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Cuisine

Indian Cuisine

Middle Eastern and South Asian Cuisines

The cooking traditions of the Indian subcontinent, unified by the layered use of spices toasted and ground into masalas but sharply regional in ingredients and technique. North Indian cooking, shaped by Mughal-era court kitchens, favors wheat breads, dairy and slow-cooked meats; South Indian cooking, centered on Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, favors rice, lentils, coconut and souring agents like tamarind. Religious dietary practice, most extensively vegetarian in the south, belongs to Divinity's own coverage; this atlas holds the foodways.

Facts
Signature Technique
Tempering whole spices in hot oil or ghee (tadka), slow simmering of gravies, and clay tandoor roasting are hallmark techniques. 1
Origin Region
The Indian subcontinent, with distinct northern and southern regional traditions. 2
Connections

Associated With

South African Cuisine, Cuisines

Durban holds one of the largest Indian communities outside India, the product of indentured laborers brought by British colonizers from 1860 to work sugar plantations, whose descendants built a distinct South African Indian curry tradition including bunny chow.

Source Where to Eat Bunny Chow in Durban, the City's Beloved Curry in a Loaf Dish (National Geographic)Erica Platter

Expresses Tradition

Pickling, Food Traditions
Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidson

Features Dish

Akki rotti, Dishes
Source Akki rotti (Wikipedia)
Appam, Dishes
Source Appam (Wikipedia)
Baingan Bharta, Dishes
Source Wikipedia: Baingan bharta
Bhindi fry, Dishes
Source Bhindi fry (Wikipedia)
Biryani, Dishes
Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidson
Butter Chicken, Dishes
Source Butter Chicken (Wikipedia)
Chicken Chettinad, Dishes
Source Chicken Chettinad (Wikidata)
Chicken tikka, Dishes
Source Chicken tikka (Wikipedia)
Chingri Malai Curry, Dishes
Source Chingri malai curry - Wikipedia
Cucumber sandwich, Dishes
Source Cucumber sandwich (Wikipedia)
Dal, Dishes
Dhansak, Dishes
Source Dhansak - Wikipedia
Dum Aloo, Dishes
Source Wikipedia: Dum aloo
French Toast, Dishes
Source French toast - Wikipedia
Hyderabadi Biryani, Dishes
Source Hyderabadi biryani (Wikipedia)
Idli, Dishes
Source Idli (Wikipedia)
Kabsa, Dishes
Source Kabsa (Wikipedia)
Kadhi, Dishes
Source Kadhi (Wikipedia)
Kare-Kare, Dishes
Source Kare-kare (Wikipedia)
Litti Chokha, Dishes
Source Litti chokha, Wikipedia
Mashed Potato, Dishes
Source Mashed Potato (Wikipedia)
Misal Pav, Dishes
Source Wikipedia: Misal pav
Momo, Dishes
Source Momo (food), Wikipedia
Naan, Dishes
Pav Bhaji, Dishes
Source Pav Bhaji (Wikipedia)
Paya (food), Dishes
Source Paya (food) (Wikipedia)
Rajma, Dishes
Source Rajma, Wikipedia
Rasgulla, Dishes
Source Rasgulla (Wikipedia)
Roti, Dishes
Sarson Da Saag, Dishes
Source Sarson da saag - Wikipedia
Tandoori Chicken, Dishes
Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidson
Thepla, Dishes
Source Thepla (Wikipedia)
Thukpa, Dishes
Source Thukpa, Wikipedia
Vada Pav, Dishes
Source Vada pav, Wikipedia
Vindaloo, Dishes
Source Vindaloo (Wikipedia)
Zalabiyeh, Dishes
Source Zalabiyeh (Wikipedia)

Used By

Coriander, Ingredients
Source Coriander, Wikipedia

Uses Ingredient

Black Pepper, Ingredients
Source Larousse Gastronomique
Chili Pepper, Ingredients
Source Larousse Gastronomique
Chutney, Ingredients
Cumin, Ingredients

Cumin is a base spice across Indian regional cuisines.

Source Cumin (Wikipedia)
Turmeric, Ingredients

Turmeric is foundational to Indian curry powder blends and to Ayurvedic and ceremonial use.

Source Turmeric (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen
Harold McGee, Scribner, 2004technique discussion: spice tempering
2. Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.entry: Cuisine of IndiaView the Source
The Oxford Companion to Food
Alan Davidson, Oxford University Press, 2014
  • entry: India
  • Expresses Tradition: Pickling, s.v. Pickles, Indian
Larousse Gastronomique
Hamlyn, 2009
  • Uses Ingredient: Black Pepper, entry: Pepper
  • Uses Ingredient: Chili Pepper, entry: Chilli
Where to Eat Bunny Chow in Durban, the City's Beloved Curry in a Loaf Dish (National Geographic)
Erica Platter, National Geographic, 2026Associated With: South African CuisineView the Source
Turmeric (Wikipedia)
WikipediaUses Ingredient: TurmericView the Source
Cumin (Wikipedia)
WikipediaUses Ingredient: CuminView the Source
Butter Chicken (Wikipedia)
WikipediaFeatures Dish: Butter Chicken, Lead section, second paragraph
Quote, Features Dish: Butter Chicken, Lead section, second paragraph
The dish was invented by Indian chefs Kundan Lal Gujral and Kundan Lal Jaggi and is associated with their Moti Mahal restaurant in Daryaganj, Delhi which popularized it in the 1950s.
View the Source
Vindaloo (Wikipedia)
WikipediaFeatures Dish: Vindaloo, Lead section
Quote, Features Dish: Vindaloo, Lead section
Vindaloo is a curry dish known globally in its British form as a staple of curry houses and Indian restaurants, specifically a fiery, spicy dish that can be made with a choice of meats.
View the Source
Coriander, Wikipedia
Used By: Coriander, Culinary, Seeds
Quote, Used By: Coriander, Culinary, Seeds
Coriander seed is a spice in garam masala, and Indian curries
View the Source
Idli (Wikipedia)
WikipediaFeatures Dish: Idli, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Pav Bhaji (Wikipedia)
WikipediaFeatures Dish: Pav Bhaji, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Litti chokha, Wikipedia
Features Dish: Litti Chokha, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Kadhi (Wikipedia)
Features Dish: Kadhi, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Kabsa (Wikipedia)
Features Dish: Kabsa, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Kare-kare (Wikipedia)
Features Dish: Kare-Kare, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Rajma, Wikipedia
Features Dish: Rajma, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Momo (food), Wikipedia
Features Dish: Momo, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Thukpa, Wikipedia
Features Dish: Thukpa, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Dhansak - Wikipedia
Features Dish: Dhansak, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Chingri malai curry - Wikipedia
Features Dish: Chingri Malai Curry, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Sarson da saag - Wikipedia
Features Dish: Sarson Da Saag, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Wikipedia: Baingan bharta
Features Dish: Baingan Bharta, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Wikipedia: Dum aloo
Features Dish: Dum Aloo, Wikipedia category listView the Source
French toast - Wikipedia
Features Dish: French Toast, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Chicken Chettinad (Wikidata)
Features Dish: Chicken Chettinad, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Mashed Potato (Wikipedia)
Features Dish: Mashed Potato, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Appam (Wikipedia)
Features Dish: Appam, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Hyderabadi biryani (Wikipedia)
Features Dish: Hyderabadi Biryani, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Cucumber sandwich (Wikipedia)
Features Dish: Cucumber sandwich, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Zalabiyeh (Wikipedia)
Features Dish: Zalabiyeh, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Paya (food) (Wikipedia)
Features Dish: Paya (food), Wikipedia category listView the Source
Rasgulla (Wikipedia)
Features Dish: Rasgulla, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Thepla (Wikipedia)
Features Dish: Thepla, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Bhindi fry (Wikipedia)
Features Dish: Bhindi fry, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Akki rotti (Wikipedia)
WikipediaFeatures Dish: Akki rotti, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Chicken tikka (Wikipedia)
Features Dish: Chicken tikka, Wikipedia category listView the Source
Wikipedia: Misal pav
Features Dish: Misal Pav, infobox national_cuisine field
Quote, Features Dish: Misal Pav, infobox national_cuisine field
[[Indian cuisine|Indian]]
View the Source
Vada pav, Wikipedia
Features Dish: Vada Pav, infobox national_cuisine field
Quote, Features Dish: Vada Pav, infobox national_cuisine field
[[Indian cuisine|Indian]]
View the Source

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