1. Strictly speaking, this is not a fact but this 'cuisine map' of India will definitely amaze you. It shows the huge and delicious varieties of food Indians indulge in.
2. Indian food system classifies food into three categories -Saatvic (fresh vegetables and juice),Raajsic (oily and spicy food) andTaamsic (Meat and liquor).
Saatvic food leads you to higher states of consciousness.
Raajsic food is the foundation of activity and motion.
3. Love eatingdum pulao ordum biryani? Do you know how this style of cooking originated in India? Here's the story:
The Nawab of Awadh was facing a shortage of food in his region so he ordered a meal to be cooked for all the poor in huge handis, covered with a lid and sealed with dough. This would help cook a lot of food with minimum resources, but who would have thought that this would eventually lead to a new style of cooking, now known as 'dum'.
4. Pepper is known as the king of spices because it goes well with everything. Mix it with salt and it becomes the classic combination we all love. Imagine how bland our food would taste without this spice.
5. Traditional Kashmiri cooking, Wazwan, reflects strong Central Asian influence. The unique thing about this cooking technique is that the spices are boiled, not fried. It gives the food a distinctive flavour and aroma.
6. Mithais are an important part of Indian cuisine and celebrations.Payasam , one of the favourite sweet dishes of South India, is a must-serve at important ceremonies like weddings. According to South Indian tradition, a wedding is not over untilPayasam is served.
7. Who doesn't likechutneys?Indian food is incomplete without this delicious side dish. But do you know the Britishers loved ourchutneys as much as we do? In fact, they named one of thechutneys as'Major Grey's'. It is still sold in India and is quite famous.
A proper Indian meal is a perfect balance of all 6 flavours, with one or two flavours standing out. So the next time you eat your meal, you know how to judge it.
9. Very little is known about the food and eating habits of the earliest Indian civilization, Indus Valley Civilization, because the ancient language has not been deciphered yet.
14. Greek, Roman and Arab traders have contributed a lot to the first foreign flavours in Indian cuisine. Who did you think brought the amazing saffron to India?
