India's Geography

• Some key geographical factors are:• Himalayan Mountains:• Extends along the entire boundary of India• Covers 5 states in India

– Divided by mountain ranges and not states – There are ten different mountain ranges

• Western Ghats:• It is a mountain range that runs along the western coast of India • Known for being Bio diverse

Eastern Ghats:• Mountains that run along the eastern coast of India • The Eastern Ghats are lower than the western Ghats • good soil due to heavy rain fall

Thar Desert• Located northwest

– Near Pakistan• Sandy dunes • Steppe rock forms

Deccan Plateau• Located in central India • In between the Eastern and western Ghats • Has several rivers that run through the Deccan

plateau

• Several bodies of water surround India

India's Climate

Typical food guide culture of India

Cooking Methods

• Service types– Smaller portions but many more portions– Known for hospitality

• ‘Atithi Devo Brava’– 3 famous words from Sanskrit literature

• Not a set ‘National Cuisine’ – Matters what area host’s ancestors came from

• Some parts don’t even eat rice– Not south and eastern India

• South eats lots of green spices – These cannot be stored

– Learn to cook from experimentation mainly

Traditional Flavors

• meal spices and herbs– Pepper is considered “King of spices”

• Grows on a tropical vine in the Southwest– Sometimes spices are used just for looks

• Our idea of a garnish with a kick– Other spices:

• Ginger, nutmeg, cumin, curry tree, garlic, bay leaves, cloves thyme seed, star anise, cinnamon, coriander, cardamom, turmeric,

– 13th Century, India was known for pepper ,ginger, and cinnamon• Started trade

Ayurveda- Hindu science of medicine

• Sanskrit writings of 3,000 years ago explains uses• Tumeric

– Itching cream, skin diseases• Ginger

– Liver complaints, anemia, rheumatism• Cardamom

– Headaches, fevers, eye disease, coughs, colds, eye disease• Coriander

– Insomnia, childbearing, • Chilies

• Paralysis• Whole Cloves

– Fevers, brain ailments, stomach disorders

Livestock • Largest population of milch (milk producing) livestock. • 107 million buffalo• 126 million goats • 66 million sheep

• Largest producer of milk • 16% of worldwide milk production

• 4.71% of global egg production

Import & Export of animal products

Animal products exported• Buffalo meat• Sheep meat• Goat meat• Poultry • Animal casings • Processed meat• Milk & milk products • Honey

Meat product sales increased 53% from 2010-2011 Animal casings reported growth of 11%Processed meat reported growth of 115%Honey reported growth of 70%Milk is the largest exported with skim milk commanding 28% of the skim milk market

Import and export of spices

• export of Spices from the country during 2011-12 has crossed $2000 Million mark.• total of 5,75,270 tons of spices and spice products have been exported valued at

2037.76 million• Previous year totals of 5,25,750 tons at 1502.85 Million• Increase in quantity at 9% • Increase in wealth at 43%

Top five selling spices are 1. Pepper2. Cardamom3. Chilli4. Ginger5. Tumeric

Religious InfluencesHinduism 80.5%

Eating and Spiritual advancement VegetarianFood and negative/positive energy

Religious Influences

Muslim 13.4 % Cooking of meatsPilafsChanging the method of cooking

Customs and HolidaysHindu:

Diwali “Festival of Lights”Holi “Festival of Colors”Pongal – Give thanks to harvestDussehra – Worshiping goddesses and

weapons/tools of trade

Customs and HolidaysMuslim:

Ramzan MuharramId-e-MiladBakr-id

Work Cited• http://censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/India_at_glance/religion.aspx• http://www.indianetzone.com/39/hindu_influence_on_indian_cuisine.htm• http://www.indianetzone.com/39/hindu_influence_on_indian_cuisine.htm• http://www.indianetzone.com/39/hindu_influence_on_indian_cuisine.htm• http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/india/milad-un-nabi• http://www.apeda.gov.in/apedawebsite/six_head_product/animal.htm• http://www.indianspices.com/html/s0420sts.htm • http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&sa=N&rls=org.mozilla:en-

US:official&biw=1600&bih=770&tbm=isch&tbnid=D5PV1M_VJ7wzLM:&imgrefurl=http://animal.discovery.com/guides/endangered/mammals/asian-buffalo.html&docid=AzotvKqRcbz0qM&imgurl=http://animal.discovery.com/guides/endangered/mammals/gallery/asian_buffalo.jpg&w=540&h=380&ei=yQ12UL-QMYWxygHw8IHgBQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=768&vpy=260&dur=6224&hovh=188&hovw=268&tx=187&ty=124&sig=109258849225817208363&page=2&tbnh=136&tbnw=221&start=33&ndsp=35&ved=1t:429,r:10,s:33,i:215

• http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1600&bih=770&tbm=isch&tbnid=pQqAn6paS2jFpM:&imgrefurl=http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/top-calcium-sources-44112108&docid=96Dv9gyqTcZYOM&imgurl=http://www.thedailygreen.com/cm/thedailygreen/images/skinstory-milk-lg.jpg&w=360&h=460&ei=_g52UM2tOsnpqAG6qIDABw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=610&vpy=171&dur=2736&hovh=254&hovw=199&tx=124&ty=164&sig=109258849225817208363&page=1&tbnh=118&tbnw=93&start=0&ndsp=42&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:0,i:192

• http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1600&bih=770&tbm=isch&tbnid=XgS3xbBBWxIDkM:&imgrefurl=http://mumbai.postad.in/indian-spices-in-bulk-quantity-185759&docid=PpLzN98fmLiLAM&imgurl=http://mumbai.postad.in/adpics-org/5045a7f0089d022cb15aaaa46.jpg&w=432&h=281&ei=tA92UIK3GaTBygGQh4CoDQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=450&vpy=368&dur=3309&hovh=181&hovw=278&tx=118&ty=111&sig=109258849225817208363&page=1&tbnh=122&tbnw=172&start=0&ndsp=33&ved=1t:429,r:27,s:0,i:168

• http://www.birding.in/biological_regions_of_india.htm• http://www.eoearth.org/article/Thar_desert?topic=74361• http://deccanplateau.net/• http://www.birding.in/biological_regions_of_india.htm• http://thewesternghats.in/about/western-ghats• http://www.ecoindia.com/ghats/eastern.html• http://library.thinkquest.org/10131/india.shtml• http://ethnicfoodsco.com/India/OldIFC/Classes/IndianFoodPyramid.htm• http://www.indianfoodsco.com/Classes/IndiasCuisine.htm