The history of Indian cuisine

The history of Indian cuisine goes all the way back to 7000 BCE when sesame, eggplant and cattle were introduced. Around 3000 BCE the spices turmeric, cardamom, pepper and mustard were first used (these spices are especially prevalent in Indian cooking today.) When invasions and new immigrants came later, tomatoes, chilies, and potatoes became staples in the Indians’ diet.The most important parts of the Indian cuisine are rice, flour (also called atta), and an element called pulses. Pulses are masoor (red lentils), chana (Bengal ram), toor (pigeon pea), urad (black gram), and mung (green gram.) Curries are also very important and are often fried in vegetable oil. In the Indian language, curries are often understood to mean ‘gravy’ because it accompanies other foods in the dishes.

In a traditional meal, there are usually two or three main courses with many side dishes (like chutneys or roti) and desserts. Indian food is often divided into four sections by the region in which they are utilized: Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western...