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Home > culture > food > The Heartbreaking Truth About Indian Foods That Are Not Indian at All

The Heartbreaking Truth About Indian Foods That Are Not Indian at
All

Rutu Ladage
October 5, 2014
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14.7k Shares
You've been eating and drinking them all your life without knowing the actual origins! We bet you never knew these
Indian foods are not Indian at all but are a gift of foreign influences.

1. Samosa

Getty
That delicious samosa you always munch on as a tea-time snack or when sudden hunger-pangs hit is not Indian at all!
The triangular potato/meat-filled savoury dish that is easily found on every street-corner actually has origins in the
Middle East. Originally called 'sambosa', the Indian samosa was actually introduced to the country sometime between
the 13th and 14th century by traders of the Middle East. But whatever, we're just happy we get to hog these yummy
yummy snacks!

2. Gulab Jamuns

Getty
Ooh. We're sure your mouth is already watering. The very thought of these calorie-filled dough balls, deep-fried and
then soaked is enough to send anyone to food heaven. And what's more, this dish is so versatile that you can enjoy it
hot, cold or simply at room temperature. But the favourite Indian dessert originated in the Mediterranean and Persia.
Though the original form of the dessert is called luqmat al qadi and made of dough balls deep fried, soaked in honey
syrup and sprinkled with sugar, once it reached India, the recipe was modified. How we wish it was lunch-time already!

3. Vindaloo

Getty
The very sound takes you to the beaches of Goa and a relaxed family lunch. But the very spicy meat curry is not Goan
at all! Vindaloo has it's roots in Portuguese cuisine and it has been adapted from the very famous carne de vinha
d'alhos which is the Portuguese name for Vindaloo. Originally, Vindaloo was made of wine, pork and garlic and that is
how it derived it's name (vin - wine, alhos - garlic) though Indians modified it by using palm vinegar, pork/beef/chicken
and multiple spices. Though the original recipe does not use potatoes, Indians modified the recipe further by using
potatoes as the word "aloo" in Vindaloo means potato in Hindi. Now you know where that sudden piece of potato
popped up from between those meat chunks.

4. Shukto

Mix and Stir

This mouth-watering Bengali delicacy is another surprise which has it's origins in Portuguese cuisine. The Portuguese
influence extended all the way from Goa to Eastern Bengal or Bangladesh and the influences are visible in Bengali food
even today. Shukto is prepared from Karela or Bitter Gourd which is Indian in origin but was prepared by the
Portuguese in olden days. Slowly, Indian influences like multiple other vegetables and a dash of milk/sweet to cut the
spice were added to the dish. Just be happy you get to savour this amazing dish today!

5. Chai

Getty

The unassuming comfort drink of almost every Indian is in no way true desi. Famous the world over as chai (Starbucks
has a Chai Latte on their menu), tea has it's origins in China. While the Chinese used it as a medicinal drink, the Britains
soon discovered it and loved it's versatile nature. Now, the British being British wanted to cut China's monopoly in the
tea market. So, they brought the humble 'chai' to India (by teaching cultivation techniques to the tribals in North-East
India plus offering incentives to Britons who wanted to cultivate in India). And it has been a part of India ever since! In
fact, it was only in the 1950s that tea became so popular. Now, don't suddenly look down into that cup you're sipping
from while reading this!

6. Dal Bhaat

Getty
Dal Bhaat or Dal-rice is a comfort food all over India. There are even variations of this food like the Khichdi which are
very popular among Indians. Though dal bhaat seems like a very simple, Indian dish, it is not Indian at all. Dal bhaat is
actually of Nepali origin and it was through North Indian influences that the dish entered India and spread throughout the
region. We're sure you're going to dream of the Himalayas the next time you're eating this simple food!

7. Rajma

Getty
Rajma chawal has quickly spread from being a North Indian staple to being loved by most Indians. The dish which is as
popular as the North Indian chole-bhature is a wholesome meal in itself. However, the preparation of Rajma or the
kidney bean in Rajma chawal is not Indian. The bean was brought to India through Central Mexico and Guatemala. The
initial preparation or soaking and boiling the beans and adding a few spices is adapted from Mexican recipes. Rajma is a
staple in Mexican diet even today though it's Indian variants are quite different from the Mexican preparations. The bean
and recipes prepared using Rajma are famous in North India and the locals often add Indian spices and vegetables like
onions and tomatoes to make it tangy. Cool, isn't it?

8. Bandel Cheese

Getty
This is another staple Bengali dish which has Portuguese influences. While the cheese was developed in India and has
it's origins in Eastern India, it was created by the Portuguese using their own techniques for making cheese and breads.
The cheese which has developed into a wide variety today was originally available in just one variety. Over time, people
experimented and created the smoked flavor of Bandel cheese. It was the fermentation techniques of the Portuguese
that helped developed this cheese and in the olden days, it was made by Burmese cooks under Portuguese supervision.

9. Naan

Getty
This is one dish that is loved all over the world. A type of leavened bread, Naan is a staple of North India and is
available in almost all North Indian restaurants across the country. The Americans and Europeans have recently
discovered the joys of this bread and love pairing it with their chicken tikka. However, naan is not Indian but was
brought to India during the Mughal era. Naan has it's roots in Persian cuisine though the form of leavened bread is
actually Iranian. The soft, melt-in-the-mouth bread is surely a favourite but trying different forms with rose-water, khus
or stuffed naan might actually tingle your taste buds!

10. Jalebi

We even have an item number associated with this delicious sweet! How can it not be Indian? But it isn't. Jalebi is
actually from the Middle East though different variations of the sweet were found across different Asian regions.
Originally called zalabiya (Arabic)or the zalibiya (Persian), the dish was brought to India by Persian invaders. Today,
the dessert Jalebi is famous all over the country in different forms. While North India loves their thin and crispy jalebis,
the South Indian version consists of thicker and have a slightly different shape. Jaangiri and Imartee are variations of the
Jalebi. Wow! So many variations of just one sweet. No wonder you thought it was Indian!

11. Filter Coffee

"What?", you say, "How can Filter coffee not be Indian? Well, filter coffee became popular in India pretty late, in the

1950s, around the same time Chai began to get traction. Coffee was not a part of India till the 16th century when it was
smuggled into the country, by Baba Budan, on his pilgrimage to Mecca. On returning, he cultivated coffee and the drink
soon became popular. Indians would drink coffee without milk or sugar in place of liqueur. Filter coffee was popularised
by Coffee Cess Committee when they set up their first Coffee House in then Bombay in 1936. So much information!
Time for a kaapi break?
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