India

BASIC FACTS
• India lies in south Asia, between Pakistan, China and Nepal. To the north it is
bordered by the world's highest mountain chain.
• The capital of India is New Delhi, and the country’s largest cities are Mumbai
(formerly Bombay), Delhi, and Kolkata (formerly Calcutta).
• India is the seventh largest country in the world. 
• India's population is one billion making it the second most populous country
after China.  
• India is the largest democracy (Government by the people, like the UK is) in
the world.
• India is mainly an agricultural country, though it also has a large iron and steel
industry and produces every type of manufactured goods. India is in Southern
Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and
Pakistan
India GEOGRAPHY
Geographic coordinates: 20 00 N, 77 00 E
Area:
• total: 3,287,590 sq km
• land: 2,973,190 sq km
• water: 314,400 sq km
Capital City: New Delhi
• About 13 million people live in the capital, New Delhi.
• The Climate in India varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate
in north.
India Flag
• Each colour represents something different:
• India's flag was adopted on July 22, 1947, after India became independent
from Great Britain.
• India's flag is a horizontal tricolour in equal proportion of deep saffron
(orange) on the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom.
• Saffron represents stands for courage and sacrifice
• White represents peace, unity and truth.
• Green stands for faith and fertility
• The blue symbolizes the sky and the ocean.
• In the center of the white band is a blue wheel with 24 spokes. This is the
Dharma Chakra (or "Wheel of Law") , the wheel of law in the Sarnath Lion
Capital. The Chakra represents the continuing progress of the nation and the
importance of justice in life. This center symbol or the 'CHAKRA',  is
a Buddhist symbol dating back to 200th century BC.

History of Indian Cuisine

 Indian cuisine dates back over 5000 years. Each region has its own
traditions, religions and culture that influence its food. Hindus tend to
be vegetarian and Muslims tend to have meat dishes, although pork is
forbidden.
 Indian food has been influenced by Mongolian, Persian and Chinese
cuisine, among others. The common thread throughout the centuries
remains the distinct mixing of spices that invariably give Indian cuisine
its flavor and aroma.
 Indian cuisine consists of a variety of regional and traditional cuisines
native to the Indian subcontinent. Given the diversity in soil, climate,
culture, ethnic groups, and occupations, these cuisines vary
substantially and use locally available spices, herbs, vegetables, and
fruits.

 Indian food is also heavily influenced by religion, in particular

Hinduism, cultural choices and traditions. Centuries of Islamic rule,
 particularly by the Mughals, also introduced dishes like samosa and
pilaf.

India’s Culture and religion

• India's culture is among the worlds oldest; civilization in India began
about 4,500 years ago. Many sources describe it as "Sa Prathama
Sanskrati Vishvavara" — the first and the supreme culture in the world.
Here is a brief overview of the culture of India.
• 17 major languages, 844 dialects. The two main religions
are Hinduism (80%) and the Muslim religion (10%) but there are also
small numbers of Buddhists, Christians, Sikhs, Parsees and Jains.
Beliefs
• Brahma: the god responsible for the creation of the world and all living
things
• Vishnu: the god that preserves and protects the universe
• Shiva: the god that destroys the universe in order to recreate it
• Devi: the goddess that fights to restore dharma
• Krishna: the god of compassion, tenderness and love
• Lakshmi: the goddess of wealth and purity
• Saraswati: the goddess of learning

Early diet in India mainly consisted of:

 Legumes  grains
 Vegetables  dairy products
 Fruits  honey

Staple foods eaten today include:

• a variety of lentils (dal) such as masoor (most often
red lentils), tuer (pigeon peas), urad (black gram), and moong (mung beans)
 • whole-wheat flour (aṭṭa)
• rice
• pearl millet (bājra)
• pulses, such as channa or cholae (chickpeas), rajma (kidney beans),
and lobiya (black-eyed peas) are very common, especially in the northern
regions. Channa and moong are also processed into flour (besan).

Oils and its popularity in India

• Peanut oil is popular in northern and western India
• Mustard oil in eastern India
• Coconut oil along the western coast, especially in Kerala and parts of
southern Tamil Nadu 
• Gingelly (sesame) oil is common in the south since it imparts a fragrant,
nutty aroma.
• Hydrogenated vegetable oil, known as Vanaspati ghee, is another popular
cooking medium. Butter-based ghee, or deshi ghee, is used frequently,
though less than in the past.
• In recent decades, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, and soybean oils have
become popular across India.

The most important and frequently used spices and flavorings in Indian
cuisine are:
• whole or powdered chilli • turmeric (haldi)
pepper (mirch)
•  black mustard seed (sarso) • asafoetida (hing)
• cardamom (elaichi) • ginger (adrak)
 • cumin (jeera) • coriander (dhania)
• garlic (lasoon)

• One popular spice mix is garam masala, a powder that typically

includes seven dried spices in a particular ratio, including black
cardamom, cinnamon (dalchini), clove (laung), cumin (jeera), black
peppercorns, coriander seeds and anise star.

Clothing
• Sari - Indian clothing is closely identified with the colorful silk saris
worn by many of the country's women.
• Dhoti - A traditional piece of clothing for men, an unstitched piece of
cloth that is tied around the waist and legs.
• Kurta - a loose shirt that is worn about knee-length for men.
• Sherwani or Achkan - For special occasions, men wear this clothing
which is a long coat that with a collar having no lapel. It is buttoned up
to the collar and down to the knees.
• Nehru jacket - A shorter version of a sherwani. It is named after
Jawaharlal Nehru, India's prime minister from 1947 to 1964, but Nehru
never wore a Nehru jacket. He preferred the achkan, according to
Tehelka, an Indian newspaper. The Nehru jacket was primarily
marketed to Westerners.

Customs and celebrations

• Diwali - the largest and most important holiday to India. It is a five-day
festival known as the festival of lights because of the lights lit during
the celebration to symbolize the inner light that protects them from
spiritual darkness.
• Holi - the festival of colors, also called the festival of love, is popular in
the spring.
• Republic Day (Jan. 26)
 • Independence Day (Aug. 15)
• Mahatma Gandhi's birthday (Oct. 2).

India (Cuisines)
Northern Indian Cuisine
• Perhaps the most prevalent culinary style found outside of India,
Northern Indian cuisine reflects a strong Mughal influence.
• It is characterized by a high use of dairy: milk, paneer (an Indian mild
cheese), ghee (clarified butter), and yogurt are all used regularly in
Northern dishes.
• Clay ovens known as tandoors are popular in the North, giving dishes
like Tandoori Chicken and Naan bread their distinctive charcoal flavor.
A significant number of Northern dishes make regular appearances on
Indian menus.
The most popular northern cuisine dishes are:
• Samosas, fried pastries stuffed with potatoes and occasionally meat, are
a distinctive Northern snack.
• Dal or Paneer Makhani is a popular vegetarian dish, consisting of dal
or paneer cooked in a creamy sauce of tomatoes, onions, mango
powder, and garam masala.
• Saag Paneer and Palak Paneer are two similar dishes made with
spinach, cream, and paneer, differing slightly in consistency and spices.
• korma is a creamy curry of coconut milk or yogurt, cumin, coriander,
and small amounts of cashews or almonds.

Western Indian Cuisine

• Western Indian cuisine is distinguished by the geographic and historical
particulars of its three main regions: Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Goa.
• Maharashtra’s coastal location is responsible for its fish and coconut
milk-dominant cuisine.
• Gujarati cuisine is mostly vegetarian and has an underlying sweetness
to many of its dishes due to Chinese influence.
 • Since the dry climate of this region produces smaller vegetables, this
region is well known for its chutneys, which are popular Indian
condiments that use cooked, fresh, or pickled vegetables and fruits with
sweet, sour, or spicy flavors.
• Goa acted as a major trade port and colony for Portugal, resulting in a
distinctive and unique blend of Indian and Portuguese culinary
elements.
• Goan cuisine uses pork and beef with greater frequency than other
regional cuisines in India.
• Vinegar is also a characteristic ingredient of Goan cuisine, another
result of Portuguese influence.
• The prevalence of coconut milk, coconut paste, and fish in Goan
cuisine results from its coastal location.
• Vindaloo is a traditional Goan dish that is an Indian restaurant
mainstay, its name deriving from Vinho de Alho, a Portuguese
marinade consisting primarily of garlic, wine, vinegar, and chilies.

India (Cuisines): Eastern Indian Cuisine

• Eastern Indian cuisine is primarily known for its desserts.
• These desserts are not only favored by other regions in India, but are
frequently found at Indian restaurants, their light sweetness making an
excellent finale to a meal.
• Rasgulla is a popular sweet treat consisting of semolina and cheese
curd (chenna) balls that are boiled in light sugar syrup.
• Eastern dishes favor mustard seeds, poppy seeds, and mustard oil,
giving dishes a light pungency.
• Rice and fish also feature prominently in Eastern cuisine. Overall,
Eastern dishes are more lightly spiced than those from other regions.
India (Cuisines): Southern Indian Cuisine
• Southern Indian cuisine is not typically found on many Indian
restaurant menus and differs greatly from other regions. It’s “curries”
contrast differently in their textures and can typically be categorized
according to the drier consistency, or stew-like presentation.
• Poriyals, dry curries consisting of a variety of vegetables and spices,
accompany rice dishes.
• Sambars, rasams, and kootus, three common stew-like dishes, each
differ in their primary ingredients and degrees of liquidity.
• Sambars are essentially tamarind flavored pea and vegetable stews that
are more watery than curries from other regions, but are thicker than
rasams.
• Rasams are more similar to soups in their consistency, and are
composed primarily of tomato, tamarind, and a myriad of spices.
• Kootus are more similar to curries found in other regions, but, rather
than being creamy like the dairy-based curries of the North, kootus get
their consistency from boiled lentils.
Aside from curry-style dishes, Southern Indian cuisine is known for its tasty
fried or griddle-cooked snacks.
• Dosas consist of a large crepe-like rice pancake that is usually filled
with vegetables, chutneys, or masala curries.
• Utthapams are similar to dosas, but are thicker with the “filling”
sprinkled on top like a pizza.
• Idlis and vadas are fried delicacies similar to savory doughnuts that are
served as accompaniments to sambars and rasams.
• Apart from restaurants that specifically serve Southern Indian cuisine,
the only South Indian food that is frequently found in Indian restaurants
are pappadams, a fried crispy rice cracker usually spiced with black
peppercorns.