THE STUDY ABOUT SOUTH INDIAN CUISINE

A RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED FOR THE 6th SEM.OF

BSC[H&HA]

SESSION [ 2021/2023]

SUBMITTED TO
SUBMITTED BY

Mr. RAHUL BHARTI

NARESH THAPA

ROLL NO =
2041206026

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ABSTRACT
This article aims at interrogating the problem of defining and analyzing a culinary culture, with
special reference to what may loosely be termed as South Indian Cuisine’.
South Indian food has earned much fame across the globe, particularly for scrumptious dishes
like Dosa, Vada, Idli, Uttapam and Sambar. South Indian meals comprise cuisines of five South
Indian states namely Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, along with
several local cuisines within these states. The region offers a wide variety of vegetarian and
non-vegetarian dishes with each state holding its own uniqueness and food habits. Some
authentic and popular South Indian dishes that are sure to delight taste buds include Chakra
Pongal, Sambar and Vadai from Tamil Nadu; Rava Idli from Karnataka; Kadala Curry and
Appam from Kerala; and Kebabs and Biryanis from Andhra Pradesh.
The cuisine of South India is extremely diverse and is well-known for its light, low-calorie
appetizing meals. Traditional South Indian cuisine is mainly rice based and there are many dishes
like dosas, vadas and uttampams that are made by mixing rice with lentils. Considered as
extremely healthy, South Indian food is a perfect blend of flavor, color, taste and nutrition.

Contents

S. no Particular Page
no.
1 Abstract 3-4

2 Contents 6

3 Introduction 7-29

4 Objective 30

5 Review of literature 31-32

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 6 Research of Methodology 33-34

7 Objective explanation 35-38

8 Conclusion 39-42

9 Reference 43- 45

10 Questionnaire 46-48

INTRODUCTION
The cuisine of South India is extremely diverse and is well-known for its light, low-calorie
appetizing meals. Traditional South Indian cuisine is mainly rice based and there are many dishes
like dosas, vadas and uttampams that are made by mixing rice with lentils. Considered as
extremely healthy, South Indian food is a perfect blend of flavor, color, taste and nutrition. In
other words, South Indian food comprises of dishes from four major states including Andhra
Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. So while there is a common thread running through
the dishes from all these regions, they differ in terms of preparation and spice content.
South India has a hot, humid climate and all its states are coastal. Rainfall is abundant and so is
the supply of fresh fruit, vegetables, and rice. Andhra Pradesh produces fiery Andhra cuisine
which is largely vegetarian yet has a huge range of seafood in its coastal areas. Tamilnadu has
Chettinad cuisine, perhaps the fieriest of all Indian food. This style too is largely vegetarian.

From Kerala comes Malabari cooking, with its repertoire of tasty seafood dishes. Hyderabad is
the home of the Nizams (rulers of Hyderabad) and regal Nizami food rich and flavorful with
tastes ranging from spicy to sour to sweet. Hyderabadi food is full of nuts, dried fruits, and
expensive spices like saffron.
By and large, South Indian cuisine is perhaps the hottest of all Indian food. Meals are centered
around rice or rice-based dishes. Rice is combined with Sambaar (a soup-like lentil dish

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tempered with whole spices and chilies) and rasam (a hot-sour soup-like lentil dish), dry and
curried vegetables, meat dishes, and a host of coconut-based chutneys and poppadums
(deep-fried crispy lentil pancakes). South Indians are great lovers of coffee, which is usually a
special type made with chicory.
Despite the many formidable foods made within South India, relatively few dishes have gained
substantial popularity in the states.
Most of the rich, buttery Indian dishes popular in the US, such as crispy naan, creamy butter
chicken, and toasty samosas, originate from the Punjab region in northern India. While these
dishes are undoubtedly delicious, they only represent a fraction of what India has to offer.

In contrast to wheat-based North Indian food, South Indian food dishes are generally lighter and
revolve around a rice-based diet.

South India is home to many of the world’s most coveted ingredients like curry leaves,
peppercorns, tamarind, coconut, and chilies. Many dishes feature over a dozen different spices,
allowing the spices to mingle and marry to create vibrant fireworks of flavor.

These dishes often prove a bit spicier than Northern Indian dishes, but don’t let that scare you
off. There are some delicious mild options featured on this list that serve as a fantastic
introduction to the mouthwatering cuisine that South India has to offer.
The southern part of India is famous for its various spices and also spicy foods. Its long past has
witnessed the export of spices to many countries. Even the outsiders, generally the foreign
invaders like the Dutch, the French and the English, who kept coming here over generations, are
reported to be fond of these spices. Some of the chief varieties of spices produced here include
cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
The south India is equally famous for the availability of coconut, a wide variety of fishes and
root tubers. The south Indian food is mainly rice, which the south Indian people love to have
with a combination of Sambhar or curry.
A generous but at the same time a balanced use of spices is done here in most of the vegetarian
and non-vegetarian dishes of this region. Similarly in most of the dishes that are prepared here

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the final tempering remains almost same, witch includes a perfect mixture of oil, mustard seeds,
curry leaves and red chilies etc.

Idli
South Indian cuisine includes the cuisines of the five southern states of
India—Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and
Telangana—and the union territories of Lakshadweep, Pondicherry, and the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.There are typically vegetarian and
non-vegetarian dishes for all five states. Additionally, all regions have typical
main dishes, snacks, light meals, desserts, and drinks that are well known in
their respective region.

1.1 Telugu Cuisine

The cuisines of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are the spiciest in all of
India[citation needed]. Generous use of chili and tamarind make the dishes
tangy and hot. The majority of dishes are vegetable- or lentil-based. The hot
and spicy dishes are a speciality of the region. Mainly vegetarian dishes are
served as part of the cuisine of the region.

Rice is the staple food of the region. Sambar is a special kind of dal prepared
in Andhra Pradesh. A traditional Andhra meal comprises five kinds of dishes.
To cool the stomach after a spicy meal, curd is served at the end.

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Food from Andhra Pradesh is extremely spicy because of the generous use of
chili powder and tamarind. Andhra Pradesh cuisine has three different
variations based on region. As the Telangana region is closer to some regions
of Maharashtra, there are certain influences from this region. Jowar and
Bajra roti are common and is widely consumed in this region. As the
Rayalaseema district shares borders with eastern Karnataka and Tamil Nadu,
their influence cannot be undermined. The regions that are closer to the
coastline, but obviously have a rich variety of sea food as well In addition,
Hyderabad (capital of the city) has its own distinctive cuisine which is
different from other areas. Here the Nizams influence the cuisine to a great
degree and dishes like Hyderabadi biryani have achieved cult status not only
in the region but around the world.

1.1.1 Popular Andhra/Telangana dishes

a) Tiffins(Breakfast)
pesarattu (mung bean pancake), attu, bobbatlu, pulihora or pulihaara
(tamarind and lemon rice), upma.

Andhra chapala pulusu, or Andhra tamarind fish curry

b) Pickles (pachhallu):(cut raw mango) pickle, maaghaya, gongura pachadi,
pandumirapakayala pachadi, tomato pachadi, allam (ginger) pachadi,
dosakaya pachadi, dosavakaya, chintakaya (tamarind)

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c) Curries (kooralu): gutti vankaya, bendakaya fry, dondakaya fry, cabbage
pesara pappu, carrot fry

d) Pappu (lentils) varieties: thotakura (amaranth–pigeon pea stew) pappu,

chukkakoora pappu, menthikura pappu, palakura pappu (spinach – pigeon
pea dal), dosakaya (yellow cucumber – pigeon pea stew), tomato, beerakaya,
sorakaya

e) Pulusu: palakoora pulusu, sorakaya pulusu, thotakoora pulusu, anapakaya

pulusu, gongura pulusu koora

f) Chaaru: tomato chaaru, miriyala chaaru (pepper), ulava chaaru

g) Chaaru and curd variations: perugupachadi/majjiga chaaru with potlakaya

(snake gourd), sorakaya (bottle gourd)

h) Snacks: sakinalu, chekkalu, murukulu, jantikalu, chakkilalu

i) Sweets: pootarekulu, kaaja, ravva laddu, boondi laddu, pesara laddu,

sunnundalu, thokkudu laddu, ariselu, nuvvula laddu

j) Chutney and pickles: Raw pachadi-vankaya pachadi, dosakaya vanakaya

pachadi, tomato pachadi, cabbage pachadi, pickles of avakaya (mango),
usirikaya (Indian gooseberry), ginger, citroen, gongura, tomato, garlic
k) Hyderabadi biriyani: Hyderabadi biriyani and various Hyderabadi meat
dishes make up part of Hyderabadi cuisine. The rest of Telugu cuisine has
various versions of lamb and chicken, and the coastal region has extensive
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 varieties of seafood. Dishes include kodi iguru (chicken stew), kodi pulusu
(chicken gravy), chepa pulusu (fish stew), fish fry and prawn curry. Legend
goes that the Nizam of Hyderabad had 49 types of Biryanis cooked in his
kitchen which churned out delicacies that were an amalgamation of Turkish,
Mughlai and Arabic influences blended with native Telugu and Maratha
culinary traditions.

1.2 Karnataka Cuisine

As this state has a higher percentage of vegetarians, most of the dishes in this
region are vegetarian in nature. The mildest among all South Indian Food, chilli
powder is used sparingly in all the dishes. On the other hand dishes in these region
makes liberal use of palm sugar or brown sugar. In addition, Udupi food is an
integral part of the cuisine from this region. Udupi Hotels are extremely popular in
many regions of North India and the menu of this restaurant is greatly influenced
by the cuisine of Karnataka. The famous masala dosa traces its origin to Udupi
cuisine and was subsequently popularized by Udupi restaurants.

Karnataka has a very diverse cuisine. Some of the most popular and traditional
south Indian breakfast preparations like idli, vada and masala dosa are believed to
have originated in the temple streets of Udupi in Karnataka. Described as being the
mildest in terms of spice content among the cuisines of the five south Indian states,
the traditional cuisine of Karnataka is known for its generous use of jaggery, palm
sugar and limited use of chili powder; however, Northern Karnataka cuisine, which
can be extremely hot in taste, is an exception. Since the percentage of vegetarians
in Karnataka is higher than that of other southern states, vegetarian food enjoys
widespread popularity. Dating back to the Iron Age, Karnataka's cuisine is said to
be one of the oldest surviving in the country. It combines a range of flavours,
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ingredients and cooking techniques from its neighbouring states of Kerala, Andhra
Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to the south and Maharashtra to the north, along with its
own rich gastronomic history.
1.1.1 Karnataka Dishes
Karnataka cuisine includes a wide variety of sweets. Belagavi Kunda, Mysore pak,
obbattu/holige, dharwad pedha, pheni, and chiroti are some of the most popular
sweets. Other lesser-known sweets include "hungu," kajjaya, coconut mithai,
karjikai, rave unde, sajjappa, pakada pappu, chigali, a variety of kadubus, tambittu,
paramaanna, and hayagreeva. Most of these sweets are not milk-based, unlike the
popular sweetmaking tradition elsewhere in India, but rather are made using
jaggery instead of refined sugar. Kosambari (south Indian salad), Pickle, Palya
(vegetable side dish), Raita or gojju (vegetable cooked in tamarind juice), desserts,
fried dishes, Thovve (cooked dal), huli (a thick broth of lentils and vegetables),
Chitranna (rice-based dish), plain rice.

Set dosey, a set of 3 dosas with coconut chutney, curry and Mysore Bajji

1.3 Kerala Cuisine

Kerala cuisine is very diverse,best classified on the basis of the various
communities. Since Kerala's main export is coconuts[citation needed], almost all of
the dishes, irrespective of the variety in the cuisines of the different communities,
have coconuts associated with them, either in the form of shavings or the oil or
milk extracted from the nut. Seafood is also very popular in the coastal regions and
eaten almost every day. Expect a generous use of coconut, chilli and spices, in
mouth-tingling local recipes that differ with region and community.

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Many of the food items of Kerala cuisine are made using coconut which is found in
abundance all over the state. As this region is extremely popular for its backwaters,
Kerala is a paradise for seafood lovers who come here from all over the world.
Some of the popular dishes from this region include aviyal, olan, shrimp coconut
curry, fish poriyal among others.

1.3.1 Popular Kerala Dishes

a) Vegetarian: olan, paalpradaman, nendarangai chips, aviyal, pulissery, erucherri, sambar,
sadhya, rasam, kalan, upperis, pachady, vegetable stew and kichadi
b) Non-vegetarian: With Greek, Roman, Chinese, Portuguese, Arab and Dutch traders making
their way to the port towns of Kerala, it is no wonder that the food has been cast with a
spectacular range of culinary influences. Though there are differences in the taste and style
of preparations between north and south Kerala dishes, both use similar vegetables and
ingredients. Plantains, coconut, gourds and yam are commonly used. Shrimp coconut curry,
fish curry (various versions depending on the region), fish fry, chicken fry with shredded
coconuts, fish pickle, podimeen fry, meen thoran (fish with coconut), karimeen (pearl spot
fish) pollichathu, shrimp masala, chicken stew, mutton stew, malabari fish curry, fish molly,
kallumekka, crabs, Pork Mappas (Panni Mappas), Pork vindallu (Panni Vindallu), Pork
Roast, Thalassery biriyani, pearl spot fish, jewel fish, mussels, squid, kappa boiled, kappa
(tapioca) vevichathu with non- vegetarian curries. Kerala_Beef_Fry otherwise known as beef
ullarthiyathu is a common popular dish available through out Kerala.
c) Snacks: upperi, payasam, banana fry (ethaykkappam or pazham pori), ullivada,
kozhukkatta, avalosunda, unniyappam, neeyyappam, unnaykka, thira, churuttu, boli,
modhakam, paal vazhaykka, cutlets, halwas, cakes, vattayappam, kinnathappam, and
irattymadhuram
d) Breakfast: puttu (with banana, kadala curry or payyar curry[moong-dal cyrry]), Appam
(velayappam, palappam) with curry, vegetable stew, fish molee, chicken or mutton stew,
duck roast, pork masala, egg curry, and idiyappam with kadala curry, pidi with mutton curry
or chicken curry, porotta with chicken curry/fry/roast or mutton curry/roast and, idli, dosai with
chutney, kanji with dry beans, pickle, pappadam made with black lentils.
e) Typical Indian masala dosa (Kerala style), is a combination of shredded, cooked, and fried
vegetables with Indian sauce and several spices as the basic stuffing, enveloped by a thick

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 brown dosa made out of a dal and rice batter. To embellish this unique preparation, it is
served with hot sambhar and coconut chutney.

1.4 Tamil Nadu Cuisine

Tamil Nadu has always been a hub for food connoisseurs to take a great pleasure of some of the
finest traditional cuisine in the country. The region is known to offer a wide variety of both vegetarian
and non-vegetarian dishes with each holding a unique flavoursome taste.

A typical Tamil meal consists of many spicy and non-spicy dishes. Many of these dishes are
generally mixed and eaten with steamed rice, which is the staple food of the region. Except for
Brahmins and a couple of non-Brahmin castes, most Tamilians eat non-vegetarian food. However,
on a typical day, a Tamil family will eat mostly vegetarian food, and the intake of meat is lower than in
most parts of the world.

Restaurants serving Tamil food are traditionally of two types: so-called Saivam restaurants (serving
only vegetarian food) and so-called Asaivam restaurants (serving both non-vegetarian and
vegetarian food). Fresh coffee and tea remain a staple drink served in both restaurants.

A typical Tamil meal consists of both spicy and non-spicy dishes. Except for Brahmins and a couple
of non-Brahmin castes, Tamils eat more non-vegetarian food. In Tamilian cuisine, food is classified
into six tastes namely sweet, sour, salt, bitter, pungent and astringent. Traditional Tamil cuisine
recommends that one must include all of these six tastes in each main meal. Each taste has a
balancing ability and including some of each provides complete nutrition, minimizes cravings and
balances the appetite and digestion.

1.4.1 Tamil cuisine groups dishes under five slightly overlapping categories.

a) Gravy dishes to be mixed in rice:

The first category consists of dishes that necessarily are mixed with rice. The sub-categories
under this head are: kuzhambu, sambar, paruppu, rasam, and thayir. There is a great variety
of dishes under each sub-category. For example, under "kuzhambu", common dishes include
puli kuzhambu, vaththal kuzhambu, Molagu kozhambu, payarru kuzhambu, and mor
kuzhambu. Non-vegetarian kuzhambu such as chicken and fish curries are also now
commonly mixed with rice meals.

b) Accompaniments

Foods in the second category are the side dishes that accompany such mixtures, including
kootu, poriyal, varuval, thokku, aviyal, usuli, oorukaai, vadaam, vaththal and Pappadam.

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c) Standalone snacks

The third category comprises short snacks and their accompaniments, including vada,
bonda, bajji, various chutneys, and thayir Pachadi.

d) Dessert

The fourth category encompasses rich and sweet dishes that serve as desserts, including
payasam, jigarthanda, kesari bhaat, pongal, palkova, poornalu, and a plethora of other
Indian sweets.

e) Fast foods, or light meals

The fifth category includes "tiffin," or light meals, such as idlis, dosa, poori, pongal, uppma,
idiyappam, aappam, adai, parotta, and paniyaram. Preparations from the fifth category are
served for breakfast and early dinners, and usually not as a midday meal.

Tamil cuisine primarily offers a light breakfast, a lighter dinner, a heavy midday meal and also
evening snacks, which are often served with tea or coffee. The rasam is mixed with rice, and
usually eaten with crisps. The last of the courses will invariably be rice with curd or yogurt,
usually taken with pickles.

Throughout the meal, the side dishes are served and eaten with the courses, depending
upon one's taste or choice. Side dishes are constantly replenished during any meal.
Desserts are served as the last course. After the meal, guests retire to the living room and
conclude with bananas and freshly made paan, consisting of betel leaves, betel nuts and
lime. Paan is considered a digestive aid.

Tamil non-vegetarian meals are similar, except that the first and second courses are usually
replaced by various biryanis and non-vegetarian gravies.

In either case, a typical meal (lunch or dinner) will be served on a banana leaf. Meals are
often accompanied by various pickles and appalams.

Food is generally classified into six tastes: sweet, sour, salt, bitter, pungent and astringent. A
traditional Tamil culinary belief is that one should include all six tastes in each main meal
eaten. Each taste has a balancing ability and including some of each provides complete
nutrition, minimises cravings and balances the appetite and digestion.

Sweet: milk, butter, sweet cream, wheat, ghee (clarified butter), rice, and honey

Sour: limes and lemons, citrus fruits, yogurt, mango, and tamarind

Salty: salt or pickles

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 Bitter: bitter gourd, greens of many kinds, turmeric, and fenugreek

Pungent: chili peppers, ginger, black pepper, clove, and mustard

Astringent: beans, lentils, turmeric, vegetables like cauliflower and cabbage, and cilantro

f) Chettinad cuisine

Chettinad Cuisine is the cuisine of the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu. The Chettinad region
comprises 76 villages and 2 towns and is dominated by the Chettiar community. Cuisine of
Chettinad is uses a variety of freshly ground spices including cumin, fenugreek, fennel,
clove, bay leaf, turmeric and tamarind. The cuisine is well known for the complexity of
flavours. Celebrated across the country for its brilliant variety of delicacies, Chettinad Cuisine
is vibrant, vivid and vivacious by all means. The traditional cuisine of Tamil Nadu's Chettiar
community, Chettinad cuisine has a culinary tradition unlike any other. Generally
synonymous very spicy food, in reality, Chettinad cuisine is a complex blend of well-balanced
flavours. Chettinad cuisine is known for its use of a variety of spices in preparing mainly
non-vegetarian food. The dishes are hot and pungent with fresh ground masalas, and topped
with a boiled egg that is usually considered an essential part of a meal. They also use a
variety of sun-dried meats and salted vegetables, reflecting the dry environment of the
region. The meat is restricted to fish, prawn, lobster, crab, chicken and mutton. Chettiars do
not eat beef and pork.

g) Most of the dishes are eaten with rice and rice-based accompaniments such as dosais,
appams, idiyappams, adais and idlis. The Chettinad people, through their mercantile
contacts with Burma, learnt to prepare a type of rice pudding made with sticky red rice.

Chettinad cuisine offers a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Some of the
popular vegetarian dishes include idiyappam, paniyaram, vellai paniyaram, karuppatti
paniyaram, paal paniyaram, kuzhi paniyaram, kozhakattai, masala paniyaram, adikoozh,
kandharappam, seeyam, masala seeyam, kavuni arisi and athirasam.

Popular Chettinad dishes:

Vegetarian: kevar kalli, idli, sambar, vadai, rasam, dosa, thayir sadam (yogurt rice), thayir
vadai (yogurt-soaked fritters), kootu (vegetables in wet style), poriyal/kari (vegetables in dry
style), murukku, uthappam, idiappam, appalam (deep-fried lentil-flour crisps) and papadum
(baked lentil-flour crips), freshly made thayir pachidi (yogurt mixed with fresh vegetables)

Non-vegetarian: karuvattu kuzhambu (salted, dried fish in sauce), chettinad pepper chicken,
fish fry, and kanji with "old fish" gravy.

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Objective
Objectives of the present study are to:

(a) Identify the Popularity of South Indian cuisine

(b) Examine the relationships between the South Indian and other Indian cuisine

(c) Investigate the characteristics Of South Indian cuisine

(d) To improve the Popularity of South Indian cuisine

(e) To understand the value and the food choices about South Indian Cuisine

REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Mughlai Cuisine is the cuisine that comes from the kitchens of the ancient Indian aristocracy or
the Moghul Emperors. This cuisine is predominant in the Northern part of India. It has a strong
influence of Muslim Cooking and some of the dishes retain their Muslim names - kebabs, kofta,
pulao, and biryani. Mughlai Cuisine is very "spice based" and has a distinctive aroma and taste
of ground and whole spices. These spices are easily available in Indian Specialty shops all over
the world. Mughlai cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines, whose origin can be traced back
to the times of Mughal Empire. Mughlai cuisine consists of the dishes that were prepared in the
kitchens of the royal Mughal Emperors. Indian cuisine is predominantly influenced by the

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cooking style practiced during the Mughal era. Mughlai food is quite spicy and has a very unique
aroma. On eating Mughlai food, one can get a feel of the ground spices. The spices used in the
preparation of Mughlai food are easily accessible. Mughlai food is especially preferred in
Northern parts of the country. Some of the Mughlai dishes have Muslim names such as biryani,
pulao, kebabs, kofta. This is suggestive of the strong influence of Muslim cooking style. The
Mughals have truly left a long lasting influence on India, which is also reflected in the cuisine of
India. Mughlai food occupies a commanding position in the popular cuisines of India. The rich
preparation of Mughlai food consisting of flavored sauces and butter based curries is so tempting
that food lovers are bound to crave for more and more food. Mughlai food offers an amazingly
delicious variety of food ranging from hot spicy shorba or soup to ginger based roasted meats to
Kulfi with rose petals sprinkled on it. Even, the names of the Mughlai food are so attractive that
a person gets tempted to try out different dishes. Though, Mughlai food is cooked in all parts of
the country, but the best feel of this cuisine can be had only in Delhi, which specializes in the
preparation of this royal cuisine. In the 16th century, India was invaded by Mughals, who
introduced the exotic spices, nuts and fruits to India. Also, the Indians got an opportunity to learn
new techniques of cooking. In the preparation of most of the Mughlai dishes, milk and cream is
used liberally. Mughlai Biriyanis, Pasandas, Kormas and Pulao are so enticing and yummy that
people usually end up licking their fingers.
Most five-star hotels offer excellent Mughlai-Tandoori-Frontier cuisine. Especially Bukhara in
Maurya Sheraton where you can rub shoulders with any celebrity worth his/her name, including
Hillary and Chelsea Clinton who pronounced its food as one of the best they had tasted. For
Punjabi - Mughlai food the places to head for are the restaurants in Pandara Road Market, Karol
Bagh and Connaught Place. Pindi and Gulati on Pandara Road and Kake da Hotel in Connaught
Place have a large following, who flock to them almost every night. Mostly after dinner – didn't
we tell you that Delhiites eat too much!

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 Seek kababs

The term culture refers to the set of values, knowledge, language, rituals, habits, lifestyles,
attitudes, beliefs, folklore, rules and customs that identify a particular group of people at a
specific point in time. Gastronomictradition is dependent upon culture, and it is an unavoidable
and promising tool for learning about cultural differences. This is even more the case in a
globalized world, where not only food and ingredients are produced, processed and exported to
different countries, but also advertised and promoted via mass media to the rest of the world.

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Research of Methodology

This section contains pieces of information about study setting, sampling and data collection
methods and data analysis

Study Setting
 
The empirical part of the study was carried out in old Delhi, especially in Delhi 6 considering
huge number of tourists visiting the place for having Mughlai meals. There are hundreds of
outlets of various categories and capacities that are serving Mughlai foods.
Sampling and Data Collection
We collected data through three major sources –

a)The data was collected through a structured interview (fixed questionnaire) administered to a
sample of Mughlai chefs and restaurant owners operating in the said area. Respondents were
approached and informed about the purpose of Survey and were then asked whether they would
participate in the survey. Respondent’s participations in the survey were strictly voluntary.
Respondents were also told that their individual responses were anonymous and confidential.  

c)Secondary Sources - The secondary sources of data collection were made from collection of
data cited in the reports of Department of tourism, Govt. of India, Govt. of Delhi, bloggers, food
walks etc. Apart from these some relevant books, journals, magazines and newspapers were also
studied.

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Data Analysis

The research is grounded on a qualitative approach to the collection of data and analysis. A
strong rationale exists for choosing a qualitative methodological approach to this research.
First,the nature of the research questions in asking ‘What?’ or ‘How?’ necessitates a qualitative
enquiry to describe ‘what is going on’. This is in contrast to quantitative questions which ask
‘Why?’ and then look to comparisons of groups or to cause and effect and statistical analysis.
 Second, a detailed view of the situation was required and the topic also needed to be explored.
For example, the literature review revealed the origin and the evolution of cuisine in pr- colonial
era. Then there was the colonial era and now the post independent era. The data received through
structured interview gave us the input that is basically depicting the current form of cuisine.
Therefore a qualitative approach was needed to have their valuable insights and experienced
Opinions. The researcher wanted to explore and build a ‘picture’ of the situation, rather than test
a hypothesis. This was because many points of discussion needed to be defined by working
inductively, rather than being provided by the researcher in advance. Working inductively
enables a full and rounded humanistic understanding of a situation rather than a purely objective
scientific quantification of a current situation. It also presents the opportunity to develop and
build on grounded theory when there is a low theoretical base. Grounded theory refers to theory
that is generated from data that is systematically gathered and analyzed through the research
 process. The fieldwork was carried out in August, 2018 and September 2018.

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Objective Explanation

Popularity of South Indian Cuisine

South India is known for its varied range of spices, many of which are being exported to
different nations for centuries. The most important spices produced in South India are cinnamon,
cardamom, nutmeg, cloves and pepper. The region is famous for a wide range of spicy foods
with each state differing others predominantly from the spiciness of food, its different varieties
and method of cooking. The staple food of locals of the region including some Brahmin
communities is rice which is best savoured with Sambhar or curry.

Tampering of different South Indian dishes remains almost the same with primary ingredients
being mustard seeds, red chillies, curry leaves and oil among others. Availability of different root
tubers, coconut and huge variety of fish has witnessed use of such items in various regional
dishes. Ingredients like chana dal, urad dal, plantain, tamarind, ginger, garlic, coconut and snake
gourd along with fresh green chillies and dried red chillies are used extensively in preparing
South Indian cuisines. Ragi (Eleusine coracana) also forms a staple diet in southern Karnataka
while in northern Karnataka and Telangana, jowar (Sorghum) and bajra (Pearl millet) are
consumed widely.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS CUISINE

South Indian cuisine usually encompasses the five Southern states of Karnataka, Andhra
Pradesh, Tamilnadu, Telangana, and Kerala. Both the geography and cultural influence of the
South has an influence on the region's cuisine. As with most countries, there are large regional
differences and each state's cuisine can vary greatly even within a specific state. There are
typically vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes for all five states. Additionally, all regions have
typical main dishes, snacks, light meals, desserts, and drinks that are well-known in their
respective region.

South India has a hot, humid climate and all its states are coastal. Rainfall is abundant and so is
the supply of fresh fruit, vegetables, and rice. Andhra Pradesh produces fiery Andhra cuisine
which is largely vegetarian yet has a huge range of seafood in its coastal areas. Tamilnadu has
Chettinad cuisine, perhaps the fieriest of all Indian food. This style too is largely vegetarian.

19
From Kerala comes Malabari cooking, with its repertoire of tasty seafood dishes. Hyderabad is
the home of the Nizams (rulers of Hyderabad) and regal Nizami food rich and flavorful with
tastes ranging from spicy to sour to sweet. Hyderabadi food is full of nuts, dried fruits, and
expensive spices like saffron.

Style of Food
By and large, South Indian cuisine is perhaps the hottest of all Indian food. Meals are centered
around rice or rice-based dishes. Rice is combined with Sambaar (a soup-like lentil dish
tempered with whole spices and chilies) and rasam (a hot-sour soup-like lentil dish), dry and
curried vegetables, meat dishes, and a host of coconut-based chutneys and poppadums
(deep-fried crispy lentil pancakes). South Indians are great lovers of coffee, which is usually a
special type made with chicory.

Staple Foods
No South Indian meal is complete without rice in some form or other. It's either boiled rice or
Idlis (steamed cakes made from rice batter), dosas, or uttapams (pancakes made from a batter of
rice and lentil flour). Daals (lentils) are also a part of most meals.

Common Cooking Oils

Because it is easily available, coconut oil is most commonly used for cooking and frying.
Vegetable oils like sunflower and canola are also used and ghee is poured over rice during daily
meals or onto special occasion dishes.

Important Spices and Ingredients

Typically, Southern Indian food will feature curry leaves, mustard, asafetida, pepper and
peppercorns, tamarind, chilies, and fenugreek seeds. Huli pudi (also known as sambar powder) is
also used to spice and flavor dishes.

Popular Dishes
Some well known and loved foods include South Indian chicken curry, Kulambu (South Indian
fish curry), Idlis, Dosas, Vadas, ​Sambaar, Uttapams, Rasam, and Payasam.

South Indian Dishes

20
 Conclusion

Skepticism of the structuralize approach led many food anthropologists to abandon a theoretical
approach altogether. Generalizing analysis was seen as typical of the structuralism approach,
with all its documented shortcomings. For this reason, a mainly historical and comparative
approach that eschewed grand explanatory models was favored even by scholars trained in
anthropology and sociology such as Minnelli and Ferguson. However, I would argue that the
shortcomings of structuralism are no reason to abandon an analytical approach altogether. This,
however, has to be flexible enough to accommodate diverse cultural and historical situations. But
more importantly, it must have the capacity to explain change, i.e. it should be process-oriented.
Certain flavor principles may be suggested on the basis of my analysis of Indo-Persian culinary
manuals. It is notable that certain spice combinations occur repeatedly in these cookbooks. The
spices most commonly used are darchini (cinnamon), zira (cumin), qaranful (cloves), ilaychi
(cardamom), filfil (black pepper), adarak (ginger), kishniz (coriander), and zardchub
(Turmeric). These are almost always combined with onions. In fact, fried onions form the basis
of most savoury dishes. While all the spices mentioned above are not used in every dish, the
majority of them appear repeatedly in combination. These spice combinations, found frequently
across the spectrum of Indo-Persian cookbooks, give the dishes described a more intensive flavor
than their mildly spiced Iranian counterparts. Moreover, there is evidence that strong elements of
the sweet taste were often incorporated into savoury recipes. This was done through making a
chash-nidar or ‘syrupy’ variation of the dish, which involved adding a mixture of sugar syrup
and lemon to the dish. Thus, there were chash-nidar variations of various qalīya and dopiyaza
recipes. I have argued that an adaptation of Rozin’s ‘flavor principles’ formulation combined
with a modification of Dawkins’ meme concept may be fruitfully employed as an analytical
metaphor to capture some of the dynamicity of culinary evolution. However, this may not be the
only useful or applicable analytical paradigm that should necessarily be applied to all contexts. I
advocate a flexible approach, and above all, one that does not carry metaphors to their absurd
conclusions.

21
On the basis of the anthropological definitions of cuisine discussed in this paper, as well as
drawing on recent anthropological and sociological writings on the analysis of cuisine, a few
conclusions may be drawn on the definition and analysis of ‘Mughal cuisine’. There are
problems with the term ‘Mughal cuisine’ itself, as has been discussed above. Nevertheless, I do
use the word ‘Mughal’ because of its widespread acceptance in the academic literature and
because it does, to some degree, evoke the cultural pluralism of the Mughal elite. Secondly, to
the extent that a culinary culture can be reconstructed from Indo-Persian sources and to a
significant but not entirely precise degree it can – this culture may be characterized as
constituting both a ‘cuisine’ and an ‘haute cuisine’. The ‘cuisine’ of IndoPersian cookbooks was
characterized by a recognizable set of recipes, ingredients and cooking techniques that were fluid
and forever evolving in response to local and ‘foreign’ influences. Despite being an ‘haute
cuisine’ that included the use of some expensive ingredients imported over long distances, it also
incorporated much that drew or purported to draw on the bazaar and the food of the ‘common
folk’. For instance, the Khulasat has a recipe for bazaar style mincemeat kebabs. The same recipe
is also found in the Nuskha-i Shahjahani. Whether or not this recipe was ‘authentic’ is not the
point: rather, it illustrates how the food world of these cookbooks was not separated from that of
the bazaar, and that recipes, recipe titles and culinary influences flowed both ways. The
Nimatnama also records recipes with similar titles suggestive of popular or rustic origins:
mahirustaʾi ganwari (rustic rural fish) and rusta’isabzi (rural style vegetables).
Certain flavor principles may be suggested on the basis of my analysis of Indo-Persian culinary
manuals. It is notable that certain spice combinations occur repeatedly in these cookbooks. The
spices most commonly used are darchini (cinnamon), zira (cumin), qaranful (cloves), ilaychi
(cardamom), filfil (black pepper), adarak (ginger), kishniz (coriander), and zard chub (turmeric).
These are almost always combined with onions. In fact, fried onions form the basis of most
savoury dishes. While all the spices mentioned above are not used in every dish, the majority of
them appear repeatedly in combination. These spice combinations, found frequently across the
spectrum of Indo-Persian cookbooks, give the dishes described a more intensive flavor than their
mildly spiced Iranian counterparts. More- over, there is evidence that strong elements of the
sweet taste were often incorporated into savoury recipes.

22
This was done through making a chash-nidar or ‘syrupy’ variation of the dish, which involved
adding a mixture of sugar syrup and lemon to the dish. Thus, there were chash-nidar variations of
various qalīya and dopiyaza recipes. I have argued that an adaptation of Rozin’s ‘flavor
principles’ formulation combined with a modification of Dawkins’ meme concept may be
fruitfully employed as an analytical metaphor to capture some of the dynamicity of culinary
evolution. However, this may not be the only useful or applicable analytical paradigm that
should necessarily be applied to all contexts. I advocate a flexible approach, and above all, one
that does not carry metaphors to their absurd conclusions. On the basis of the anthropological
definitions of cuisine discussed in this paper, as well as drawing on recent anthropological and
sociological writings on the analysis of cuisine, a few conclusions may be drawn on the
definition and analysis of ‘Mughal cuisine’. There are problems with the term ‘Mughal cuisine’
itself, as has been discussed above. Nevertheless, I do use the word ‘Mughal’ because of its
widespread acceptance in the academic literature and because it does, to some degree, evoke the
cultural pluralism of the Mughal elite. Secondly, to the extent that a culinary culture can be
reconstructed from Indo-Persian sources – and to a significant but not entirely precise degree it
can – this culture may be characterized as constituting both a ‘cuisine’ and an ‘haute cuisine’.
The ‘cuisine’ of Indo- Persian cookbooks was characterized by a recognizable set of recipes,
ingredients and cooking techniques that were fluid and forever evolving inresponse to local and
‘foreign’ influences. Despite being an ‘haute cuisine’ that included the use of some expensive
ingredients imported over long distances, it also incorporated much that drew or purported to
draw on the bazaar and the food of the ‘common folk’. For instance, the Khulaṣat has a recipe for
qima kabab tarah-i bazar (bazaar style mincemeat kebabs).The same recipe is also found in the
Nuskha-i Shahjahani.Whether or not this recipe was ‘authentic’ is not the point: rather, it
illustrates how the food world of these cookbooks was not separated from that of the bazaar, and
that recipes, recipe titles and culinary influences flowed both ways. The Nimatnama also records
recipes with similar titles suggestive of popular or rustic origins: mahi rusta’i ganwari (rustic
rural fish) and rusta’isabzi (rural style vegetables). In this article, I have suggested some
approaches for the analysis of the cuisine represented in Indo-Persian texts, which comes closest
to what is often characterized as ‘Mughal cuisine’. Some aspects of these propositions may have
wider or even universal applicability.

23
 Limitations

The main limitation of this study is related to the time duration, in which the study was carried
out, that is January, 2021 and April 2021. Second limitation is the research area. We can include
Delhi, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Muzaffarpur and other cities where Mughlai food or its
variations are popular.

24
 REFERENCES:
 
 
1. Achaya K. T. (1994), “Indian Food: A Historical Companion”, Oxford University Press,
USA.
2. Boyne, S. Williams, F. and Hall, D. R. (2002), on the trail of regional success: tourism, food
production and the Isle of Arran Taste Trail, in Hjalager, A.M. and Richards, G. (Eds)
Tourism and gastronomy, Routledge, London.
3. Clark M., Riley M., Wilkie E., Wood R.C. (1998), Researching and Writing Dissertations in
Hospitality and Tourism’, International Thomson Business Press, Berkshire House, London.
4. Dasgupta Minakshiey, (1998), ‘Bangla Ranna, the Bengal Cookbook’, UBS Publisher
Distributors Limited, 8/1-B, Chowringhee Lane, Kolkata

5. Hall, M., L. Sharples, R Mitchell, N. Macionis, and B. Camboume (2003). Food Tourism
around the World. Oxford, UK: Butterworth-Heinemann.

6.Hjalager, A.-M., and G. Richards (Eds.) (2002). Tourism and Gastronomy. London: Rutledge.

7.Long, L. (2003). Culinary Tourism. Lexington, KY: University of Kentucky Press. - (2005).
Keynote Address to Ontario Symposium on Culinary Tourism. Toronto, Ontario, March 7, 2005.

8. Olsen M.D.; Teare R.; Gummesson E., (1996), Service quality in Hospitality
Organizations‟ Cassell, London.
 
9. Richards, G. and Hjalager, A-M. (Eds) (2002) Tourism and gastronomy, Rutledge, London.

10.Seaton A.V & Bennett M.M. (1996), ‘Marketing Tourism Products, Concepts, Issues, Cases’,
International Thomson Business Press, London ISBN 0 412 57320 2.

25
11.Telfer, D. J. and Wall, G. (1996) ‘Linkages between tourism and food production’,
Annals of Tourism Research, 23 (3): 635-653.

12.Walker, R. J. (1999). ‘Introduction to Hospitality’, (2nd Edn). Prentice-Hall, Inc., New Jersey
ISBN 0-13-917881-3.

13. Quan, S. and Wang, N. (2003), towards a structural model of the tourist experience: An
illustration from food experiences in tourism. Tourism Management 25, 297305.

14.Bessiere, J. (1998) Local development and heritage: Traditional food and cuisine as tourist
attractions in rural areas. Sociologia Ruralis 38, 21 –34.

15.Boniface, P. (2003) Tasting Tourism: Travelling for Food and Drink. Hampshire: Ash gate.
 
16.Corigliano, M.A. (2002), the route to quality: Italian gastronomy networks in operation. In
Hjalager and G. Richards Tourism and Gastronomy. London: Routledge.

17.Kaspar, C. (1986), the impact of catering and cuisine upon tourism. In 36th AIEST Congress:
The Impact of Catering and Cuisine upon Tourism. Montreux, Switzerland: AIEST.

18.Selwood, J. (2003) the lure of food: Food as an attraction in destination marketing in

Manitoba, Canada. In C.M. Hall, L. Sharples, R. Mitchell, N. Macionis and B. Cambourne (eds)
Food Tourism around the World (pp. 178– 91). Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann.

19.Cusack, I. (2000) African cuisines: Recipes for nation building? Journal of African Cultural
Studies.

26
Web References-

1. www.wikipedia.org/Mughlai cuisine

2. www.academia.edu/Mughlai+cuisine 

3.theculturetrip.com

4.https://www.culturalindia.net/indian-food/mughlai.

5.https://www.academia.edu/38225634/mughlai_cuisine_origin_and_evolution_Shakesh_Singh_

docx

6.http://www.midtownmontgomeryliving.com/wp-content/uploads/pqtr1/mughlai-cuisine-ppt-0b

5f0d

7. https://www.thespruceeats.com/mughlai-indian-cuisine-4045183

27
 Questionnaire

Dear Respondent,
I am the student of B.Sc. Hospitality Administration, IHM KURUKSHETRA and this survey
form is regarding our research project, entitled – The study about Mughlai cuisine and its
popularity in India. This will help us to know your experiences regarding this topic. Your
responses will be kept safe and will only be used for research purposes. We would be grateful if
you could spare some time to fill up this questionnaire.

Name of Respondent *: --------------------------------------------

Age *: …………

Gender*

▪ Male

▪ Female

▪ Prefer not to say

Occupation *

▪ Student

▪ Employed

▪ Self employed

▪ Unemployed

28
Where do you live? *

▪ …………………………

Q1. Do you know from where did Mughlai cuisine originate? *

▪ Yes

▪ No, but i am eager to know.

Q2. Have you ever tried any of the Mughlai dishes? *

▪ Yes

▪ No

▪ Maybe

Q3. Does your place have any Hotel/Restaurant which serves Mughlai Cuisine? If yes, please
type in the name of the Hotel/Restaurant *

▪ …………………………………………………………………………………..

Q4. If you get a chance, will you visit a Mughlai restaurant? *

▪ Yes

▪ No

▪ Maybe

29
Q5. Do you think as all other cuisines, should Mughlai cuisine also be introduced in five star
hotels? *

▪ Yes

▪ No

▪ Maybe

Q6. Have you ever tried the famous Tunde ke kabab? *

▪ Yes

▪ No

▪ Maybe

Q7. Have you ever tried the famous Haleem? *

▪ Yes

▪ No

▪ Maybe

Q8. Would you come and try the cuisine if we started a restaurant in your city? *

▪ Yes

▪ No

30
 ▪ Maybe

Q9. Will you all join hands with me to make place for Mughlai cuisine in India? *

▪ Yes

▪ No

Q10. Do you have any ideas or feedback on what we can improve to make place for the cuisine
in India? *

▪ ………………………………………………………………………………………….

Q11. Rogan josh is a signature recipe of:

▪ Assamese Cuisine

▪ Kashmiri Cuisine

▪ Mughlai Cuisine

▪ Goan Cuisine

Q12. Which of the following is not a Mughlai cuisine dish

▪ Haleem

▪ Tunde ke kabab

▪ Hyderabadi Biryani

▪ Rogan josh

31
THANK
YOU!

32