accompaniment to the rice preparation. Being on the seacoast – seafood and coconut is also available in plenty. While tamarind is used for adding tang, peppercorn, and chili, both red and green are used to make the food hot. To neutralize the effect of the chili and soothe the stomach, curd is used in a variety of dishes. Other spices like mustard, cumin, garlic, etc. are used for tempering and seasoning. The Tamils believes that the ideal food should cater to the six variety of tastes-

Bitterness, acridity, sweetness, saltiness, sourness and astringent taste. Annapurna the goddess of food is worshipped in all houses. Meals served on banana leaves, consisted of rice, with flavorings or plain topped ghee. Sambar, meat curries, vegetables are added separately for the rice. Side dishes include Poriyals, (seasoned vegetables) Varayil (fried crisp), Pachidi (salad form or raita) along with Appalsm and Vathals- followed by Payasam or kheer. The second course is rice and rasam (dal water). The third course is curd rice with pickles. Curd is supposed to be cooling for the body system. Rasam is religiously made in ‘Iyya Chombu’ or lead vessel to right flavors.

Breakfast and afternoon snacks called ‘Tiffin’ include Idli, Dosai, Vada, Pongal, Upma, etc. dosai is made in different kinds with variations and is accompanied by coconut chutney, sambar and Muluga podi.

Tamil nadu is renowned for its filter coffee made in a special way with coffee decoction.

CHETTINAD CUISINE

Known for its spicy, hot fare, Chettinad cuisine hails from the deep southern regionof Tamil nadu. This cuisine is very spicy, oily, and most aromatic.

Although the Chettiars are well known for there delicious vegetarian preparation, there repertoire offood items is famous and includes all kinds of seafood, fowl and meats as well as delicate noodle like Idiappams.

The “Aachis” or lady of the house commands the kitchen. Chettias traditionally bankers and financersused to travel to countries like Malaysia, Burma, Singapore, Thailand, China, Tibet, etc. And when theyused to come back, they also brought the food cultureof the foreign lands.

A lot of items in the Chettinad cuisine are a native replica of the foreign cuisine. Idiappam originates from rice noodles in China. Kavunarisi (black rice) and Panigaram from Malaysia. Spices fromthese places were incorporated into Chettinad cuisine.

The Chettiar ladies carefully preserved sun driedlegumes and berries and later made them into curries.Apart from liberal use of oil and spices, most disheshave generous amounts of peppercorn, cinnamon, bayleaves, cardamom, nutmeg, green and red chillies, pepper, chicken, poryal, Aappams, etc. The Muslim influence is seen in the form of ‘Payas’ (trotters) and ‘Khuska’ (Biryani).

Culinary Aspects: Chettinad Cuisine is basically spicy, aromatic, oily and rich. They have a varied selection of Seafood dishes, Vegetables preparations,Tiffins, Snacks and desserts. There is minimum wastage of food and every part of lamb or chicken is used to create a local delicacy with different flavorings. Special cleaning procedure are used to clean the meat and then incorporated to dishes. Chalkand lime are used for cleaning the intestines of lamb, curd used for cleaning small silver fish, ash and salt for cleaning the slimness of fish, turmeric powder, ginger and lemon used for cleaning and tenderizing meat. Pickling, Salting and Preservation of Lamb, Fish and Vegetables is done during the sunnydays. During the rainy season, the rain water is harvested and used later. The water available in the region has a very special taste and has a lot of effect on taste of the final product.

SPECIAL INGREDIENTS: Chettinad food coked in the region owes its special taste to the locally available water, spices and vegetables. Items like Sambar onions, star anise, Fennel, Kalpasi or pathar ka phool, Maratti mugga, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, Black Malaysian rice or ‘Kavunarisi’, Castor oil, Coconut oil, Gingerly oil, Fenugreek, Dried and preserved Vegetables, etc. are incorporated to createfood with variations.

SEQUENCE OF MEAL AND SERVICE: A typical Chettinad meal is served in Banana leaves with the tapering endof the leaves facing the left of the person having the meal. On the top left, the fried items like Appalam, Pickle, salt, banana are placed. This is followed by vegetables or dried meat preparations which are served on the top half. In some houses,

meat dishes are served in small cups or ‘Kinnams’. All the dishes prepared for the day are displayed in vessel or ‘Pathram’ in front of the diners so that they can request for more helpings. During any occasion a soups made with left over bones, meat trimmings, vegetable trimmings and boiled stock or lentil water is served. Next the rice is served alongwith

Some home made ghee or ‘Ney’. After this the Kozhambuis served on top of the rice. Kozhambu can be made with vegetables, fish, and lamb. The Kozhambu is blended with the rice and is eaten with small helpings of dry vegetables or meat. Sambar made with drumstick and lentils is served next followed with Rasam. The fried Vathals and Appalam are broken and mixed with the blended rice while dining. Moru or seasoned buttermilk is served at the end of the meal.On festive occasions- payasam or sweet is served after rasam. During the summer months a local coolantmade with jaggery, tamarind and ginger is served whena guest has just arrived from outside. Bananas are eaten last. The household and guests have Betal leaves with nuts after the meals and discuss local affairs and welfare.

TAMIL BRAHMIN CUISINE

Tamil Brahmins are strict vegetarians and highly revered by all. The Brahmins used to take care of temples but today they have taken to other fields also. Brahmin cooks are very much in demand during special occasions for cooking traditional meals. Today even non-Brahmins invite a Brahmin to cook for the occasion because of the diversity of invitees. The Tamil Brahmins owe it to Swami Sankaracharya who

bought religion, people and customs together. He gavea sense of direction and laid a set of do’s and don’ts.

CULINARY DETAILS:Onion and garlic is not used in many of the

preparations. Rice is prepared for all meals in different variations. This cuisine is less spicy and soothing for the body system. Kootu, Milagootal, Sambar, Rasam, Poduthool, Puli Pachadi, Pulinji, Avial, More kolambu, etc. are some of the food items made for lunch and dinner. Use of fresh Herbs, Vegetables and spices is very predominant and has strong ayurvedic root. The Ayurvedic system divides the body into three ‘Prakhriti’—Vatha, Pitha and Kapa. Special diet is designed for each body system whenever required. The traditional cooking depends onmeasures of ‘ollocks’, ‘padi’, and ‘kaipidi’. There are also variations during seasonal changes to help the body to adapt.

The ‘tiffin’ is usually had in the evenings and included Idili, Dosai, Vada, Adai, Pongal, Kozhakatai, upma etc. Murukkus, Cheedai, Thattai, masala vada, Parruppu vada, etc. are some of the popular savouries. They also specialize in Payasams. Palpayasam, Semia Payasam, Neipayasam, Idichu Pizhunja Payasam are all favourites.

SPECIAL INGREDIENTS: Rice, lentils, Grams, and coconut and tamarind are basic ingredients of this cuisine. For some dishes parboiled, rice is used and some raw rice is used. The measures are always in quantitative measurements and not in KGS. Curd is used to make ‘Morekozhambu’ or buttermilk stew, Aviyal and Sambharam. Black tamarind is used for somedishes like Sambhar, pitlay, Pulinji etc. and new

tamarind is used in some dishes like chutneys and rasams. Use of fenugreek, cumin, peppercorns, Coriander and curry leaves, turmeric powder etc. is done in balanced proportion in different dishes. There is lot of emphasis on use of different types oflentils, pulses, vegetables and herbs. The South Indian ‘filter coffee’ is a must early morning in every household and for every guest visiting the house.

SEQUENCE OF MEAL AND SERVICE: Traditionally a Brahmin meal is served in banana

leaves and had on the floor. The guests sits on a ‘palagai’ or wooden seat and does a ‘Neividyam’, before the food is consumed. On the top left of the leaf, pickle, chips and appalam is served. This is followed by vegetable served on the top half of the leaf. Once all the vegetable preparations are served,Rice is served with home made ghee or’neh’. Some homely preparations include Kootu, Porial, Thuvayal, morekozhambu, pitlay, vathakozhambu etc. Sambar is served on top of the rice and blended by the diner. After sambar, rasam is served. One has to be careful not to allow the rasam flow out of the leaf. The appalam and vadagam is crushed and mixed with the blended rice and eaten. The payasam or the dessert immediately follows the rasam during festive season. The meal ends with the service of rice with buttermilk which is consumed with pickles.

RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS AND EFFECTS ON FOOD:

During most festivals, only vegetarian fare is cooked. Pongal in January is an important Harvest festival and newly harvested rice and dal are cooked together in a mud pot and worshipped. During Diwali

festival, the woman of the house prepares several sweets and other gastronomical delights.

During the Aadi festival, there is total absistence from meats. Other festivals celeberated are Ganesh festival. Rama Navami, Krishna janmashtami, Navarathri (Dushera). The elders fast during Amavasyaand Ekadasi.

Every auspicious event takes place after checking thepanchangam or Tamil Calendar. The lunar cycle and their movement of the stars are followed closely in their daily life routines.

Tamil New-Year day is celeberated on April 14.

FAMOUS PRODUCTS FROM TAMILNADU:

MEEN POONDU KOZHAMBU: It is spicy red colored fish gravy full of garlic flavor. It should be cooked in a mud pot over a charcoal fire.

NAADAN PAAL PAYASAM: Payasam is made of Bengal gram, moong dal, sago and broken rice. Sweetened with jaggery and cooked in coconut milk.

MASURU ANNA: Also known as yoghurt rice or curd rice.

DOSAS: Pancakes made with rice and lentil, may beeaten with chutney or stuffed with spicy potatoes.

IDLY: This is a steamed rice pancake enjoyed all over south India and eaten with chutney.

IDIAPPAM: These are called string hoppers and aremade rice flour and steamed.

KAZHANI KOOTU: Vegetables with raw mango cooked in tamarind water till cooked and finished with coconut milk.

SAMBAR SADAM: Boiled rice tempered with crushed jeera, peppercorn, slit green chillies, cashewnutand curry leaves.

RASAM: Tempered dal water, can be flavored with other ingredients.

MORKHOLOMBU: Buttermilk and vegetable curry.

AVIAL: Mixed vegetables in coconut gravy.

UTTAR PRADESH

Banaras – famous for milk product.

MALPUAS – sweetened pan cakes.

GARI KA CHEEWRA: water thin coconut flakes sweetened with powdered sugar.

LASSI: Here lassi is thick and sweet, traditionally served in clay cup called PURVAS.

THANDAI: Icy cols milk blended with almond, pista, cardamom, black pepper and sugar,

flavoured and colored with saffron.

Poori and kachoris are famous here, usually served with ghugni or aloo bhaji or aloo koda (a delightful combination of potatoes and pumpkin). The pooris of this part is so soft that it is said that if twenty five pooris are stacked on a plate and coin is dropped on top of the lot, the sound of the coin hitting the plate should be heard with clarity.

Marwaris, originally from Rajasthan are from the business community and have settled all over the north of Benaras too. They are strictly vegetarian and don’t use onion and garlic except professional Brahmin cooks (called Maharaj if male and Maharani iffemale) no one is allowed to enter the kitchen. The cook must before entering the kitchen, wearing freshly washed clothing’s. Foods are usually served to the thali directly from cooking pot. They do not eat anything from outside. This seems to be changing now, especially with younger generation.

A typical Marwari thali includes:

Brinjal kalonji: stir fried brinjal with panchphoron, hing etc. when well browned finishedwith amchoor or limejuice.

Sooki gobi or aloo gobi Toovar dal Kadi- besan dumplings in yoghurt Salad made of shredded ginger, modi and green

chilli Rasgullas and yoghurt Papadum

If Benaras is a Hindu city, the Lucknow, also in Uttar Pradesh is a muslim one. There is a halva recipe in Lucknow that is made of cooking gently yolks of egg(usually 100) with equal quantities of milk, ghee and sugar till gravy like semolina, then fine shavings of almond and pista are added spread out in a tray, cooled and cut into shapes of square and diamond.

The cooks here take special pride not only intaste and texture of their food but in their ability to astound and amaze their patrons, a pearl pilaf forexample. It is laboriously made by mixing egg yolk with real gold and silver tissues, stuffing the mixture in the esophagus of a chicken tying at regular intervals, boiling and then cutting in open reveal the pearls.

Tunda, a Lucknow land mark is the name of a kebab shop in the heart of the city. The kebabs are cooked in enormous cast iron trays. They are shaped like hamburger and made of very finely minced meat mixed with dozens of spices, nuts and nutmegs and seeds

including nutmeg, mace, cardamom, saffron, coconut, fennel and peanuts. The kebabs, crumbly and soft are browned on both sides and the wrapped up in a lightlyleavened paratha.

Kakori kebab is another Lucknow specialty, the meat is minced with meat till a paste is formed, spices such as poppy seed, cloves etc are added and pounded more till almost gluey. Then the mixture is smoked and wrapped around skewer in cigar shape and grilled quickly over the live charcoal. It is slightly crisp from outside and silky soft from inside.

Break fast in Lucknow can consist of kulchas, flat sour dough bread eaten with Nahari, a slow simmered shank stew or roghni roti, rich whole wheat bread eaten with spicy fried liver.

For lunch there would be more meat or khorma, a meat cooked with browned onion, cardamom, ginger, garlic etc. toovar dal flavoured with garlic etc.

At formal banquet whole marinated leg of lamb, raan, cooked with almond and poppy seed, pasanda kebabs, scallopini cut from leg of lamb, cooked with cumin, fennel, cardamom and smoked before being served, sweet and sour pilaf (mutanjan), shirmal, flaky oven breads flavoured with saffron and yoghurt etc will beserved. Bay leaves play an important role to finish meal with endless varieties.

The west part of Uttar Pradesh is influenced by Rajasthani cuisine. In the earlier days the Rajputs had better understandings with Mughals and many of their princess were married to Mughal emperors.

Hunting wild animal, mainly wild boar was a favouritegame of Rajputs and many dishes have been developed by Rajput warriors while of the run or at hunting parties. Meat including poultry, game and fish are marinated, skewered and grilled over live fire to make soola kebabs.

On occasion, large pits are dug in the earth and lined with well lit dried cow dung on this is placed on large pot which is lined with cinnamon sticks. Then is chicken, well marinated with a ginger, saffron, cloves cardamom, mace and coriander seed andstuffed with minced meat mixture, is placed on a cinnamon stick. The pot is then covered and sealed; more lit cow dung is placed over the top leveled off with the ground. The chicken bakes very slowly and when pot is opened the aroma is breath taking.

The common drink at most gatherings is Asha, an alcoholic beverage made of jaggery. South of up lies the central Indian of M.P. with its capital in Bhopal, which was dominated by Muslims.

South of Uttar Pradesh is influenced by the traditional cuisine of Bhopal.

ACHAR GOSHT: Meat braised with green chilliesand pickled spices.

MURGH RIZALA: Chicken cooked with yoghurt and coriander or as an alternative chicken is cooked in fresh pomegranate juice.

MUZAFAR: A sweet pilaf made with fine vermicelli and nuts.

SALIM GOBI: A head of cauliflower cooked with ginger, red chillies and garlic.

FAMOUS FESTIVALS OF INDIA AND IMPORTANT DISHES

India seems to be in a perpetual state of celebration. There’s always some community celebrating a harvest, special god’s birthday or an auspicious date in the Hindu calendar. Personal celebrations like birthdays take a back seat in the pantheon of occasions and the most important events are those shared by the whole community, young and old, rich and poor.

HOLI:

Festival’s of color. It is celebrated in the month ofMarch.Karanjis is prepared. It is crescent shaped flour parcels stuffed with sweet khoya and nuts.Malpua is very commonly prepared. It is wheat pancakedipped in syrup.

PONGAL:

Pongal is the major harvest festivals of the south and takes place on or around 14th January each year. Pongal is prepared with the season’s first rice, along with jaggery, nuts, raisins and spices.

SANKRANTI:

This is the northern version of Pongal and takes place on the same date.

Ladoos are made, with sweet meat and usually balls shaped.

DIWALI:

Diwali, The festival of light, is the most widely celebrated national festivals and takes place in the month of October or November.Anarasa is particularly prepared on Diwali. It is rice flour cookies.

DUSSEHRA:

It is another fascinating festival celebrated in different ways through out country but always lastingfor 10 days around September and October.Payasa is famous, made of banana, milk, jaggery, sugar and ghee.

DURGA PUJA:

In west Bengal Dussehra takes the form of Durga puja.The most typical durga puja food is bhog. Kichri is rice cooked with dal. Labra is a spicy mixed vegetables dish.

GANESH CHATURTHI:

The smiling elephant headed god, Ganesh, is most popular deity and his festivals( In September) is celebrated with cheer throughout the country.Modak is very famous. It is sweet rice flour dumplingfilled with a delicious paste of coconut, condensed milk, sugar and cardamom.Kheer (rice pudding) is prepared.

JANMASHTAMI:

This festival commemorates the birth of Krishna, who was popular with Hindus of all caste.Naivedya (a sweet made with puffed rice, milk, curd and sugar) is famous.