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Laddu
''Laddu'' or ''laddoo'' is a spherical sweet from the Indian subcontinent made of various ingredients and sugar syrup or jaggery. It has been described as "perhaps the most universal and ancient of Indian sweets." ''Laddus'' are often served during celebrations and religious festivals, especially those associated with the Hindu deity Ganesha. History Archaeological excavations have found "food balls" made of legumes and cereals such as barley, wheat, chickpea and mung bean were consumed in the Indus Valley Civilization circa 2600 BCE. In the 3rd-4th century Sanskrit medical text ''Sushruta Samhita'', ''ladduka'' are described as small balls of jaggery, peanuts, and sesame seeds coated with honey. These balls were used as an antiseptic and to deliver medication. However, the first documented mention of ''laddu'' as a sweet is in the 11th-century Western Indian cookbook ''Lokopakara''. It gives a recipe for making ''laddus'' with '' shavige'' (rice vermicelli), ''ghee ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sweets From The Indian Subcontinent
Mithai (sweets) are the confectionery and desserts of the Indian subcontinent.The Sweet Side of the Subcontinent Raison d'Etre, New York City (September 20, 2012) Thousands of dedicated shops in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka sell nothing but sweets. Sugarcane has been grown in the Indian subcontinent for thousands of years, and the art of refining sugar was invented there 8000 years ago (6000 BCE) by the Indus Valley civilisation. The English word "sugar" comes from a Sanskrit word for refined sugar, while the word "candy" comes from Sanskrit word for the unrefined sugar – one of the simplest raw forms of sweet. Over its long history, cuisines of the Indian subcontinent developed a diverse ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chickpea
The chickpea or chick pea (''Cicer arietinum'') is an annual plant, annual legume of the family (biology), family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae, cultivated for its edible seeds. Its different types are variously known as gram," Bengal gram, garbanzo, garbanzo bean, or Egyptian pea. It is one of the earliest cultivated legumes, the oldest archaeological evidence of which was found in Syria. Chickpeas are high in protein (nutrient), protein. The chickpea is a key ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, used in hummus, and, when soaked and coarsely ground with herbs and spices, then made into patties and fried, falafel. As an important part of Indian cuisine, it is used in salads, soups, stews, and curries. In 2023, India accounted for 75% of global chickpea production. Etymology Chickpeas have been cultivated for at least ten thousand years. Cultivation spread from the Fertile Crescent eastward toward South Asia and into Europe through th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jaggery
Jaggery is a List of unrefined sweeteners, traditional non-centrifugal cane sugar consumed in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, North America, Central America, Brazil and Africa. It is a concentrated product of Sugarcane juice, cane juice and often Date (fruit), date or Arecaceae, palm plant sap, sap without separation of the molasses and crystals, and can vary from golden brown to dark brown in colour. It contains up to 50% sucrose, up to 20% invert sugars, and up to 20% moisture, with the remainder made up of other insoluble matter, such as wood ash, proteins, and bagasse fibres. Jaggery is very similar to muscovado, an important sweetener in Portuguese cuisine, Portuguese, British cuisine, British and French cuisine. Etymology Jaggery comes from Portuguese terms , , borrowed from Malayalam (), which is borrowed from Sanskrit (). It is a wikt:Appendix:Glossary#doublet, doublet of wikt:sugar#English, sugar. Origins and production Jaggery is made of the products o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ganesha
Ganesha or Ganesh (, , ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped Deva (Hinduism), deities in the Hindu deities, Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in the Ganapatya sect. His depictions are found throughout India. Hindu denominations worship him regardless of affiliations. Devotion to Ganesha is widely diffused and extends Ganesha in world religions, to Jains and Buddhists and beyond India. Although Ganesha has many attributes, he is readily identified by his Asiatic Elephant, elephant head and four arms. He is widely revered, more specifically, as the remover of obstacles and bringer of good luck; the patron of The arts, arts and Science, sciences; and the Deva (Hinduism), deva of intellect and wisdom. As the god of beginnings, he is honoured at the start of rites and ceremonies. Ganesha is also invoked during writing sessions as a patron of letters and learning., Vigna means obstacles Nasha means destroy. These ideas ar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ghee
Ghee is a type of clarified butter, originating from South Asia. It is commonly used for cooking, as a Traditional medicine of India, traditional medicine, and for Hinduism, Hindu religious rituals. Description Ghee is typically prepared by simmering butter, which is obtained by churning cream, skimming any impurities from the surface, then pouring and retaining the clear liquid fat while discarding the solid residue that settles at the bottom. Spices can be added for flavor. The texture, color, and taste of ghee depend on the quality of the butter, the milk used in the process, and the duration of boiling. Etymology The word ''ghee'' is borrowed from the Hindi word (''ghī''), which comes from (', ) 'clarified butter', from the root , , 'to sprinkle'; it is cognate with the Ancient Greek word (, 'rubbed, anointed'), from which the English word ''Christ'' is derived. In Hinduism Traditionally, ghee is made from bovine milk, either Cattle, cow or water buffalo, and has ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rosewater
Rose water, or rosewater, is a flavoured water created by steeping rose petals in water. It is typically made as a by-product during the distillation of rose petals to create rose oil for perfumes. Rose water is widely utilized to flavour culinary dishes and enhance cosmetic products, and it is significant in religious rituals throughout Eurasia. Iran is a major producer, supplying around 90% of the world's rose water demand. Central Iran is home to the annual Golabgiri festival each spring. Thousands of tourists visit the area to celebrate the rose harvest for the production of rosewater. History Since ancient times, roses have been used medicinally, nutritionally, and as a source of perfume. Rose perfumes are made from rose oil, also called "attar of roses", which is a mixture of volatile essential oils obtained by steam-distilling the crushed petals of roses. Rose water is a by-product of this process. Before the development of the technique of distilling rose water, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Indus Valley Civilization
The Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC), also known as the Indus Civilisation, was a Bronze Age civilisation in the northwestern regions of South Asia, lasting from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE, and in its mature form from 2600 BCE to 1900 BCE. Together with ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, it was one of three early civilisations of the Near East and South Asia, and of the three, the most widespread, its sites spanning an area including much of Pakistan, northwestern India and northeast Afghanistan. The civilisation flourished both in the alluvial plain of the Indus River, which flows through the length of Pakistan, and along a system of perennial monsoon-fed rivers that once coursed in the vicinity of the Ghaggar-Hakra, a seasonal river in northwest India and eastern Pakistan. The term ''Harappan'' is sometimes applied to the Indus Civilisation after its type site Harappa, the first to be excavated early in the 20th century in what was then the Punjab ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Western India
Western India is a loosely defined region of India consisting of western states of India, Republic of India. The Ministry of Home Affairs (India), Ministry of Home Affairs in its Western Zonal Council Administrative divisions of India, Administrative division includes the States and territories of India, states of Goa, Gujarat, and Maharashtra along with the Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, while the Ministry of Culture (India), Ministry of Culture and some historians also include the state of Rajasthan. The Geological Survey of India includes Maharashtra but excludes Rajasthan whereas Ministry of Minority Affairs includes Karnataka but excludes Rajasthan. Madhya Pradesh is also often included and Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh and southern Punjab, India, Punjab are sometimes included. Western India may also refer to the western half of India, i.e. all the states west of Delhi and Chennai, thus also including Punjab, India, Punjab, Kerala and surroun ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Indian Cookbooks
Indian cookbooks are cookbooks written in India, or about Indian cooking. Indian cooking varies regionally and has evolved over the centuries due to various influences. Vegetarianism has made a significant impact on Indian cooking and spices play a major role as well. Early Indian texts and cookbooks Ayurvedic Samhitas (4th century BCE) Ayurvedic texts classify food into three categories: ''sattvic'', ''rajasic'', and ''tamasic''. Tastes (rasa) are classified into six types known as ''shadrasa'' according to their qualities for an ideal meal: sweet, salty, sour, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Traditional meal presentation often includes all six of these qualities. Several samhitas from Ayurvedic texts describe and discuss methods for cooking food. They mention recipes for cooking rice in different ways, some examples include: * '' Tāpaharī'', a seasoned rice dish * ''Māṃsaudana'', rice cooked with meat * ''Mudgaudana'', rice cooked with mung beans * ''Kṣīraudana' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sevai
Sevai (), also called shavige, semiya, (), saemia () and santhakai (), is a type of rice vermicelli dish popular in India. While typically made from rice, varieties made from other food grains like wheat, ''ragi'', and others can also be found. History According to food historian K. T. Achaya, references in the Sangam literature mentions ''sevai'' and ''idiyappam'' around 1st century CE. Lokopakara (1025 CE) a cookbook in Kannada also mentions method of making ''sevai'' and a mold-presser used for it. "Lokopakara" Agri-History Bulletin No. 6 - (Trans) Ayangarya, Y. L. Nene, Nalini Sadhale, Valmiki Sreenivasa (Trans), 2004 Preparation Sevai is mostly made fresh starting from rice grains. It is also prepared from dried sevai packs (or rice sticks). Traditionally, making sevai at home consists of the following steps (with minor variations based on location and family customs): *Soaking of parboiled rice in cold water for about 3 hours *Grinding of soaked rice using a wet gri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Indian Subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. (subscription required) Although the terms "Indian subcontinent" and "South Asia" are often also used interchangeably to denote a wider region which includes, in addition, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, the "Indian subcontinent" is more of a geophysical term, whereas "South Asia" is more geopolitical. "South Asia" frequently also includes Afghanistan, which is not considered part of the subcontinent even in extended usage.Jim Norwine & Alfonso González, ''The Third World: states of mind and being'', pages 209, Taylor & Francis, 1988, Quote: ""The term "South Asia" also signifies the Indian Subcontinent""Raj S. Bhopal, ''Ethnicity, race, and health in multicultural societies'', pages 33, Oxford University Press, 2007, ; Q ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
