Brazilian cuisine varies greatly by region. This
diversity reflects the country's mix of natives and immigrants. This has
created a national cooking style, marked by the preservation of regional
differences.Since the colonial period,the feijoada has been the country's
national dish. Luís da Câmara Cascudo wrote that, having been revised and
adapted in each region of the country, it is no longer just a dish, but has
become a complete food. Rice and beans, also present in the feijoada, and
considered basic at Brazilian tables, is highly regarded as healthy because it
contains almost all amino acids, fiber, and starches needed for our body.
Brigadeiro
is a candy very popular in birthday parties in Brazil.Brazil has a variety of
candies that are traditionally eaten for birthday parties, like brigadeiros
("brigadiers") and beijinhos ("kissies"). Other foods
typically consumed in Brazilian parties are coxinhas, churrasco, sfiha,
empanadas, and pine nuts (in Festa Junina). Specially in the state of Minas
Gerais, are produced and consumed the famous cheese bun. The typical northern
food is pato no tucupi, tacacá, caruru, vatapá, and maniçoba; the Northeast is
known for moqueca (having seafood and palm oil), acarajé (the salted muffin
made with white beans, onion and fried in oil palm (dendê), which is
filled with dried shrimp and red pepper), manioc, diz, hominy, dumpling, and
Quibebe. In the Southeast, it is common to eat Minas cheese, pizza, tutu,
sushi, stew, polenta, and masses of macaroni, lasagna, and gnocchi. In the
South, these foods are also popular, but the churrasco is the typical meal of
Rio Grande do Sul. Cachaça is Brazil's native liquor, distilled from sugar
cane, and it is the main ingredient in the national drink, the caipirinha.
Brazil is the world leader in production of green coffee (café);because
the Brazilian fertile soil, the country could produce and expand its market
maker and often establish its economy with coffee, since the Brazilian
slavery,which created a whole culture around this national drink,which became
known as the "fever of coffee" – and satirized in the novelty song
"The Coffee Song", sang by Frank Sinatra and with lyrics by Bob
Hilliard, interpreted as an analysis of the coffee industry, and of the
Brazilian economy and culture
Indian food is as diverse as India. Indian cuisines use numerous ingredients, deploy a wide range of food preparation styles, cooking techniques and culinary presentation. From salads to sauces, from vegetarian to meat, from spices to sensuous, from breads to desserts, Indian cuisine is invariably complex. Harold McGee, a favourite of many Michelin-starred chefs, writes "for sheer inventiveness with milk itself as the primary ingredient, no country on earth can match India."
According to Sanjeev Kapoor, a member
of Singapore Airlines' International Culinary Panel, Indian food has long been
an expression of world cuisine. Kapoor claims, "if you looked back in
India's history and study the food that our ancestors ate, you will notice how
much attention was paid to the planning and cooking of a meal. Great thought
was given to the texture and taste of each dish."One such historical
record is Mānasollāsa, (Sanskrit: मानसोल्लास, The Delight of Mind), written in the 12th century. The book describes
the need to change cuisine and food with seasons, various methods of cooking,
the best blend of flavors, the feel of various foods, planning and style of
dining among other things.
India is known for its love for
food and spices. Indian cuisine varies from region to region, reflecting the
local produce, cultural diversity, and varied demographics of the country.
Generally, Indian cuisine can be split into five categories - northern,
southern, eastern, western, and north-eastern. The diversity of Indian cuisine
is characterised by differing use of many spices and herbs, a wide assortment
of recipes and cooking techniques. Though a significant portion of Indian food
is vegetarian, many traditional Indian dishes also include chicken, goat, beef,
buffalo, lamb, fish, and other meats. Fish-based cuisines are common in eastern
states of India, particularly West Bengal.
Despite this diversity, some
unifying threads emerge. Varied uses of spices are an integral part of certain
food preparations, and are used to enhance the flavour of a dish and create
unique flavours and aromas. Cuisine across India has also been influenced by
various cultural groups that entered India throughout history, such as the
Persians, Mughals, and European colonists.
Indian cuisine is one of the
most popular cuisines across the globe. In most Indian restaurants outside
India, the menu does not do justice to the enormous variety of Indian cuisine
available - the most common cuisine served on the menu would be Punjabi cuisine
(chicken tikka masala is a very popular dish in the United Kingdom). There do
exist some restaurants serving cuisines from other regions of India, although
these are few and far between. Historically, Indian spices and herbs were one
of the most sought after trade commodities. The spice trade between India and
Europe led to the rise and dominance of Arab traders to such an extent that
European explorers, such as Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus, set out to
find new trade routes with India leading to the Age of Discovery The
popularity of curry, which originated in India, across Asia has
often led to the dish being labeled as the "pan-Asian" dish.
Regional Indian cuisine
continues to evolve. A fusion of East Asian and Western cooking methods with
traditional cuisines, along with regional adaptations of fast food are
prominent in major Indian cities.
-by Arzoo Cheema
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