India
By: Alexis Bishop and Halle Skelton
Geography and Climate
Crops and Livestock
Over 70% of Indian people are farmers. India’s major crop is rice, other important crops include chickpeas, beans, peas, and other legumes. Indians raise more cattle than any other type of livestock. Although cows produce milk they are mostly used as work animals. The Indian people also raise small amount of goats, hogs, sheep, and water buffalo. In order to produce as many raw materials as possible, people use irrigatation systems, the help of livestock and the help of others. With the variety of raw materials being produced, Indian's food variety ranges.
Culture
Indian people belong to a number of races and speak a number of languages. Along with a number of races and languages, there are also a number of religions in India. Some of these religions include Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Hindu, Muslims, and Parsees. Many iof these religions have different beliefs. With these beliefs comes different responsabilities. Some of these responsabilities include eating different types of food.
One influence of religion on the Indian culture is the observance of the caste system. This is an ancient social system that divided people into groups. These groups include priests, warriors, farmers, and laborers. Below the laborers were outcasts that were forced to live away from the rest of the people. Today, this system has been relaxed and many of its rules are relaxed.
Types of Foods
As a whole, Indian cuisine receives a high rating on the nutrition scale. Most Indian dishes are vegetarian and contain a number of vitamins and minerals. Along with a number of vitamins, Indian dishes also contain a variety of seasonings. Many of these seasonings contain numerous health benefits. Some traditional foods consumed in India include momos, idli, and rajma. Popular foods in India include Bonda, Alu Gubi, and Barfi.
Breakfast in India is very simmilar to lunch and dinner. Some popularbreakfast foods include Dosas and Idlis. Many popular lunch and dinner foods include Urlai Roast and Masala Bhindi.
Curry, Naan, and Lamb Vindaloo are all popular Indian foods served in the U.S. that originated from India.
Diwali
Dish Characteristics
In India, spices, seasonings, and legumes play a huge role in many dishes. One dish that contains many of these ingredients is Indian Street Corn Salad
Ingredients
3 large ears corn, husks and silk removed
Olive oil
Dressing:
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Big pinch ground cardamom
Big pinch chaat masala
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup halved cherry or sugarplum tomatoes
1 or 2 sprigs fresh mint, leaves thinly sliced
Small handful fresh cilantro, leaves and soft stems rustically ripped into bite-size pieces