THE HISTORY OF INDIAN FOOD

THE HISTORY OF INDIAN FOOD

Indian Appetizers and Snacks

The majority of Indian appetizers and snacks are based on potatoes, combined with different spices. The Alu Ki Tikki for example, which is one of the oldest snacks recorded by the history of Indian food, is made out of mashed potatoes,coriander and onions. Another famous is the Samosa appetizer, made out of steamed potatoes, peas and vegetables.

We all also now know an approximate recipe to the Bhel Puri .The tasty Indian snack is made out of crispy puris, puffed rice, Indian sevs, chilli powder, potatoes, red onion, chat masala, coriander and lemon or mango juice. It comes in two dish version which are spicy or sweet. The spicy chutney includes garlic cloves, mint leaves, salt and green chilies, while the sweet chutney’s ingredients are cumin seeds, jaggery, sugar, tamarind pulp and boiled dates pulp.

Indian Sweets

The Rasgulla is one of the most popular relished sweetmeats in India, originating from the Eastern part of the country, has an interesting modern history. This dish is produced by the boiling of small pops of casein in sugar syrup has become many people’s favourite.

Another Indian dessert that blends with the Hindu culture is the Payasam (or Kheer as it is called by the Hindi). This dessert has been an essential dish throughout the history of India, being usually found at ceremonies, feasts and celebrations. The best and most popular Payasam dishes are found in the temples of Guruvayoor and Ambalappuzha.

Western India also does a great job on satisfying the sweet tooth of its inhabitants, with one of the most delicious desserts which is the Shrikhand. The Shrikhand is a creamy dessert made out of strained yogurt, from which all water is drained off, leaving the thick yogurt cream by itself. Adding exotic dry fruits like mangos only enhances the Shrikhand’s delightful taste to newer limits. This great dessert is one of Western India’s most popular traditional dishes, since it has ancient roots in the Indian cuisine.

Other important traditional Indian sweets and desserts, Gulab Jamun is a popular Indian dessert made out of fried milk balls in sweet syrup. Mysore Pak is also a delicious dessert made out of ghee, sugar and chick pea flour. Halwa is made out of semolina and sugar, Halwa is one of the most popular Indian desserts that have spread in every corner of the World. Often referred to as Indian ice cream, the Kulfi is made out of boiled milk and a wide variety of mango, kesar or cardamom flavors .Not forgetting the Jalebi which is a common sweet dish from North India, the Jalebi is basically a pretzel-shaped fried batter, which is soaked in syrup and lastly the Jangiri,the South Indian look-alike of the North Indian Jalebi.

WRITTEN BY : AMIRAH BUSYRA 

HISTORICAL PLACES IN INDIA

HISTORICAL PLACES IN INDIA

TAJ MAHAL 

One of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal is undoubtedly India's most famous monument. It looms evocatively from the banks of the Yamuna River. Mughal emperor Shah Jahan had it built as a mausoleum for third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631. Construction took place over 16 years, from 1632 to 1648.The Taj Mahal is made out of white marble but its color captivatingly appears togradually alter in the changing light of the day.

 FATEHPUR SIKHRI

Fatehpur Sikri, near Agra in Uttar Pradesh, was once the proud but short-lived capital of the Mughal Empire in the 16th century. Emperor Akbar founded the city from the twin villages of Fatehpur and Sikri in 1569, as tribute to famous Sufi saint Sheikh Salim Chishti. The saint accurately predicted the birth of Emperor Akbar's much longed for son. Not long after Fatehpur Sikri was completed, it unfortunately had to be abandoned by its occupants as the water supply was insufficient.

Nowadays, the city is a deserted ghost town (albeit one that's overrun with beggars and touts) with well-preserved Mughal architecture. Monuments include an imposing entrance gate, one of India's largest mosques, and a palace complex.

                   GATEWAY OF INDIA

Mumbai's most recognizable monument, the Gateway of India, occupies a commanding position overlooking the Arabian Sea at the harbor in Colaba. It was built commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary's to the city in 1911. However, it wasn't completed until 1924.

The Gateway of India subsequently played an significant part in India's history. The last British troops departed through it in 1948, when India obtained Independence.

                                                         KONARK SUN TEMPLE

The 13th century Konark Sun Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the grandest and most well-known sun temple in India. This magnificent temple was built by King Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. It was made as a giant chariot for Surya the Sun God, with 12 pairs of wheels pulled by seven horses.

Sadly, the temple met with a mysterious downfall that resulted in the ruination of many important parts, including the towering rear shrine.

Furthermore, when the temple stopped being used for worship in the 18th century, its pillar of Aruna the charioteer was tranfered to the Jagannath Temple in Puri, in order to save it from invaders.

   RAN KI VAV

A surprisingly recent archaeological find in Patan, Gujarat, Rani ki Vav was flooded by the nearby Saraswati River and silted over until the late 1980s. The step well, which is undoubtedly India's most awe-inspiring, dates back to the 11th century during the reign on the Solanki dynasty. Apparently, the widow of ruler Bhimdev I had it built in his memory. The step well was designed as an inverted temple. Its panels are evocatively covered in more than 500 main sculptures and 1,000 minor ones. Incredibly, no stone is left uncarved!

                                                                       OLD GOA

Located 10 kilometers from Panjim, the historic city of Old Goa was the capital of Portuguese India from the 16th century until the 18th century. It had a substantial population of more than 200,000 people but was abandoned due to the plague. The Portuguese relocated to Panjim, which is known for its Latin Quarterfilled with colorful Portuguese homes.

Old Goa was actually founded in the 15th century, before the Portuguese, by rulers of the Bijapur Sultanate.

After the Portuguese captured it, they constructed many churches. The most notable ones standing today are the Basilica of Bom Jesus (which contains the mortal remains of Saint Francis Xavier) Se Cathedral (the seat of the Archbishop of Goa), and the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi.


WRITTEN BY : THINESH 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

THIS BLOG WAS CREATED FOR AN ASSIGNMENT PURPOSE FOR THE SUBJECT [INTRODUCTION TO NEW MEDIA]. WE FOCUS OUR SCOPE ON THE REPUBLIC OF INDIA.