Indian Regional Cuisine

• Indian regional cookery is affected by geographical location, landscape, climate, history, foreign influences, religion, and culture.
• The zones of India are North, South, West, and East.

North Zone

Jammu & Kashmir

• Festivals include Eid and Mahashivratri.
• Unique ingredients: Nadroo, Praan, Morels, saag, ver, vegetables, saffron, apples.
• Dishes: Rogan josh, Dum aloo, Yakhni, Rista, Gushraba, kehwa, tabak maaz.
• Staple foods: Rice, Bread.
• Additional features: Waaaz - The chef, Waazwaan - Feast, Thramis - Bronze thali.

Himachal Pradesh

• Festival: Kullu dassera
• Unique ingredients: Apples
• Dishes: Daam, Madra, Palda, Sidu, Mitta, Kullu Trout
• Staple food: Wheat rice

Punjab

• Festivals include Gurupurabh, Baisakhi, and Lohri.
• Unique ingredients: Fish, Milk and products, Vegetables like Bathua, Meat and chicken.
• Dishes: Sarsoon ka saag, pindi chole, kadi pakoda, rara ghost, dal makhana, Amritsari machi, murg makhana, and Dal Amritsari.
• Staple food: Wheat rice
• Additional Feature: Tandoor - 400°C, Sanjha Chulla-community kitchen (Gurudhwara).

Haryana

• Dishes features mixed dhal, Bajra kichri, kachri ki chutney, alsi ki pinni (Flax seed).
• Staple food: Milk, Cow
• Additional feature: Butter, ghee own preparation.

Uttar Pradesh

• Festivals: Holi, Diwali, Dussehra, Teej, Ramzan.
• Staple foods: Wheat, rice, sugarcane.
• Additional feature: Hindu kitchen - Kachi rasoi and pacci rasoi.

Lucknow/Awadhi

• Unique Ingredients: Kebabchini (all spice), Lazzat e taam, Deg, Baobeer, lemongrass.
• Dishes: Pulao, sheermal, Kaliya, Rizala, Kakori kebab, Galouti kebab, shammi kebab, Shahi tukda
• Additional Feature: Mughlai cuisine, Dasthakhwaan - Table of feast (Sheet)

Madhya Pradesh

• Festival: Shivratri
• Dishes: Dal bafla, Bhutte ke kees, Malpua, Gost kurma, Palak puri, Murar kebab
• Staple food: Wheat rice

East Zone

West Bengal

• Festival: Durga pooja
• Unique ingredients: Fish, prawn, shrimp, Mustard paste, Paanch phoran, Baarbati, Laal shaak
• Dishes: Bhaja, Chingri malai curry, Doi mach, Kosho mangsho, Aloo posto, Chorchori, Luchi, Radha ballavi, Chutneys, Misthi doi, Chenna sweets, Snacks
• Staple food: Rice

Odisha

• Festival: Rath yatra of Jagannath Temple
• Unique ingredients: Mustard paste, Sea food, Coconut milk and gratings.
• Dishes: Kaanika, Chenna Poda, Pahala Rasagulla, Aloo dam dahi vada, macha ghanta, dalma, santula, khattas, patrapada macha, Macha besara.
• Staple food: Rice

Bihar

• Festival: Chhat Pooja
• Unique ingredients: River fish, milk and products
• Dishes: Litti choka, Kichdi, Sattu, Laai, Khaja, Daal peetha
• Staple foods: Wheat, Bajra, rice

North Eastern States

• Festival: Bihu
• Unique ingredients: Cash crop, teak, tea, bamboo shoots, sweet potatoes, betel nuts, Rice, fruits, Raw papaya
• Dishes: Khar, Sanpiau, Pitha
• Staple foods: Rice, maize, millet

West Zone

Rajasthan

• Festival: All
• Unique ingredients:Millet, Ker, Sangri, Kachri, Mangodi, Papad, cluster beans
• Dishes: Laal maans, safad maans, ker sangri, sooley, dal baathi churma, gate, papad ki subzi, namkeens, mirch ke pakoda
• Staple foods: Wheat bajra

Goa

• Unique ingredients: Fish, chicken, toddy vinegar, kokum, palm jaggery, dry fish
• Dishes: Khatkhatem, sorpotel, churicos, xacuti, vindaloo, rechado, caldeen, caldo verde, sannas, Bibinca, Dodol

Maharashtra

• Festival: Ganesh puja, Dahi handi
• Unique ingredients: Fish, yam, pepper, kokum, val, Tindli, Bombay duck, coconut, sago, peanuts, vattana, sesame seeds, Goda masala, malvani masala
• Dishes: Amti, Ukadiche modak, Bhareli wangi, Gavalyachi kheer, puran poli, valachi kichdi, sol kadi, Zunka bhakar

Gujarat

• Festival: Navrathri and Garbas
• Unique ingredients: Fish, Farsans, jaggery, grains, vegetables
• Dishes: Khandvi, Methi tepla, Oondhiya, Doodh pak, Malai khaja, Patrani machi, salli jardano murgha, dhansak
• Staple food: Breads from bajra, millets

South Zone

Andhra Pradesh

• Festivals: Sankranti, Eid, Pongal
• Unique ingredients: Fish, lamb, chick peas, parboiled rice, Yam, beans, bohri samosa, betel roots, vetiver roots, stone flower, potli masala, bojwar masala., Chillies.
• Dishes: Dalcha, Haleem, Gil e Firdaus, nihari, kachi biryani, baghare baingan
• Staple food: Rice (Biryani)

Tamil Nadu

• Festivals: All, Pongal
• Unique ingredients: Fish, rice, banana, coconut, neem flower, drumstick, yams, gourds, shallots.
• Dishes: Kuzhambu, poriyal, variyal, pachadi, kootu, appam, avial, idiappam, Tiffin, Mysore pak
• Staple food: Rice

Karnataka

• Festival: Dussehra, Navratri, ugadi
• Unique ingredients: Fish, banana, okra, yam, coconut, brinjal
• Dishes: Bisibelabath, tomato goju, chitanna, huli, vangi bath, akki roti, idli, dosa
• Staple food: Rice

Kerala

• Festival: Onam, Vishu
• Unique ingredients: Fish, banana, coconut, mangoes, jackfruit, tamarind (kodum puli), Drum stick
• Dishes: Malabar paratha, pathiri, Ishtews, koli curry, Puttu, meen moille
• Staple food: Rice
• Additional feature: The Sadya

Other

• Green indicates dessert or sweets.
• Yellow indicates rotis of the North zone.
• Purple indicates spice mix
• Blue indicates drink.

Spice Mixes

• Bhojwar masala, Potli masala are from Andhra Pradesh.
• Goda masala, Malvani masala are from Maharashtra.
• Lazzat e taam is from Lucknow.
• Ver masala is from Jammu Kashmir.
• Paanch phoran is from West Bengal.

Festivals and Food

• Pongal features Sarkarai Pongal, ven Pongal.
• Ganesh Chaturthi features Modak.
• Holi features Thandai, Gujiya.
• Lord Jagannath features Chenna poda.
• Sankranti features Khichdi.
• Month of Saawan / Teej features Ghevar.

Ingredients

• Paneer is also known as Chenna
• Machi, macha means fish
• Murgh means Chicken
• Maans means Mutton
• Safad means white
• Laal means Red
• Makhani means Butter