Fusion Cuisine

Fusion cuisine is that which commemorates elements of different culinary traditions. Cuisine which is not restricted to one particular style generally falls into this category. India witnesses fusion cushion in the present day at an alarming rate. High-end joints like Barbeque nation, Global fusion, Marciv's are among some of them. Fusion cuisine has played a part in innovations of many contemporary restaurant cuisines since the 1970s.

Fusion food is a general term for the combination of various forms of cookery and comes in several forms. Regional fusion combines into a single eating experience. Asian fusion restaurants, which convince the various cuisines of different Asian countries have become popular in many parts of the world.

Foods bad on one culture, but prepared using ingredients and flavours inherent to another culture, are also considered forms of fusion cuisine. For instance, pizza made with Cheddar and pepper jack cheese, salsa, refried beans and taco.

Fusion food has been around for a couple of decades. India is new into the race. Chefs started to merge cuisine in the late 70s. Culinary legends like Wolfgang puck among others introduced this concept. He actually laid down the foundation for this Technique. He's the brains behind the common culinary fusion. This was easy for chef puck because og his knowledge of both cuisines. He originally trained in Europe but he's thoroughly familiar with Asian dishes.

Diversity of Indian cuisine

Indian cuisine is ancient diverse and steeped in tradition, and amalgam of different ethnic influences much like the country itself. The spicy food displayed at buffets at the US in Britain are only a small fraction of variety and quality avaliable to food lovers. The gourmet Indian food is typically associated with the food cooked in the courts of Indian royalty but particular those of Mughal emperors in Delhi and lucknow and North India and the nizams of hyderabad in the south. This food is characterised by elaborate cooking techniques and use of expensive ingredients however, there are thousands of hidden culinary gems to be found in kitchens, little known restaurants and places of worship around the country.

Religion and climate are two factors that have significantly affected the development of cooking styles and food habits of India.

Over 80% of Indians follow the Hindu religion and it's off shoots such as Jainism. Hinduism prescribes respect for life forms and has contributed to the prevalence of vegetarianism in India,particularly in the North. Non impact of this is on cuisine is that lentils and beans are the main source of protein as opposed to fish and meat. Although cows are sacred to Hindus, milk is considered auspicious and milk products such as curd,vegan cottage cheese (paneer) and sweets made of milk.

Spices are generously used to provide variety in the vegetarian diet. Certain sets of Hinduism forbid the use of onion and garlic in good and so substitute flavouring such as cumin seeds. Ginger and cashew paste have been incorporated in the cuisine. With Muslim rule established in India 1194 AD the cuisine began to reflect Islamic influences. The main difference from traditional Hindu cuisine was the use of meat and fish. West and central Asian cooking techniques and ingredients (such as the use of dates and nuts in rice dishes) and grilling of meat into kebabs were adopted.

Muslim rulers were great gourmets famous for their lavish courts and elaborate meal rituals and many of the dishes their patronised are today part of the Indian gourmet heritage.

The Christian tradition in India is as old as Christianity itself. Later the Portuguese and British accelerated the growth of Christianity. Like the Muslims Christians are meat and fish but developed their own cooking techniques.

Heavy use of spices serve not only to ensure that the diet incorporated many spices with medicinal baked such as turmeric but also restricted consumption of vegetables meat, and fish. Relative to cereal by providing a feeling of fullness to the individual even when quantity was restricted.

Food has always been the ultimatum for an indivual. Specially when encountered with an Indian, blending a variety of exotic flavours and spices, the meal isn't reallly complete.

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