Indian meals and dishes have always been strongly influenced by religion and culture, and is divided into four basic styles complementing the indigenous regions:
North Indian-Kashmiri, Mughlai, Banarasi and Punjabi East Indian-Bengali,Assamese and Nepali South Indian-Kannada,Tamil and Telegu West Indian- Gujarati and Marathi.
North Indian cuisine is vastly different from other Indian regional foods. In northern India, the food is prominently influenced by Hinduism and Jainism, so most people follow a vegetarian lifestyle. Though Hindus are mostly vegetarian, the Mughal reign in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries changed Indian cuisine with many dishes. North Indian curries usually have thick, moderately spicy and creamy gravies. The use of dried fruits and nuts are fairly common even in everyday foods. Dairy products like milk, cream, cottage cheese, ghee (clarified butter) and yogurt play an important role in the cooking of both savory and sweet dishes. Thanks to the fact that such a rich variety of fruit and vegetable are available at all times of the year, the region produces a dazzling array of vegetarian dishes.
