SECOND YEAR- HYDERABADI

HYDERABADI CUISINE

INTRODUCTION:

Hyderabad is the capital city of state Andhra Pradesh, situated in the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh. Hyderabad is known for its rich history, culture, and architecture representing the unique characteristic of a meeting point for North and South. It is and emerging information technology and biotechnology hub of India. Hyderabad and Sikanderabad is known as twin cities separated by Hussain Sagar lake, a man made lake at the time of Ibrahim Qutub Shah in 1562.Char Minar monument built in the centre of Hyderabad was built by Muhammad Quily Qutb Shah in 1591 is a tourist place. Hyderabad is also situated across the river Musi.

It had Muslim ruler the last Nizam

CLIMATE:

Hyderabad has tropical wet and dry climate.  In summer the maximum temperature reaches to 40-45 degree centigrade and minimum 25 degree centigrade. In winter maximum temperature is 28 degree centigrade and minimum 13 degree centigrade. It has red sandy soil and with areas of black cotton soil.

AVAILABILITY OF INGREDIENTS:

1. KABULI CHANA  (chickpeas)
2. LOBIA ( black eyed beans )
3. AGATHI LEAVES (  green leafy vegetables used for making poriyal)
4. YAM ELEPHANT ( edible tuber, used  for making chips)
5. CUDAPA SEEDS (used as thickening agent in curries and kormas, also known as chironjis)
6. BETEL ROOT ( also called pan ki lad, used in potli masala and korma, flavoring agent )
7. VETIVER ROOT ( these are the roots of the khus plant. Aromatic roots used for making potli masala and korma )
8. TAMARIND LEAVES ( used to flavor curries and stir fries.)

FOOD HABIT:

The cuisine combines the very best of muslim foods – kebabs, pilafs, kormas, and yoghurt dishes – with a haunting aromatic, tart, pungent, and creamy flavorings of the south – mustard seeds, cassia buds(kebab cheeni), cinnamon, curry leaves, hot chillies, peanuts, tamarind and coconut milk.

                    Home made fruit drinks-Sharbats- some flavored with sweetly aromatic khas roots (vetivert).

                       A sauce of roasted and ground sesame seeds which, in the Middle East might appear under the guise of mild flavored Tahini is mixed with fiery green chillies and tart tamarind paste to become the mouthy wateringly good til ki chutney.

Dried beans and lamb which are often stewed together in Persian cookery are perked up here with tamarind, cumin seeds, red chillies and curry leaves to become the Dalcha of Hyderabad.

                        In a formal occasion Chowki (low square dining tables seating, four to eight on the floor) pickles are laid down. Apart from more common lime and mango, exquisitely pickled partridges are also found. Food is served in Nawabi style and authentic hyderabadi dishes are served course by course.

                         Hyderabadi’s morning start with the breakfast stew Nahari with sheermal. One bouquet garni which is famous is ‘potli ka masala’ that includes sandalwood powder, earthy khas roots (vetivert) and even whole dried roses.

Haleem is a dish usually made during the Ramadan, lamb is cooked along with broken wheat until soft and it is then cooked and pounded with a wooden spoon until it resembles a paste. Haleem is accompanied by paye ka shorba, mint, green chilli, fried onion.

Khichri is also served in brunch which is a fluffy mixture of rice and split lentils, is first lubricated with a dollop of ghee and then eaten with a simple kheema, minced meat served with onions, garlic, ginger and red chillies.

Rice flour papadums provide crunch and texture while creamy, minty, sesame chutney and a tart mango pickle add pep and pungency.

Khagina (gingery scrambled eggs) is also served in breakfast as well as parathas (flaky griddled breads) and cups of sweet tea to wash every thing down.

Hyderabadi biryani : Biryani is the most famous among the delicacies of Hyderabad. An authentic meal of hyderabad invariably includes a Mutton Biryani, a rice dish made with mutton. Chicken and vegetarian biryani are also popular.

The Nizams served some 26 varieties of Biryanis for their guests. It is a traditional celebration meal made using goat meat and rice and is the staple of a die-hard

Hyderabadi.

The Hyderabadi Biryani is so named as it is created in the city of Hyderabad, India. The blending of mughlai and Telangana cuisines in the kitchens of the Nizam (ruler of the historic Hyderabad State),  resulted in the creation of Hyderabad Biryani.

It, like other biryanis, is made using Basmati rice which is only found on the Indian subcontinent. The spices, meat and other ingredients are carefully chosen, the method of preparation involves more time taken for cooking.

There are 2 styles of preparing biryani. The Katchi(raw) Biryani is prepared with the Katchi Yakhni method (with raw gravy). The raw meat is marinated in curd and cooked only by the dum, or the baking process, which is done with rice. This is a challenging process as it requires meticulously measured time and heat to avoid overcooking or undercooking the meat.

In Pakki Biryani, where the meat is cooked with all the accompanying spices and then the rice is simmered with the resultant gravy redolent of mace, ittar and kewra in a sealed vessel with saffron and cardamom.

A Biryani is accompanied with Burani  (Dahi ki Chutney); Mirchi ka Salan(Chilly curry); salad and sometimes boiled egg. The salad includes tomato, carrot, cucumber, radish, turnip, onion & lemon slices.

Apart from side dishes such as Mirchi ka Salan, it can also include Dhansak and Baghare Baingan.

Khubani ka meetha : a common dessert prepared with dry apricots are stewed with  honey and garnished with whipped cream.

Gil –e- firdaus : a sweet preparation  made by cooking grated white marrow with milk and sugar and thickened with sago seeds and khoya.

IMPORTANT DISHES:

1.         HYDERABADI MURGH KORMA: A cashew nut based chicken curry favored with nutmeg cooked by slow braising.

2.         MURGH NIZAMI: A semi dry chicken masala cooked with nuts ( cashewnut, peanut, coconut) and seeds (sunflower seed and sesame seeds)

3.         MURGH DO PIAZA: A mild chicken curry cooked with an abundance of onion and garnished with coconut and sunflower seeds.

4.         DALCHA GOSHT: A lamb stew with dried beans and soured by tamarind.

5.         NAWABI TARKARI BIRYANI: A delicious mix vegetable biryani which is mild and light

5.         MIRCH KA SALAN: A rich hot dish made of long hot pepper cooked in sesame seed flavored gravy.

6.         NAHARI: A very nourishing stew made of lamb trotter and tongue, cooked by   simmering usually overnight flavored by cassia bark(cinnamon), cardamom and highly aromatic bouquet garni( potli ka masala that includes sandal wood powder, khus root, whole dried roses). A breakfast dish usually eaten with bread like shirmal.

7.         LUKMI: Ravioli like squares of pastry dough filled with spiced minced lamb and deep fried.

8.         BAGHARE BAINGAN: Small whole aubergine slit fried till brown then cooked in nutty sauce containing sesame seeds and peanut and tempered with curry leaves and mustard seeds.

9.         TOMATO KUT: An aromatic puree of fresh tomatoes with tamarind, curry leaves and browned garlic.

10.       KACHHI BIRYANI: An aromatic rice preparation in which raw meat and raw rice are cooked together.

11.       KACCHE DAHI KE KOFTA: Minced meat, green coriander, mint, browned garlic and garam masala are ground to a very fine paste, formed into balls fried and just before service put in seasoned beaten curd and tempered with garlic, mustard seeds, curry leaves and red chillies.

12.       DOUBLE KA MEETHA: A glorious bread pudding liberally sprinkled with almond and pistachios.

13.       MARAG: A clear Arab meat broth with pieces of meat is called marag.

14.       HALEEM: A smooth velvety paste of broken wheat and meat usually eaten with pieces of hard boiled egg and lime juice.

15.       QABOOLI: It is layered casserole dish made of partially cooked rice, yellow split peas cooked with ginger garlic and yoghurt a puree of green herbs

(Coriander and mint) and browned onion. It is gently baked in a large pot.

16.       ASAFIA MURGH: Whole roasted chicken with almond, curd and garam masala.

17.       BAKRA KHORI: Whole lamb cooked with unique savory spices.

18.       METHI MURGH: Chicken with fresh fenugreek leaves.

19.       NARGISHI KOFTA: Kofta made of whole boiled egg coated with minced meat fried and simmered in rich gravy.

20.       SHIKHAMPURI KEBAB: Patties made out of finely pounded meat, stuffed with a pheasant mix of paneer, mint, green coriander, green chillies.

21.       CHIPPE KA GOSHT: Chunks of meat marinated in a paste of onion, green chillies, coconut, garlic, garam masala and yoghurt and then cooked very slowly in a new clay pot so the meat smells a bit like parched earth after a rainfall.

22.       BADAAM KI JAALI: Light round marzipan ‘sandwiches’ where the top layer with its filly greed cut outs, reveals real silver varq.

SECOND YEAR- GUJRATI

                    GUJRATI CUISINE

Gujarati cuisine is in many ways unique compared to other culinary traditions in India. It is one of the few cultures where majority of the people are vegetarian. This vegetarianism may have originally sprung from religions, ideologies and beliefs of the region. Gujarat is a land of all the religions like Jainism, Islam, Buddhism, and Zoroastrianism (Parsees).

In Gujarat the staple food is millet. Geographically Gujarat is divided into three main regions.

REGIONS OF GUJRAT

Western Gujarat, kathiawari is a dry region where fresh green produce is scarce. But production of dairy products is huge. Some of the best pickles (athanas) come from here.

Central Gujarat, Ahmedabad, Kheda, and Baroda regions are hailed for their food grains and are known collectively as the “granary of Gujarat “. A majority of the people are farmers who grow store and market grains. Dhoklas, vadas, bhakarvadis, theplas and other such items are contribution of the region.

Southern Gujarat, Surat is a region with heavy rainfall; hence the vegetation is lush green with vegetables growing plentifully.

For a taste of traditional Gujarat cuisine, one has to try the typical Gujarati thali that consists of variety of dal, kadhi, two or three vegetables and pulses, puri/chapatti/rice, chutney, pickles and papad.

GUJRATI CULTURE

There are certain customs that are followed by the people here, which are uniquely their own. For example, the tradition of preparing and storing farsan at home. These are then offered to welcome guests.

Surtis also famous for their vaghar, which is the tempering of food .The vaghar, gives food a distinctive flavor. More over the ingredients used aid digestion. Hing is used in all vaghars.

FOOD HABITS

Farsan or snacks   from essential part of the gujrati diet those snacks prepared once in ten days and stored in air-tight container. The first category of snacks is usually deep fried or shallow fried. The other variety is either steamed. Methi Na Moothia is spiced fenugreek leaf dumpling with a touch of sweet – sour to counter the bitter taste of the fenugreek.

Kobi Na Moothia is delicious steamed and spice cabbage “farsan “is one of the delightful ways gujrati’s eat their leafy vegetables.

Bhakasvadi is a deep fried farsan which is the specialty of Baroda. It combines fennel and grate potatoes filling. It is deep fried long pastry case with a stuffing of potato and fennel.

Khandvi is a rolled savory farsan, made of besan; buttermilk etc. served with grated coconut and coriander leaves.

Potaya is fried papad; paper thin gram flour farsan ‘a specialty of Kutch.

 

GUJRATI CULTURE

Kutchis, jains and vaisnavs are some of the many found in Gujarat. They have different tastes and choice in food depending not only on the climate they live in but also their religious believes.

The Jain retain from eating any Root vegetable. So it’s no potato, garlic and onion for them.

On the other hand, the vaishnavs and Kutch’s follow no such belief.

Oondhiu is a vegetable medley with fenugreek leaf dumpling. Karela Bhinda Nu Shak is a bitter gourd and lady finger vegetable dish. This is favorite in Kutch. Bharelu Shak is a delicious shak of various stuffed vegetables.

A typical gujrati meal is inconceivable without either dal or kadhi or even yoghurt for that matter. The gujrati dal is associated with sweet taste. Gujrati cuisine offers an array of different dal preparation. Gujrati dals obtain their flavor from the vaghar.

GUJRATI PREPARATIONS

Yoghurt too plays a very important role in the Gujarat diet. It is eaten in number of ways in its unflavored natural form or in its derivative kadhi or buttermilk. Kadhi may be defined as cooked and spiced form of buttermilk. Meethi dal is sweet and sour dal using using jaggery. Osaman is tempered dal water. Meethi kadhi is, sweet yoghurt curry pleasantly spiced and prepared in all gujrati homes, Bhindani kadhi, kadhi with lady fingers.

Bhat and kichdi form an essential part of any gujrati meal and are relished wit the vast range of dal this cuisine offers. The kichdis are usually had with a kadhi or plain yoghurt. Papads, athaanas or pickles, chutneys and ghee are perfect accompaniments to any khichdi-kadhi combination. Shak vala bhat is a mildly vegetable pulao; tuver ni dal khichdi is rice and tur dal khichdi, best eaten with meethi kadhi.

FESTIVALS OF GUJRAT

Jains do not eat anything grown below the ground. So it’s no roots or tubers for them. The holy festival of Jain sector is “PARYUSHAN”. During the festival period, Jain consumes pulses, legumes, kadhis or flour preparation. Dal dhokli is thick, spiced dough slices in a sweet and sour dal. (Dhokli is made of atta, besan and bajri flour, made into dough and cut into stripes, cooked in dal)

Maag is a moong preparation, delicately spiced with ginger and garnished with coriander leaves.

Chola is a sweet and sour preparation made of chick peas, eaten with gheewali rotis.

SWEET DISHES

Farsan (snacks) and mishtan (sweet meats) are offered together to guests. Moreover, they don’t form the last item of the meal but are served during the meal itself.

Most gujrati sweet meats are flavored with cardamom and contain almonds or pistachios. The main ingredients of the sweet may vary from thickened milk to Bengal gram flour. Channi – sugar syrup made to a specified stiff consistency.

Shrikhand: sweetened hung curd, flavored with saffron, garnished with almond slivers.

Golpapdi is wheat flour sweet that is very easy to prepare and forms a barfi, when cooled. Lapsi is broken wheat (daliya) sweet. Boondi Na ladoo refers the drops of gram of which this ladoo is made.

Normally, fruits or vegetables – grated, chopped or slice and immersed in besan and seasoned yoghurt, make a raita.

Chutney on the other hand, consists of fresh herbs or condiments, ground to a fine paste or pureed and eaten in small quantities with a snack or a meal.

Pickles and murabbas form an intrinsic part of Indian cuisine. Gol kesi is a sweet and sour mango pickle flavored with dry coriander powder, mustard and fenugreek. Chhundu is shredded mango pickle, hot and sweet. Murabbo is a sweet preserve, a pickle prepared and eaten by almost all Indian communities.

Khamam dhokla is a salty, steamed cake made from chick pea’s flour, is very famous throughout Gujarat. And the best gujrati bread is methi thepla, made of dough of jowar and wheat flour, mixed with coriander, green chili and chopped fenugreek.

IMPORTANT DISHES FROM GUJARAT:

1. KHAMAN DHOKLA: It’s a savory dish made of steamed lentil, chana and urad dal (8 : l) are soaked then ground, mixed with ginger, green chilly paste with soda hing, salt etc. then left overnight mixed with lime juice and steamed in tray. To season mustard seeds, hing and curry leaves are tempered and poured on top. Garnished with grated coconut and greed coriander.

2. DAL DHOKLI: Is dumpling of lentil curry. Dumplings are made of whole meal flour, turmeric, chilly powder etc. the dough is rolled and cut into fancy shape and cooked in toovar dal.

3. AMIRI KHAMAN: It is a savory dish made of ground chana dal. The soaked dal is ground with little water. The mixture is then cooked in oil with mustard seeds, hing, green chilly, ginger, garlic, etc. with the addition of little milk till the mixture doesn’t stick to the pan. The mixture is spread on thali and garnished with coconut, coriander and sev.

4. METHI NA MUTHIA: A steamed dish made from whole meal flour, besan and chopped fresh fenugreek etc. the dough is rolled and steamed then cut into slices. And sautéed in mustard seeds and asafetida.

5. KHANDVI: A smooth mixture of besan, water and curd (1:2:1/2) is mixed with green chilli, ginger salt etc. steamed for 15-20 mins. Then spread on oiled surface and cut into long strips. Each strip is rolled out and finally a tempering of mustard seeds and hing is poured on top. Garnished with coconut and coriander.

6. SHRIKHAND: Dehydrated yoghurt whisked with castor sugar and small cardamom powder, saffron may be added. Garnished with silvers of almond and pista refrigerated and served chilled.

7. DOODH PAK: It is made by cooking rice in milk till soft then sweetened and flavoured, garnished with almond and cardamom.

8. BASUNDI: It is made by reducing milk till it thickens; granular texture is obtained, sweetened and garnished with almond and chironji.

9. PURANKOLI: Small balls of dough which is made of whole meal flour and ghee (2:1) is stuffed with mixture made of arhar dal. To make stuffing dal is cooked till soft sugar is added and then cook till it dry. This is called puran. The volume of puran and dough is same, Rolled and shallow fried in ghee.

10. MOHAN THAL: A desert made by cooking besan in ghee 1^st then in milk till reddish brown in color. Lastly cooked with sugar syrup, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder etc. till the mixture leaves the pan smoothly. Spreaded on greased thal, garnished with almonds and chironji. When set cut in small squares.

11. THEPLA: Gujrati bread made of whole wheat flour, boiled rice, besan, curd, chopped green chillies, green coriander, methi leaves etc. Rolled in thin circles and shallow fried in ghee.

SECOND YEAR- GOAN CUISINE

                        GOAN CUISINE

In the extra ordinary mosaic of cultures, religions and traditions, that go up to make Indian life, certain small ethnic , religious and geographic communities have evolve such distinctive manners, habits and food customs that, although indisputably Indian, they retain a definite identity of their own. Among these unequally colorful minorities are the Goans. – Who acquired their special status some 300 years ego as a result of colonization of their homeland by a foreign power – Portugal.

Goa is an almost theatrical arrangement of hills covered with dense jungles sweeping down to the gilt crescents of beaches were the glittering Mandovi river stretches in a graceful carve to meat the ocean at the capital ‘Panaji’

History:

Goa celebrated in ancient Indian literature for its wealth and beauty. In fact, its name seems from the Sanskrit word for ‘cow’- traditional symbol of prosperity. For thousands of years, goa was ruled by various dynasties of Indian kings and many religions were represented there. It was originally a Hindu state. But the arrival of the Portuguese began an era that was shatteringly different from anything the community had known.

     In 1510 Alfanso d’ Albuquerque, who later left his name in America, sailed up the Mandovi River with 23 ships and captured Goa from its current Muslim Rulers. After violent Hand to Hand fighting, he knelt down in the public square and dedicated the city to St. Catherine as homage to her feast day. From then on goa’s story was dominated by the catholic zeal of the conquerors who sparked one of the most brutal and wholesale religious conversion recorded in Asia. Those Hindus who could afford to escape left goa to settle in other parts of India. Goa is roughly now half catholic Christen and Hindu. St Francis Xavier arrived in goa in 1542 and devoted his life to spreading Christianity in goa. The Portuguese finally left India in 1961 after which the Goans became the member of the republic of India.

The difference between the living habits of the goan christens and their Hindu neighbors are very small. It is in their food that the particular custom is expressed. Being a coastal region there is no goan who is not familiar with eating rice and fish. Goa in its daily life has two main religious influences the Hindus and the Christians but one should not forget that there is a little bit of Muslim influence as well.

Food habits:

Being a coastal region palm and coconut trees grow abundance. Every part of the coconut t is used by the locals. The coconut milk is used cooking widely, the flesh is used for garnishing and the oil derivatives make an excellent cooking medium. From the palm trees is extracted ‘palm vinegar’ which is unique in itself and forms an integral part of the goan cuisine as it is widely used in marinades, gravies etc. spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, dried red chilies, peppercorns are grown in some parts of goa. And find a prominent place in the delicacies of this region. The Goans form the northern part of the state grind their masalas and coconut separately but the southern part prefers to grind the masalas and coconut together before pressing them through a muslin cloth to extract the moisture.

Rice is widely cultivated in goa. And is the staple food of the people. Apart from the rice the cereals consumed is wheat in the form of freshly baked breads by the Christian communities and the chapattis by the Hindus. Sannon -a fluffy white bread of rice and toddy, that in appearance and texture resembles is Idlis, is also eaten in goa. The taste however unique, the toddy giving sannon a sweet taste and an accent unlike another wheat cake. The rice is coarsely ground, then fermented with toddy an finally steamed to make small cakes.

Caldo verda is a goan soup, that is thickened by adding mashed potatoes and is garnished with juliennes of spinach.

Goa has unique brand of alcohol called based drink ‘feni’, which is fermented from cashew nut, as well as palm sap which is fermented and heated. Feni is very popular in goa and is consumed by the Goans along with their meals.

From goan come countless fish and seafood recipes using the oceans and the river fish, as well as the many kind of shellfish that crowd the rocky outcroppings on its shore. Fishermen set out at dawn or dusk and return loaded with fresh fish which are sold immediately, the fish which are left over, left for sun drying on the beaches. One particular variety of goan fish preparation has become so popular all down the west coast that it is known by the generic name ‘goan fish curry’. It is a very liquid kind of preparation somewhat the consistency of a thick ‘bouillabaisse’, made of a mixture of several kinds of fish that are cooked wholes, or very coarsely cut into pieces, the recipe requires large quantity of coconut ground into a fine paste with hot masalas of red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and turmeric paste. Goan cook their fish in this mixture adding plenty of onion , tomato and water to provide the sauce and then seasoning it with tamarind , curry leaves and green chilies. Goan like their famous curry to be almost scarlet with chili and it is hot.

Among shellfish prawn, lobster, crabs, and clams are consumed abundantly. Prawn curry, prawn balchao, prawn peri peri are few of the favorite dishes of the Goan. Among the bewildering varieties of seafood in goa clams are a delicacy. Clams coated with spices, steamed until they pop open and tossed with grated coconut from a golden gingery teesryo. Goans cook it in coconut milk and lime juice and sprinkle it with chopped fresh coriander leaves. It is served by itself – like moules mariniere in a bowl. Hindus eat it with chapatis which soak up the juice.

Ambotik is a fish preparation in which shark or catfish can be used. The fish is cooked with a paste of red chilli, cumin seeds, peppercorn, ginger, garlic and tamarind pulp. It is generally served with boiled rice.

The common meals composed of  lamb and chicken. The goan Christians have also produced pork dishes which makes their cuisine unique in India. This range from the familiar roast suckling pigs that composes the standard Christian dinner, to search an erotic item as baked pork head stuffed with brains, peas, onions, ginger, mint and green chilies, basted with vinegar. The more usual goan dishes, however, include some truly delicious and original uses of pork. Pork baffat is a dry curry cooked in an aromatic masalas with virtually no gravy, but the thing that makes it suppressing and delightful is the addition of sliced radishes, near the end of the cooking time. It is the contrast between the crisp, clean taste of the radish and greasy texture of the pork that gives the dish its distinctive flavors.

Pork indad is a true curry with plenty of gravy that differs from many of the other pork dishes because of its appealing offbeat sweet and sour taste. The tamarind, cloves and cinnamon is the masalas gives the meat an almost perfumed flavor, while the sugar and vinegar in the gravy take the curse of the fattiness and provides the dish with its special characters. Another spicy red curry called Sorpotel made of pork, pork liver; pork blood is an absolute mass at any goan Christian banquet or feast. It is served with the accompaniment of sannon. Pork vindaloo is another famous preparation of goa. Pork vndaloo is a pork dish in which the spices are ground along with toddy vinegar, which gives it the traditional tangy flavor.

Goa is the only place in India where sausages is used. The Goans produce pork and liver sausages as well as several other kinds of highly spiced sausages, the best of which is Chourisam. It must be marinated for 24 hours in a complicated masalas mixed with vinegar before the sausages are made.

Chicken xacuti and Cafreal is the most well known chicken dishes form goa. Chicken xacuti is made from broiled ground spices such as peppercorn, fennel, coriander seeds cardamom, cinnamon nutmeg and coconut. Cafreal is a pot roast preparation of chicken in a marinade of goan vinegar, ginger garlic paste, chili paste, goan Worcestershire sauce and tomato sauce.

Sweets are not so popular in goa. Bebinka – pancake baked on one of the top of the other with jaggery, applied in layers, ingredients are jaggery, egg, milk, coconut and flour, and they are made into shape of cake.

Alebele is another goan sweet dish, pancake with spicy coconut filling. The traditional recipe calls for a pancake made from flour, egg, milk, ghee and a pinch of salt. The filling is made of grated fresh coconut combined with jaggery, fresh ginger root and aniseeds.

Characteristics:

 The main characteristics or features of goan cuisine can be listed as follows:

1. The food consumed is very spicy and sharp with a maximum consumption of red chilies.
2. The masalas are ground freshly and fine to extend of grinding over and over again till the paste is clay fine.
3. Coccum is commonly used by the Hindus and the Christian use goan malt vinegar.
4. Many dishes are consumed pickled or marinated in oil and vinegar.
5. The most popular food items in goa are sea food and pork. The consumption of pork being maximum by the Christians.
6. Goans do not have a sweet taste. Bebinka and alebele are the popular sweet dishes.

SECOND YEAR- BIHARI CUISINE

BIHARI CUISINE

                 BIHAR KA SWAD

HISTORY:

             Bihar was called Magadha in ancient times. Its capital Patna, then known as Pataliputra, was the center of the first empire built in India, that was by Nanda Dynasty. Bihar was hotbed of Indian civilization, with its fertile land and able rulers like Chandragupta Maurya. Magadh was rich empire since the time of the Mahabharata. The land of Nalanda university, has sprouted great thinkers and philosophers, and most importantly, is the place of Lord Buddha.

GEOGRAPHY:

             Bihar is mainly a vast stretch of very fertile flat land. It has several rivers: Ganga, Son, Bagmati, Kosi, Budhi Gandak, and Falgu to name a few. Central parts of Bihar have some small hills, for example the Rajgir hills. The Himalayan mountains are to the north, in Nepal. To the south is the Chota Nagpur plateau, which was part of Bihar until 2000 but now is part of a separate state called Jharkhand.

 CLIMATE:

               Bihar is mildly cold in the winter (the lowest temperatures being around 5 to 10 degrees Celsius). Winter months are December and January. It is hot in the summer (40 to 45 degrees Celsius). April to mid June are the hot months. The monsoon months of June, July, August, and September see good rainfall. October & November and February & March have pleasant climate

INTRODUCTION TO BIHARI CUISINE- When we think about Bihari food we think of littis and thekua, thanks to the Prasad of the famous Chhat puja performed by Biharis all over India. However the food of Bihar has more to it and bears the stamp of the phases of its rich history. The food of Bihar has remained ‘home cooked’ food, and has not been promoted as a cuisine.

FOOD HABITS:

             For people of Bihar, rice is the staple food, though they also consume wheat to a large extent. The fertile land of Bihar is conductive for the large variety of rice that is cultivated here. The popularity of baked items in Bihar (most popular being litti) can be traced way back the Greek invasion under Alexander the Great. Many Greek soldier stayed back and inter married with local women, and naturally their food habits left and influence. References that rice was staple food since a long time can be found in historical documents. Even during the time of Lord Buddha, the elite consumed the superior quality of fine grained rice, where as the poor people had the inferior quality of fat-grained rice. At Nalanda, the Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang was given mahasali rice to eat. Each grain was as large as a bean, and when cooked, was aromatic and shining..

               Centuries later, during the Mughal emperor akbar’s reign, Abul Fazl, when writing about the different varieties of rice found in the rich Gangetic basin of this place, said that if a single grain of each kind of rice was collected, they would fill a large vase. The Shali rice was popular and much in demand in Europe, while the Indians preferred the shahpasand and basmati varieties of Patna rice.

               Bihari cuisine has innumerable rice- based dishes. The Buddha was offered - rice cooked with milk and mixed with honey. The Jatakas ( legends on Buddha’s previous lives) mention various items still popular today- pua( a variation of malpua ) prepared from the mixture of flour, milk, sugar, ghee, and honey, pitta rice cakes, khajjaka(now popular as khaja, a sweet prepared from wheat flour and sugar), palala (modern day tilkuta, made from til or sesame seeds). Sariputta, one of Buddha’s disciples was very fond of palala. Gaya is famous for tilkuta. Another delicacy from Gaya is lai- prepared with sugar and beaten rice. The peras (sweatmeat made with sugar and milk) of Gaya are also popular.                    

                 The popularity of vegetarian items in the food can be traced with the long years of Buddhist influence. The advent of the Mughals brought in the influence of non-vegetarian items. Biryanis, pulao, chicken, and mutton items got introduced by the people of Bihar which is vegetarian. The staple food of the poor man is bhat (rice), dal (lentil), roti, tarkari (vegetables) and achar (pickles). Mustard oil is the traditional cooking medium. Khichdis- the broth of rice and lentils, seasoned with spices, and served with several accompanying items like curd, chutney, pickles, papad, ghee and chokha(boiled mashed potatoes, seasoned with finely cut onions, green chillies) are popular. Non vegetarian items like, chicken, mutton and fish are popular among Biharis.

                   How can one think of food of Bihar without the sattu? Sattu- the flour of roasted gram is an inherent part of Bihari food. Nutritious and filling, sattu is consumed in various ways. Sattu ka ghol is a refreshing drink during summer, and mukni (sattu ki roti and paratha) are popular items for breakfast and dinner. Sattu is used as a filling for the popular litti. Among the poor, kneaded sattu consumed with salt, onions, chillies and pickles, is popular because it is filling, nutritious as well as cheap.

                        The gangetic plain of Bihar was a fertile ground for a variety of fruits like mangoes, jamuns and litchis.(the litchis of Muzaffarpur are legendary). Originally from China, the Buddhist pilgrims brought the first saplings of litchi plant from china as homage to the land of Buddha.

IMPORTANT DISHES:

1. BHOJPURI MACHLI: Marinated, deep fried, Rohu fish cooked in a masala made of onion, pepper, cumin seeds, ginger and garlic and served with plain rice.

2. LITTI: A baked delicacy made of atta dough stuffed with ‘sattu’, roasted, grounded gram flour. And served with achar, baigan or aloo chokha.

Litti may also be deep fried.               Litties are crunchier if made with maida.

3. DALSAGGA: A ‘pui’ saag preparation with chana dal tempered with dry red chillies and whole cumin seed, and served with plain rice.

4. PUA: A round shape sweet dish made of a batter of whole wheat flour, semolina (5:1), sugar and wheat, coconut and raisins and deep fried till golden brown.

5. THEKUA: A tear shape cookies made out of semi hard dough made of whole wheat flour, ghee, sugar, raisins, fennel, and cardamom powder and deep fried till golden brown.

6. MEETHA PARWAL: A sweet dish made of  parwal( wax gourd),  in which boiled, wax gourds dipped in sugar syrup and stuffed with a mixture made of grated khoya, pistachio raisins and cardamom powder.

7. PIDIKIA: A cookies made at the time of festival ‘Teej’. Maida dough is filled with a mixture of semolina, grated khoya, grated coconut, raisins, given a particular moon shape and deep fried.

8. CHIWRA: Beaten rice served with a coat of creamy curd and sugar or jaggery.

9. DHUSKA: A deep fried item prepared from a mixture of powdered rice and ghee but is salted

SECOND YEAR NOTES- BENGALI CUISINE

BENGALI CUISINE

Bengali cuisine is a style of food preparation originating in Bengal, a region in the eastern South Asia which is now divided between the independent country of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal. Bengali cuisine is well-known for the vast range of rice dishes and various preparations of freshwater fish. Bengali cuisine is rich and varied with the use of many specialized spices and flavours.

Historical influences

Bengali food has inherited a large number of influences, both foreign and South Asian, from both a turbulent history and strong trade links with many parts of the world. Originally inhabited by Dravidians and Austronesians, and later further settled by the Aryans during the Gupta era, Bengal fell under the sway of various Muslim rulers from the early thirteenth century onwards, and was then ruled by the British for two centuries (1757-1947).

Influence of the widows

In medieval Bengal the treatment of Hindu widows was much more restrictive than was common elsewhere and lived under strict dietary restrictions. They were usually not allowed any interests but religion and housework, so the kitchen was an important part of their lives; traditional cuisine was deeply influenced by them. Their ingenuity and skill led to many culinary practices; simple spice combinations, the ability to prepare small quantities (since widows often ate alone) and creative use of the simplest of cooking techniques. Since widows were banned 'impassioning' or aphrodisiac condiments such as onion or garlic, most traditional Bengali vegetarian recipes don't use them; this is in stark contrast to the rest of the Indian subcontinent where almost every dish calls for onions and garlic. This has led to a definite slant towards ginger in Bengali vegetarian food, and even in many common fish dishes.

Traditional Bengali cuisine

Fish is the dominant kind of meat, cultivated in ponds and fished with nets in the fresh-water rivers of the Ganges delta. More than forty types of mostly freshwater fish are common, including carp varieties like rui (rohu), katla, magur (catfish), chingri (prawn or shrimp), as well as shutki (small dried sea fish). Salt water fish (not sea fish though) Ilish (hilsa ilisha) is very popular among Bengalis. Khashi (referred to as mutton in Indian English, the meat of sterilized goats) is the most popular red meat.

Other characteristic ingredients of traditional Bengali food include rice, moshur dal (red lentils), mug dal (mung beans), shorsher tel mustard oil, mustard paste, posto (poppyseed) and narkel (ripe coconut). Bengal is also the land of am (mangoes), which are used extensively—ripe, unripe, or in pickles. Ilish machh (hilsa fish), which migrates upstream to breed is a delicacy;

The pach phoron spice mixture is very commonly used for vegetables. A touch of gorom moshla or hot spices (elachi cardamom, darchini cinnamon, long clove, tej pata bay leaves, and peppercorn) is often used to enliven food.

Another characteristic of Bengali food is the use of a unique cutting instrument, the boti. (This instrument is also used in Maharashtra, where it is known as vili). It is a long curved blade on a platform held down by foot; both hands are used to hold whatever is being cut and move it against the blade, anything from tiny shrimp to large pumpkins.

Milk and dairy products, so widely used in the neighboring India, are not as common here.

While fresh-water fish is still common, mutton is more common among the Muslim population than beef and dried fish. Wheat makes its appearance alongside rice, in different types of breads such as luchi, kochuri and porota.

These snack foods are most often consumed with evening tea. The tea-time ritual was probably inspired by the British, but the snacks bear the stamp of the substantial Marwari population in Kolkata - chat, kachori, samosa, phuluri and the ever-popular jhal-muri.

Mughal influence

Islam arrived in Bengal probably around the mid-thirteenth century.

 This led to a unique cuisine where even the common man ate the dishes of the royal court, such as biryani, korma and bhuna. The influence was reinforced in the Raj era, when Kolkata became the place of refuge for many prominent exiled Nawabs, especially the family of Tipu Sultan from Mysore and Wajid Ali Shah, the ousted Nawab of Awadh. The exiles brought with them hundreds of cooks and masalchis (spice mixers), and as their royal patronage and wealth diminished, they interspersed into the local population.

In West Bengal, , the food of professional chefs; the best examples are still available at restaurants. Specialties include chap (ribs slow cooked on a tawa), rezala (meat in a thin yogurt and cardamom gravy).

Anglo-Indian or Raj cuisine

Anglo-Indian food isn't purely the influence of the British; Bengal was once the home of a French colony, and also hosted populations of Portuguese, Dutch, Armenians and Syrians. These collective western influences are seen in the foods created to satisfy the tastes of the western rulers.

English and Jewish bakers such as Flury's and Nahoum's dominated the confectionery industry which migrated from British tables to everyday Bengali ones. Another enduring contribution to Bengali cuisine is pau ruti, or Western-style bread. Raj-era cuisine lives on especially in the variety of finger foods popularized in the 'pucca' clubs of Kolkata, such as mutton chop, kabiraji cutlet or fish orly.

Many British families in India hired local cooks, and through them discovered local foods. The foods had to be toned down or modified to suit the tastes of the 'memsahibs'. The most distinct influence is seen in the desserts, many of which were created specifically to satisfy the British - most notably the very popular sweet ledikeni named after the first Vicereine Lady Canning; it is a derivative of the pantua created for an event hosted by her.

Chinese food

The Chinese of Calcutta originally settled into a village called Achipur south of Kolkata in the late 18th century, later moving into the city and finally into its present home in Tangra. No other part of the Indian subcontinent has any significant Chinese population. With this identity came Chinese food, available at almost every street corner in Kolkata. They were mostly Cantonese tradesmen and sailors, bringing with them aji-no-moto (monosodium glutamate) and sweet corn. As the Chinese opened restaurants for Bengalis, they spiced up the bland Cantonese sauces with sliced chillies and hot sauces, creating unique dishes such as Chilli Chicken and Veg Manchurian.

Indian Chinese food was given a second boost when a large number of Tibetans migrated into Indian Territory, when China annexed Tibet. Tibetans brought with them their own delicacies to add to this genre, such as the very popular momo (a kind of dumpling) or thukpa (a hearty noodle soup).

Bengali immigrants to other countries have started carrying this abroad as well; Indian Chinese, including halal Indian Chinese restaurants have appeared in many places in the United States.

Bengali Meals

The typical Bengali fare includes a certain sequence of food - somewhat like the courses of Western dining. Two sequences are commonly followed, one for ceremonial dinners such as a wedding and the day-to-day sequence.

At home, Bengalis typically eat without the use of dining utensils; kata (forks), chamoch (spoons), and chhuri (knives) are used in the preparation of food.

Most Bengalis eat with their right hand. Bengalis traditionally eat on the ground with a large banana or plantain leaf serving as the plate or plates made from sal leaves sown together and dried.

The elaborate dining habits of the Bengalis were a reflection of the attention the Bengali housewife paid to the kitchen. In modern times, this is rarely followed anymore. Courses are frequently skipped or combined with everyday meals.

It is now common to place everything on platters in the centre of the table, and each diner serves him/herself

Courses in a daily meal

The foods of a daily meal are usually simpler, geared to balanced nutrition and makes extensive use of vegetables. The courses progress broadly from lighter to richer and heavier. Rice remains common throughout the meal until the chatni (chutney) course.

The starting course is a bitter. The bitter changes with the season but common ones are korolla (bitter gourd) which is available nearly throughout the year, or tender nim leaves in spring. Portions are usually very small - a spoonful or so to be had with rice - and this course is considered to be both a palate-cleanser and of great medicinal value.

Another bittersweet preparation usually eaten in summer, especially in West Bengal, is a soupy mixture of vegetables in a ginger-mustard sauce, called shukto.

This is followed by shak (leafy vegetables) such as spinach, methi fenugreek.

The dal course is usually the most substantial course.

A common accompaniment to đal is bhaja (fritters). Bhaja literally means 'deep-fried'; most vegetables are good candidates but begun (aubergines), kumra (pumpkins), or alu (potatoes) are common. Machh bhaja (fried fish) is also common, especially rui (rohu) and ilish (hilsa) fishes. Bhaja is sometimes coated in a beshon (chickpea flour) and posto (poppyseed) batter. A close cousin of bhaja is bôra or deep-fried savoury balls

Another accompaniment is a vegetable preparation usually made of multiple vegetables stewed slowly together without any added water. Labra, chorchori, ghonto, or chanchra are all traditional cooking styles.  torkari - the word merely means 'vegetable' in Bengali.

The next course is the fish course. Common fish delicacies include machher jhol, tel koi, pabda machher jhal, Doi machh, Chingri machh (shrimp) malai curry, and bhapa ilish (steamed hilsa).

Then comes the meat course. Khashi mutton or goat meat is traditionally the meat of choice, especially West Bengal, but murgi chicken and  dim eggs are also commonly consumed.

Finally comes the chutney course, which is typically tangy and sweet; the chutney is usually made of am mangoes, tomatoes, anarosh pineapple, tetul tamarind, pepe papaya, or just a combination of fruits and dry fruits.

Mishti (Sweets)

Sweets occupy an important place in the diet of Bengalis and at their social ceremonies. It is an ancient custom among Hindus to distribute sweets during festivities. The confectionery industry has flourished because of its close association with social and religious ceremonies.

The sweets of Bengal are generally made of sweetened cottage cheese (chhena), khoa (reduced solidified milk), or flours of different cereals and pulses. Some important sweets of Bengal are:

Shondesh

Made from sweetened, finely ground fresh chhena (cheese), shôndesh in all its variants is among the most popular Bengali sweets, a few hundred different varieties exist, from the simple kachagolla to the complicated abar khabo, jôlbhôra or indrani. Another variant is the kôrapak or hard mixture, which blends rice flour with the paneer to form a shell-like dough that last much longer.

Roshogolla

Rôshogolla is one of the most widely consumed sweets. The basic version has many regional variations.

Pantua

Pantua is somewhat similar to the gulab jamoon, except that the balls are fried in either tel (oil) or ghi (clarified butter) until golden or deep brown before being put in syrup.

Chomchom

This oval-shaped sweet is reddish brown in colour and it is of a denser texture than the rôshogolla.

Shondesh, chhanar jilepi, kalo jam, darbesh, raghobshai, paesh, nalengurer shondesh, shor bhaja and an innumerable variety are just a few examples of sweets in Bengali cuisine.

Pitha or Pithe

In West Bengal, the tradition of making cakes, locally known as piţha, still flourishes. They are usually made from rice or wheat flour mixed with sugar, jaggery, grated coconut etc. Piţhas are usually enjoyed with the sweet syrups of khejurer gur (date tree molasses). They're usually fried or steamed; the most common forms of these cakes include bhapa piţha (steamed), pakan piţha (fried), and puli piţha (dumplings), among others. The other common pithas are chandrapuli, gokul, pati sapta, chitai pitha, muger puli and dudh puli.

Pithas are usually a celebration of the new crop, and often associated with harvest festivals.

Snacks:

1. Muri

2. Jhal-Muri

3. Moa

·         Ambal: A sour dish made either with several vegetables or with fish, the sourness being produced by the addition of tamarind pulp.

• Biryani: Fragrant dish of long-grained aromatic rice combined with beef, mutton, or chicken and a mixture of characteristic spices. Sometimes cooked in sealed containers (dum biriyani).
• Bhaja or Bhaji: Anything fried, either by itself or in batter.
• Bhapa: Fish or vegetables steamed with oil and spices. A classic steaming technique is to wrap the fish in banana leaf to give it a faint musky, smoky scent.
• Bhate: ('steamed with rice') Any vegetable, such as potatoes, beans, pumpkins, or even dal, first boiled whole and then mashed and seasoned with mustard oil or ghee and spices. Traditionally the vegetables were placed on top of the rice; they steamed as the rice was being boiled.
• Bhuna: A term of Urdu origin, and applies to meat cooked in spices for a long time without water. The spices are slow-cooked in oil (bhunno). The spices first absorb the oil, and when fully cooked release the oil again.

• Chacchari: Usually a vegetable dish with one or more varieties of vegetables cut into longish strips, sometimes with the stalks of leafy greens added, all lightly seasoned with spices like mustard or poppy seeds and flavoured with a phoron. The skin and bone of large fish like bhetki or chitol can be made into a chachchari called kanta-chachchari, kanta, meaning fish-bone.
• Chhanchra: A combination dish made with different vegetables, portions of fish head and fish oil (entrails).
• Chechki: Tiny pieces of one or more vegetable - or, sometimes even the peels (of potatoes, lau, pumpkin or patol for example) - usually flavored with panch phoron or whole mustard seeds or kala jeera. Chopped onion and garlic can also be used, but hardly any ground spices.
• Dalna: Mixed vegetables or eggs, cooked in medium thick gravy seasoned with ground spices, especially garom mashla and a touch of ghee.
• Dam or Dum: Vegetables (especially potatoes), meat or rice (biriyanis) cooked slowly in a sealed pot over a low heat.
• Ghonto: Different complementary vegetables (e.g., cabbage, green peas, potatoes or banana blossom, coconut, chickpeas) are chopped or finely grated and cooked with both a phoron and ground spices. Dried pellets of dal (boris) are often added to the ghanto. Ghee is commonly added at the end. Non-vegetarian ghantos are also made, with fish or fish heads added to vegetables. The famous murighanto is made with fish heads cooked in a fine variety of rice. Some ghantos are very dry while others a thick and juicy.
• Jhal: Literally, 'hot'. A great favorite in West Bengali households, this is made with fish or shrimp or crab, first lightly fried and then cooked in a light sauce of ground red chilli or ground mustard and a flavoring of pãch-phoron or kala jira. Being dryish it is often eaten with a little bit of dal pored over the rice.
• Jhol: A light fish or vegetable stew seasoned with ground spices like ginger, cumin, coriander, chili, and turmeric with pieces of fish and longitudinal slices of vegetables floating in it. The gravy is thin yet extremely flavorful. Whole green chilis are usually added at the end and green coriander leaves are used to season for extra taste.
• Kalia: A very rich preparation of fish, meat or vegetables using a lot of oil and ghee with a sauce usually based on ground ginger and onion paste and garom mashla.
• Khichuri: Rice mixed with vegetables and in some cases, boiled eggs. Usually cooked with spices and turmeric powder.
• Korma: Another term of Urdu origin (literally 'braised with onions), meaning meat or chicken cooked in a mild onion and yoghurt sauce with ghee.
• Luchi: Small round unleavened bread fried in oil.
• Porota : Bread made from wheat flour and fried in the oven until golden-brown.
• Paturi: Typically fish, seasoned with spices (usually shorshe) wrapped in banana leaves and steamed or roasted over a charcoal fire.
• Polau : Fragrant dish of rice with ghee, spices and small pieces of vegetables. Long grained aromatic rice is usually used, but some aromatic short grained versions such as Kalijira or Gobindobhog may also be used.
• Pora: The word literally means charred. Vegetables are wrapped in banana leaves and roasted over a wood, charcoal or coal fire. Some vegetables with skin such as begun, are put directly on the flame or coals. The roasted vegetable is then mixed with onions, oil and spices.
• Ruti: Unleaved bread made in a tawa and puffed over an open flame.
• Torkari: A general term often used in Bengal the way `curry' is used in English (it is speculated to be one of the origins of curry). Originally from Persian, the word first meant uncooked garden vegetables. From this it was a natural extension to mean cooked vegetables or even fish and vegetables cooked together.