Food Culture of India

By Lilia Villegas

Star of India
Located in Toledo
Atmosphere is casual
Had televisions that showed Indian music videos
Service was quick and friendly
Felt family-oriented

Star of India Cont.

Each thalis is served appetizer,
salad, rice, naan, dessert.

Chicken Jalfreezi

Naan Bread

Shrimp Vindaloo

Foods By Region
Varies by region and religion
Northern India
Eat more flatbreads, like chapati
Saffron and rich gravies made of pureed nuts and cream
Popular dishes include palak paneer and chicken tikka
Southern India
More rice based meals
Popular dishes: Dosa (rice pancakes), Idli (steamed rice cakes), and Rasam (soup)
Coconut is heavily used
Coastal States
Fish dishes are popular, such as Meen moilee (coconut-based fish curry)
Mountain and Plains
Chicken and sheep are consumed more often

Foods By Religion
Muslim
Avoid pork
Jains
Strictly vegetarians
Parsis
Rich diet of chicken and seafood
Hindu
Avoid beef

Food Cont.
Spices used in many Indians dishes
-chili peppers

-garlic

-cardamom

-nutmeg

-cinnamon

-cloves

-turmeric

-cumin

Common foods throughout India

-lentils

-beans

-peas

-rice

-ghee

Cooking Methods
Curry (Bhunao)
-when water, yogurt, or stock is added to the dish only after the initial
ingredients added start to stick
Tandoori is the most popular method
-tondoor is a clay oven that reaches 550F
-hotter and quicker form of cooking than Western barbecue
-used to make naan bread, kebabs, tandoori meats, rotis, and
paranthas
Frying
Steaming
Tempering
Pickling
Smoke seasoning

Meal Pattern
Eat 2 or 3 main meals with several snacks
Begin at dawn with prayers, followed by a light meat chai and salty
snack
Breakfast served two hours later
Midmorning snack may consist of a piece of fruit with coffee or tea
Lunch consists of one or two vegetable dishes, rice, and chapatti
Afternoon snack at 5 or 6pm
Dinner usually served late and consists of two or three vegetable
dishes, rice, and chapatti, and dessert is usually fruit
Before bed, some consume a cup of hot milk, flavored with sugar
and a touch of cardamom

Table Manners/Etiquette
Eldest person sits first
Host sits in a direction where he/she can see everyone
Speak if only spoken to
Guests served first
Food served to others is never touched with the hand
Eat with hands, use right hand
Diners are expected to fill their neighbors glass but never their own
Dont leave table, unless hosts says otherwise

Differences & Similarities B/w Indian

and American Food Habits
Indian food habits:
Mostly consist of gravy/sauce meals, served with bread
Food usually eaten with hands
Eat as a family
American food habits:
Meals are usually fast food, such as burgers, hotdogs, pizza
Food is usually eaten with utensils
Eat on the go

Nutritional Status
47% of children under 5 are underweight
1/3 of adult women are underweight
-inadequate care of women and girls, especially during
pregnancy, results in low birth weight infants
Heart disease and diabetes are on the rise
-62 million have diabetes

Counseling
Greet eldest first; respect is expected
Shaking hands is common, but there are seldom shakes between men and
women. If uncertain, wait for them to extend their hand.
No extended eye contact between opposite sex
Relationships are built upon mutual trust and respect.
Prefer to have long-standing relationships prior to doing business
Tend to not disagree too often
Dont like to say no, verbally or nonverbally; theyll offer a response they
think you want to hear
Head nods opposite of Western
Do not use left hand to receive or give anything
Decisions made by the person with the highest authority

Dont expect that every person from a certain religion follows the dietary
restrictions thoroughly, so its best to ask first what they can and cannot have

Works Cited
http://adoptionnutrition.org/nutrition-by-country/india/
http://www.foodbycountry.com/Germany-to-Japan/India.html
http://www.indianfoodrecipes.com/indian_cooking_methods/indian_cooking_methods_equi
pment.php
http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/indian-table-manners-4076.html
http://www.theculinaryscoop.com/2011/02/history-of-indian-cuisine/
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/indiacountry-profile.html
http://www.who.int/countries/ind/en/