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The origins and basis of Indian Cuisine lie with the ancient Indian
civilization of India that was called Harappa and Mohenjodaro. The Dravidians or
inhabitants of these civilization were urban and not agrarian. They had huge
granaries to store grain, houses with a drainage system, pathways or roads and public
baths. They sowed the seeds of Ayurveda,
or Life Sciences, which is the foundation of Indian cuisine. This system was derived after
studying the physical needs, mental needs and needs of our psychology and spirituality. |
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The people of Mohenjodaro and Harrapa were pushed to the South part of
India be the invasion of the Aryans who came from Europe or Asia Minor. It is not
very clear where the Aryans originated from but Aryans are to be found in Europe, Persia
and India. (In fact the Swastika - a good luck symbol of the Aryan
culture is still very prevalent in India). The ideas of Ayurveda were developed
further by the Aryans Many of the texts on this subject were written in the
Aryan period.
Indian Culinary Influences by Indian Conquests
1. The Aryans - During the Aryan period the cuisine the Great Hindu Empires
concentrated on the fine aspects of food and to understand its essence and how it
contributed to the development of mind, body and spirit. After this period the
cuisine was influenced by the following conquests from other cultures.
2. Mongolians brought to India their hot pot cooking
3. Persians - the most notable later culinary influence in India was the influence of
Persian rulers who established the Mughal Rule in India. They introduced their
penchant for elegant dining and rich food with dry fruit and nuts (click here for more about
Mughal cuisine)
4. Greeks (Alexander the great)
5. Chinese (from trading and cultural and educational exchanges with them) - the Chinese
introduced stir frys to Indian along with adding the sweet taste to food. Their
influence is mostly felt in Gujarat, Beneras and Bengal.
6. Arabs (traders)
7. Portuguese (the Indian Vindaloo dish is a result of the Portuguese). The tomato,
chilli, and potato, which are staple components of today's Indian cuisine, were brought to
India by the Portugese.
8. British made the ketchup and tea popular in India. British Food did not become
popular in India and the British while in India mainly descibed Indian food as pungent,
chili spiked curries and rice and rotis that were a food for uncivilized pagans but
ironically today Indian food forms a staple diet of British food. |
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Personal Note :
Even today I believe that the Idli/Sambar and
Dosa which is the staple food of South India (where there is a concentration of
Dravidians) is one of the most intellectual and also tasty cuisine that man could devise.
Parboiled rice (helps preserve vitamins unlike polished rice) and dal (lentils) are taken
in the right combinations and then fermented and steamed to deliver a profoundly
nutritious, balanced and tasty meal. This cuisine is ultra light on the earth’s
resources and on the digestive system and hence a true health and wellness meal for both
the environment and the individual. - Kavita
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A Special Mention
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One of the
greatest influences on India’s cuisine occurred in the 2nd century B.C.
The powerful and turned benevolent Emperor Ashoka of that time popularized a vegetarian
cuisine. Even today a majority of Indians are vegetarian. The two other individuals that
helped make India vegetarian are Mahavir
and Buddha. (Also the ancient, urban Dravidian civilization may have been vegetarian.) |
Ashoka was also the first statesman in recorded history that had an
environmental department in his administration. This department set environmental laws,
posted these laws on stone billboards and had an environmental enforcement program.
This
work is dedicated to my dear Greek friend Canalla Ellis with who I had the best of times
planning, creating and giving my classes. Kavita Mehta |
Click here for subscribing Culinary
Journeys
Indian
Cook Books and their Reviews
This
work is dedicated to my mother Shanta who taught me the tenants of Ayurvedic Cuisine and
Knowledge.
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©
1990 to 2001 - Kavita Mehta. All Rights Reserved.
Kavita has been giving classes on Indian Cuisine in Minneapolis for the
past 10 years. She now shares her work on her website for all to enjoy. |
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