With Twenty-eight States and Seven Union Territories(2013), India has a wide yet distinguishing Vegetarian cuisine .
The Food in India is varied ,at the same time there are certain elements that are common.
Let us look at what is common among these Cuisine.
1.Seasoning in Oil is mandatory for food preparations.
2.Spices are used in every dish.
3.Pepper,Mustard,Fenugreek,Cumin seeds,Coriander are the three elements that are used daily in all the States.
4.Curry and Curry leaves are the most used in preparations.
5,Dhals ,Ghee,Papads,Pickles and Curds are essential .
South Indians, especially the Tamils love Fire roasted(direct roasting) Papads.
4.In Sweets Kheers,Mysorepak,Jilebi are common.
5.Use of Pulses.
The South uses more Thur dal, the North prefers Moong dal and Bengal Gram.
Now to the differences.
1.Rice is used as staple food in the South,East and North east while Wheat is used in the north and north-east.
West(Maharashtra and Gujarat) use a combination of Rice and Wheat.
More of wheat and Jowar.Maize in the northern parts of Karnataka.
2,Vegetable cooking come under to broad heads, one dry,deep-fried
Deep fried Ladies Fingers,Potatoes,Baingan are common to all the States
There is yet another type of cooking vegetables, making vegetables as a sort of Gravy, Koottu in the South.
3.Eating Rice with Curds is popular in Tamil Nadu,Kerala and Karnataka, to a limited extent in Andhra.
Rice is used extensively in West Bengal ,Orissa,Assam and the North east.
Kerala and North Karnataka,abutting Kerala uses Coconut Oil extensively,North Groundnut oil ,the East and North east, Mustard Oil and Tamil Nadu Sesame oil.
West ,Maharashtra and Gujarat uses more of ground nut Oil.
Here I have excluded the use of Sun Flower oil as I am posting on traditional cooking.
4.North indian foods have more of fat and Protein while the South has more of Carbohydrates to suit the climate.
5.Normally in the South people take a full meal in the morning and, in the North breakfast(now the South has changed by switching over to meals at noon)
6.In North India chillies, saffron, milk, yoghurt, cottage cheese and ghee (clarified butter) are hot favorites while in the South, folks love pepper, tamarind and coconut.
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