South Asian cuisine
Encyclopedia
South Asian cuisine, also known as Desi
Desi
Desi or Deshi refers to the people, cultures, and products of the Indian subcontinent and, increasingly, to the people, cultures, and products of their diaspora. Desi countries include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh...

 cuisine
, includes the cuisine
Cuisine
Cuisine is a characteristic style of cooking practices and traditions, often associated with a specific culture. Cuisines are often named after the geographic areas or regions that they originate from...

s from the Indian subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...

. It has roots in South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...

, including practices taken from the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...

 beliefs practiced by the large population found in the region, alongside influences from neighbouring regions and cultures, particularly from Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...

 cultures of the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...

 and Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...

, such as Persia, the Turkic
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...

 and Arab countries
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...

.

Staples and common ingredients

Naan
Naan
Naan is a leavened, oven-baked flatbread. It is typical of and popular in South and Central Asia, in Iran, and in South Asian restaurants abroad. Influenced by the large influx of South Asian labour, naan has also become popular in Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states.Originally, naan is a...

, a type of flat bread from the former regions is a common part of meals to be had in many parts of South as well as Southwest Asia
Southwest Asia
Western Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East, which describes a geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than its location within Asia...

. Other staples of many of the cuisines include rice, chapati
Chapati
Chapati or Chapatti or Chapathi is an unleavened flatbread from the Indian subcontinent. Versions of it are found in Turkmenistan and in East African countries Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania...

 made from wheat and barley, and beans.

Foods in this area of the world are flavored with various types of chili, black pepper, cloves, and other strong herbs and spices along with the flavored butter ghee
Ghee
Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine....

. Ginger is an ingredient that can be used in both savory and sweet recipes in South Asian cuisine. Chopped ginger is fried with meat and pickled ginger is often an accompaniment to boiled rice. Ginger juice and ginger boiled in syrup are used to make desserts. Tumeric, and cumin are often used to make curries.

Common meats include lamb, goat and chicken. Beef
Beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...

 is less common than in Western
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...

 cuisines because cattle have a special place in Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...

. Prohibitions against beef extend to the meat of (water) buffalo
Water buffalo
The water buffalo is a domesticated bovid widely kept in Asia, Europe and South America.Water buffalo can also refer to:*Wild water buffalo , the wild ancestor of the domestic water buffalo...

 and yak
Yak
The yak, Bos grunniens or Bos mutus, is a long-haired bovine found throughout the Himalayan region of south Central Asia, the Tibetan Plateau and as far north as Mongolia and Russia. In addition to a large domestic population, there is a small, vulnerable wild yak population...

s to some extent. Pork
Pork
Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC....

 is considered as a taboo food item
Taboo food and drink
Taboo food and drink are food and beverages which people abstain from consuming for religious, cultural or hygienic reasons. Many food taboos forbid the meat of a particular animal, including mammals, rodents, reptiles, amphibians, bony fish, and crustaceans...

 by all Muslims and is avoided by most Hindus. A variety of very sweet deserts which use dairy products is also found in South Asian cuisines. The main ingredients to south asian desserts are reduced milk, ground almonds, lentil flour. ghee and sugar. Kheer is a dairy based rice pudding, a popular and common dessert.

History

Many of India's foods go back as far as five thousand years. The Indus Valley peoples, who settled in what is now northern Pakistan, hunted turtles and alligator. They also collected wild grains, herbs and plants. Many foods and ingredients from the Indus period (c. 3000–1500 B.C.) are still common today. Some consist of wheat, barley, rice, tamarind, eggplant and cucumber. The Indus Valley peoples cooked with oils, ginger, salt, green peppers, and turmeric root, which would be dried and ground into an orange powder.

The Aryan-speaking peoples who came to India between 1500 and 1000 B.C used leafy vegetables, lentils, and milk products such as yogurt and ghee. They also used spices such as cumin and coriander. Black pepper was also often used by 400 A.D. The Greeks brought saffron and the Chinese introduced tea. The Portuguese and British made red chili, potato and cauliflower popular after 1700 A.D. The major contributors to India's culinary custom are the Muslim peoples from Persia and present-day Turkey, who began arriving in India after 1200.

These peoples, known later as the Mughals saw food as an art, and many of their dishes are cooked with as many as twenty-five spices. They also used rose water, cashews, raisins and almonds.

Regional South Asian cuisines

  • Bangladeshi cuisine
  • Bhutanese cuisine
  • Indian cuisine
    Indian cuisine
    Indian cuisine consists of thousands of regional cuisines which date back thousands of years. The dishes of India are characterised by the extensive use of various Indian spices, herbs, vegetables and fruit. Indian cuisine is also known for the widespread practice of vegetarianism in Indian society...

    • North Indian cuisine
      North Indian cuisine
      North Indian cuisine , part of Indian cuisine, is a term used to refer to the cuisines found in Northern India which includes the Indian states: Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and West-Central Uttar Pradesh...

      • Bihari cuisine
        Bihari cuisine
        Bihari cuisine is eaten mainly in Bihar,Jharkhand, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Mauritius, Fiji, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago as these are they places where Bihari people are present...

        • Bhojpuri cuisine
          Bhojpuri cuisine
          Bhojpuri cuisine is a style of food preparation common amongst the Bhojpuri people living in Bihar.Bhojpuris are fond of spicy foods and their cuisines reflect this....

      • Kashmiri cuisine
      • Mughlai cuisine
        Mughlai cuisine
        Mughlai cuisine is a style of cookery developed in the Indian Subcontinent by the imperial kitchens of the Mughal Empire. It represents the cooking style used in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Pakistan and in parts of Dhaka in Bangladesh and Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh...

      • Punjabi cuisine
        Punjabi cuisine
        Punjabi cuisine is food from the Punjab region of northwestern India and eastern Pakistan. It can be non-vegetarian or completely vegetarian. One of the main features of Punjabi cuisine is its diverse range of dishes...

      • Rajasthani cuisine
        Rajasthani cuisine
        Rajasthani cooking was influenced by both the war-like lifestyles of its inhabitants and the availability of ingredients in this arid region. Food that could last for several days and could be eaten without heating was preferred. Scarcity of water and fresh green vegetables have all had their...

      • Cuisine of Uttar Pradesh
        Cuisine of Uttar Pradesh
        Cuisine of Uttar Pradesh is from the state of Uttar Pradesh located in Central-South Asia and Northern India), Awadhi and Mughlai are the two chief genre of Uttar Pradeshi cuisine, and the cooking patterns of the state are similar to those of Central Asia, the Middle East, Pakistan and the rest of...

        • Awadhi cuisine
          Awadhi cuisine
          Awadhi Cuisine is from the city of Lucknow which is the capital of the state of Uttar Pradesh located in Central-South Asia and Northern India, and the cooking patterns of the city are similar to those of Central Asia, the Middle East, and Northern India as well. The cuisine consists of both...

    • South Indian cuisine
      South Indian cuisine
      South Indian Cuisine is a term used to refer to the cuisines found in the four southern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.-Similarities and differences in "Four states' cuisines":...

      • Andhra cuisine
        • Hyderabadi cuisine
          Hyderabadi cuisine
          Hyderabadi cuisine is a princely legacy of the Nizams of Hyderabad, India. The city was founded by the Sultan's of Golconda, who has developed its own cuisine over the centuries...

      • Cuisine of Karnataka
        Cuisine of Karnataka
        The cuisine of Karnataka includes many vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisines. The varieties reflect influences from and to the food habits of many regions and communities from the three neighbouring South Indian states, as well as the state of Maharashtra to its north...

        • Udupi cuisine
          Udupi cuisine
          Udupi cuisine is a world-renowned cuisine of South India. It forms an important part of the Cuisine of Karnataka and takes its name from Udupi, a town on the southwest coast of India in the state of Karnataka. The Udupi cuisine has its origin in the Ashta mathas of Udupi founded by...

      • Cuisine of Kerala
        Cuisine of Kerala
        The cuisine of Kerala is linked in all its richness to the history, geography, demography and culture of the land. Kerala cuisine has a multitude of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes prepared using fish, poultry and meat.-Ingredients:...

      • Tamil cuisine
        Tamil cuisine
        Tamil Nadu is famous for its hospitality and its deep belief that serving food to others is a service to humanity, as is common in many regions of India. The region has a rich cuisine involving both traditional vegetarian, as well as non-vegetarian dishes. It is characterized by the use of rice,...

        • Chettinad cuisine
          Chettinad cuisine
          Chettinad cuisine is the cuisine of the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu state in South India. The Chettiar community, who are a majority in this region, are a very successful trading community. Chettinad cuisine is one of the spiciest and the most aromatic in India.Chettinad cuisine is famous for...

    • Other cuisines
      • Assamese cuisine
        Cuisine of Assam
        Assamese cuisine is the cuisine of Assam, a state in North-East India. It is a style of cooking that is a confluence of cooking habits of the hills that favor fermentation and drying as forms of food preservation, and those from the plains that provide fresh vegetables and abundance of fish from...

      • Bengali cuisine
        Bengali cuisine
        Bengali cuisine is a culinary style originating in Bengal, a region in the eastern South Asia which is now divided between the Indian state of West Bengal and the independent country of Bangladesh. Other regions, such as Tripura, and Barak Valley region of Assam also have large native Bengali...

         (also see Bangladeshi cuisine)
      • Goan cuisine
        Goan cuisine
        Goan cuisine consists of regional foods popular in Goa, located along India's west coast along the Arabian Sea. Seafood, coconut milk, rice and paste are main ingredients of Goan delicacies. The area is located in a tropical climate, and spices and flavors are intense. Use of Kokum is another...

      • Gujarati cuisine
        Gujarati cuisine
        Gujarati cuisine refers to the cuisine of the Gujaratis from India, who are predominant in western India. It is primarily a vegetarian cuisine, despite having an extensive coastline for sea food, due influence of Jain vegetarianism and traditional Hinduism...

      • Maharashtrian cuisine
        Maharashtrian cuisine
        Maharashtrian cuisine is cuisine of the Marathi people, those from the state of Maharashtra in India. Maharashtrian cuisine covers a range from being mild to very spicy dishes. Wheat, rice, jowar, bajri, vegetables, lentils and fruit form important components of Maharashtrian diet...

      • Nagamese cuisine
        Naga cuisine
        Naga cuisine, of the Naga people, features meats and fish, which are often smoked, dried or fermented.The various Naga tribes have their own cooking varieties, but they often interchange recipes. Nagas tend prefer boiled edible organic leaves. Some common dishes are fermented bamboo shoots with...

      • Oriya cuisine
        Oriya cuisine
        Oriya cuisine refers to the cooking of the eastern Indian state of Orissa. Foods from this area are rich and varied, while relying heavily on local ingredients. The flavors are usually subtle and delicately spiced, quite unlike the fiery curries typically associated with Indian cuisine. Fish and...

      • Parsi cuisine
        Parsi cuisine
        Parsi Cuisine is an eclectic northwest-Indian recipe tradition native to the Parsis of India and Pakistan.-Primary meals:The basic feature of a Parsi lunch is rice, eaten with lentils or a curry. Curry is made with coconut and ras without, with curry usually being thicker than ras. Dinner would be...

      • Sikkimese cusine
      • Tripuri cuisine
        Tripuri cuisine
        The Tripuri people are the original inhabitants of the state of Tripura in North East India. The indigenous Tripuri people comprises the communities of Tipra, Reang, Jamatia, Noatia, Uchoi and others...

  • Maldivian cuisine
    Maldivian cuisine
    Traditional Maldivian cuisine is based on the following three main items and their derivatives:-Coconuts:The coconut is used in the grated form, squeezed to obtain coconut milk, or as coconut oil in dishes that are deep-fried. Hunigondi is the traditional Maldivian implement used to grate the...

  • Pakistani cuisine
    • Balochi cuisine
    • Kashmiri cuisine
      Cuisine of Kashmir
      Kashmiri cuisine is based on the ancient tradition of this area. The Rigvedamentioms the meat eating traditions of this area. The ancient epic of Kashmir, namely the Nilmatapurana informs us that Kashmiris were heavy meat eaters. This habit persists in today's Kashmir.The most notable ingredient...

    • Mughlai cuisine
      Mughlai cuisine
      Mughlai cuisine is a style of cookery developed in the Indian Subcontinent by the imperial kitchens of the Mughal Empire. It represents the cooking style used in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Pakistan and in parts of Dhaka in Bangladesh and Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh...

    • Pashtun cuisine
      Pashtun cuisine
      Pashtun cuisine refers to the cuisine of the Pashtuns, who are predominant in Afghanistan and north-west Pakistan. The cuisine of the Pashtun people is derived from the cuisine of Afghanistan and that of Pashtun-dominated areas in northern Pakistan, which is largely based not just upon cereals...

    • Punjabi cuisine
      Punjabi cuisine
      Punjabi cuisine is food from the Punjab region of northwestern India and eastern Pakistan. It can be non-vegetarian or completely vegetarian. One of the main features of Punjabi cuisine is its diverse range of dishes...

    • Sindhi cuisine
  • Nepalese cuisine
    Nepalese cuisine
    Nepalese cuisine refers to the cuisines of Nepal. The cultural and geographic diversity of Nepal provide ample space for a variety of cuisines based on ethnicity, soil and climate. Nevertheless dal-bhat-tarkari is eaten throughout the country. Dal is a soup made of lentils and spices...

    • Newa cuisine
  • Sri Lankan cuisine
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