Indian grocery, Indian groceries, Indian recipe, Indian Food, Indian spices, Indian Recipes, Indian Food Mail Order Website! Shop online for Indian Grocery, Tandoor Chef

home | customer service | feedback | about us | my account | view cart
Advertise with us 

wpe20.jpg (20671 bytes)
FOOD SHOPPING PAGE | RECIPES   | SPA   | GIFTS  | LIFESTYLE | GIFT CERTIFICATE
Food Service    - NEW ~ Organic Indian spices

Cookbooks From Amazon      Indian Kitchen Items From Amazon
· Nationwide Delivery  ·  Next Day Delivery Available  ·  Satisfaction Guaranteed  ·  1-866-416-4165
Indian Cooking made easy, - Indian Cuisine, - Recipes by Course , - Regional Recipes of India,



 

REFERENCE

About Indian Beauty
About India and its History
Indian Culinary History
India's Vegetarian Culinary Culture
Indian Spices
Indian Tandoori Cooking
Indian Cooking Tips
Indian Cuisine
What is Curry?
The Role of Indian Spices
North Indian Cuisine
Kashmiri Cuisine
Punjabi Cuisine
Uttar Pradesh Cuisine
Rajasthani Cuisine

South Indian Cuisine

Indian Cooking Techniques
North Indian Restaurant
South Indian Restaurant
Indian Entertaining
Roll of Indian Spices
Indian Menu

Indian Thali
Indian Cooking
Indian Entertaining Menu

About Ayurveda
Ayurvedic Nutrition
Eating Rituals in Ayurvedic Philosophy
Ayurvedic Wellbeing
Individual Body Type Nutrition
Indian Seasonal-Cooking Philosophy
Cooking with the Asian System of Tastes
Martha Stewart's - Body & Soul Magazine

About Indian Beauty

About India and its History

Indian Culinary History

India's Vegetarian Culinary Culture

The Hindu Influence on India's Cuisine

The Jain Influence on India's Cuisine

The Muslim Influence on India's Cuisine

Indian Cuisine

What is Curry?

The Role of Indian Spices

North Indian Cuisine

South Indian Cuisine

Indian Cooking Techniques

Indian Restaurant Guide
North Indian Restaurant
South Indian Restaurant

Indian Entertaining

Food Pyramid

Glossary

Ayurveda

Healthy Eating


Indian Vegetarian Cuisine

Vegetarian Cook Books
Indian vegetarian recipes

 


rg_kerala_plate.jpg (11828 bytes)

 


.
.
.

 

THE WORLD'S LARGEST VEGETARIAN CUISINE

India has a culinary culture unique to it and it consists of the tradition of vegetarianism which was reinstated in India during the 5th century B.C. India may have been vegetarian during the Mohenjodaro and Harappa civilizations. We do not know for sure as its script has not been unlocked.

We do know that the Aryans who migrated to India, and took control of Northern India, were meat eating people. During the ancient Aryan Vedic period meat was consumed regularly after an animal sacrifice to the Gods.  This changed with the rise of Buddhisim and Jainism, the founders of which preached the principle of ahimsa or ''non-violence''. The Brahman priests, who conducted animal sacrifices as offerings to God, also began to appreciate this sentiment as it swept India. They began to embrace ahimsa by following a vegetarian diet and regarding it as superior to the Brahminical ideas of animal sacrifice.

Meat was consumed only after the animal was sacrificed to the gods. Among the animals that were sacrificed in Vedic times was the cow, which is considered taboo in the Hinduism of today.
.


wpe6.jpg (4781 bytes)
.


.

 

 

THE SYMBOL OF MOTHER AND GOOD NATURE

 

 

 

The cow is considered sacred due to the following reasons.
1.  The cow was regarded as one’s mother as it sacrificed the milk meant for its calf and provided milk for the people.  It is therefore a symbol of a 'mother' in India
2.  The cow was also kept at many Indian homes for its milk and the animal became a part of the family.
3.  At the beginning of the Epic period (c.l000- 800 BC), cow’s meat was said to be common food that added vigor not only to the body but also to the mind. A theory suggests that during the 5th century it was discovered that the cattle population was decreasing at an alarming rate. People began to realize that a live cow was a greater asset than its meat.
4.  Ghee (clarified butter), milk and yogurt were vital for temple rituals, this animal began to enjoy a greater value alive.
5.  In the Atharvaveda (vedic text) beef-eating was prohibited as it was likened to committing a sin against one's ancestors.
6.  Other factors that contributed to the rise of vegetarianism in India was that kings such as Ashoka (c. 322-183 13C) discouraged the killing of all animals. The powerful turned benevolent  Emperor Ashoka of that time popularized a vegetarian cuisine. Even today a majority of Indians are vegetarian.
7.  The two other individuals that helped make India vegetarian are Mahavir and Buddha who were India's greatest spiritual teachers. (Also the ancient, urban Dravidian civilization may have been vegetarian.)
This was the start of the taboo of eating beef in India.

 


Mindful Eating
A
tharva veda also classified foods into sattavic, rajasic and tamasic taking the philosophy of vegetarianism many steps further. In this system meats were classified as spent energy along with overeating and over-ripe food and these foods were discouraged as they did not contribute to the whole being which included mind, body and soul.

Vegeta1.jpg (5273 bytes)

This value of eating for mind, body and soul made its way beyond the Vindhya Mountains of Central India establishing itself more firmly in the south of India that the North of India. Here, it gained immense popularity even amongst the non-Brahmins who deemed it as leading a meritorious lifestyle. Thus vegetarianism became more linked with the cuisines of southern India. The south of India went on to develop a complex, rich and intricate vegetarian cuisine which is very unique and complex yet pure and simple.

However not all Brahmins (learned men) of India became vegetarian. A classic example would be the Kashmiri Brahmins who continue to pride themselves on their mutton and chicken dishes. There are also the Brahmins of Bengal who eat fish.

Click here for subscribing Culinary Journeys
Indian Cook Books and their Reviews

bprint25.gif (3168 bytes)

This work is dedicated to my mother Shanta who taught me the tenants of Ayurvedic Cuisine and Knowledge.

BACK TO MAIN CLASS MENU

bprint25.gif (3168 bytes)

© 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.