Impressions of India: CUISINE AS VAST AS THE LAND BY KAREN ANDERSON
Masala Daba (spice box)
C
urry. This word’s existed since newcomers hit the shores of India in the 1500s. First, the Dutch called the locals’ spicy gravies karee. Later, to the English colonizer’s ear, karee became curry. And, beyond the sauce-based dishes it was meant for, it became their word for describing ALL Indian food. The greatest living authority on Indian cooking, Madhur Jaffrey, is baffled by how that one word kept calm and curried on. In her Master Class, she says, “India is a vast country. It’s the variety of food (and spices) we have that is what makes Indian food Indian,
18 Culinaire | November 2021
not curry. How can you take ALL that we have and call it curry?” Curry being synonymous with all Indian cuisine is like calling all Canadian food poutine. Let’s explore!
Geographic and Cultural Influences
Three oceans surround India’s feet, with the snow-capped Himalayas at the head. Desert sands sweep from the the West and rich estuaries fill in the East. The South is a spicy tropical paradise. With 18 official languages, and thousands of dialects, India’s 29 states and 7 territories – not to mention a
population of 1.4 billion people, cultures vary dramatically across the country. Religious customs, the influence of newcomers and the ingredients that grow, explain how regional cuisines have evolved. And when you dine in India, one of the first questions asked is, “Veg or Non-Veg?”
Veg and Non-Veg
A third of people in India are vegetarian. This aligns with people’s adherence to Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist religions and lifestyles. The 84 percent who are Hindus do not eat beef but most do enjoy dairy
