Indian Cooking has its origins based over 4000 years ago.
Since this time many borders have changed as well as names making it hard to distinguish traditional dishes from what is not.
Over the years many influences have affected the tastes of indian cuisine.
This I feel has created a much wider variety and more exquisite tastes.
A simple time line goes like this Around 2000bc, the first recorded people are the Mohenjedaro and Harrapan Civilizations.
It is thought that the Ayurvedic way of cooking began around this time.
This it is believed begins the connection of mind and body and the relationship with what we eat.
The Ayurvedic way is about using and balancing the six tastes -.
Sour, Astringent, Pungent, Bitter, Salty and Sweet.
Different tastes effect the body in different ways.
Around 1000 BC the first outsiders begin to come into the country.
The Mohenjodaro people move South and the diets are still mainly vegetarian.
Hinduism and The caste system begins about this time and the Veda come into play.
Two distinct races are now in existence the Brahmins who were vegetarians and the Khatriyas who are non-vegetarian.
About 600 BC we see the beginning of Buddhism and Jainism.
Jainism begins to shape and change the diet and tastes in a remarkable way.
Jains were pacifists and their dishes were cooked without meat,or spices such as garlic or onion.
In 400 BC Alexander the Great ruled parts of India.
The Mauryan dynasty was also in power around this time and expanded on the concept of Buddhism.
During the Buddhism expansion, outside of India, it meant people would meet other people and influence the way the Indians cooked and served their foods.
Liquor also starts to be written into the ancient texts about this time.
The Many Dynasties arrived in AD -1200: India Art was celebrated and the golden age begins, many travelers come with products like tea and spices.
One noticeable dynasty is the Hoysala Dynasty.
Up to this time there is still no significant culinary influences.
1200-1500AD: Around this time there is a Muslim invasion and many new races join the country.
Vasco Da Gama came to India looking for trade but he ends up taking parts of India and colonizing it, the cuisine in western India changes dramatically.
In Northern India a Dynasty called The Khilji ruled, one traveler describes in a log book being served a meal of yogurt, pickles and a form of ghee the meal lasted several courses and finished with some sort of milky dessert.
Moghul empire and the emergence of the Moglai cuisine that people now associate with India begins around 1500-1800 AD: It involves using spices like saffron and nuts and cooking in a sealed pot.
European settlers have effects in parts of South India where we begin to see the Syrian Christian cuisine.
1800 - 1947 AD: British rule in India and the English find they love Indian food.
Indians were not real happy about this time in history, but the British liked the Indian cuisines and started to change the tastes to suit them more and went as far as developing the "curry" as a simple spice to help them capture the Indian spice easily.
This began the start of the Anglo-Indian cuisine.
1947 AD: This is the time that changed Indian cuisine to what is called a sub-continental cuisine since India was divided into several countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh, which following ancient history developed into today's tradition cuisine.
Since this time many borders have changed as well as names making it hard to distinguish traditional dishes from what is not.
Over the years many influences have affected the tastes of indian cuisine.
This I feel has created a much wider variety and more exquisite tastes.
A simple time line goes like this Around 2000bc, the first recorded people are the Mohenjedaro and Harrapan Civilizations.
It is thought that the Ayurvedic way of cooking began around this time.
This it is believed begins the connection of mind and body and the relationship with what we eat.
The Ayurvedic way is about using and balancing the six tastes -.
Sour, Astringent, Pungent, Bitter, Salty and Sweet.
Different tastes effect the body in different ways.
Around 1000 BC the first outsiders begin to come into the country.
The Mohenjodaro people move South and the diets are still mainly vegetarian.
Hinduism and The caste system begins about this time and the Veda come into play.
Two distinct races are now in existence the Brahmins who were vegetarians and the Khatriyas who are non-vegetarian.
About 600 BC we see the beginning of Buddhism and Jainism.
Jainism begins to shape and change the diet and tastes in a remarkable way.
Jains were pacifists and their dishes were cooked without meat,or spices such as garlic or onion.
In 400 BC Alexander the Great ruled parts of India.
The Mauryan dynasty was also in power around this time and expanded on the concept of Buddhism.
During the Buddhism expansion, outside of India, it meant people would meet other people and influence the way the Indians cooked and served their foods.
Liquor also starts to be written into the ancient texts about this time.
The Many Dynasties arrived in AD -1200: India Art was celebrated and the golden age begins, many travelers come with products like tea and spices.
One noticeable dynasty is the Hoysala Dynasty.
Up to this time there is still no significant culinary influences.
1200-1500AD: Around this time there is a Muslim invasion and many new races join the country.
Vasco Da Gama came to India looking for trade but he ends up taking parts of India and colonizing it, the cuisine in western India changes dramatically.
In Northern India a Dynasty called The Khilji ruled, one traveler describes in a log book being served a meal of yogurt, pickles and a form of ghee the meal lasted several courses and finished with some sort of milky dessert.
Moghul empire and the emergence of the Moglai cuisine that people now associate with India begins around 1500-1800 AD: It involves using spices like saffron and nuts and cooking in a sealed pot.
European settlers have effects in parts of South India where we begin to see the Syrian Christian cuisine.
1800 - 1947 AD: British rule in India and the English find they love Indian food.
Indians were not real happy about this time in history, but the British liked the Indian cuisines and started to change the tastes to suit them more and went as far as developing the "curry" as a simple spice to help them capture the Indian spice easily.
This began the start of the Anglo-Indian cuisine.
1947 AD: This is the time that changed Indian cuisine to what is called a sub-continental cuisine since India was divided into several countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh, which following ancient history developed into today's tradition cuisine.