Onion and Garlic used in Indian Cooking?

[Vrindavan]

Are these ingredients common in traditional( Authentic ) Indian Cooking ?

 

Onion ?

Garlic ?

I wonder if they are used because of influenced by western dishes or not ?

Please clarify

Thanks

[Gita Dharma]

 

Are these ingredients common in traditional( Authentic ) Indian Cooking ?

 

Onion ?

Garlic ?

I wonder if they are used because of influenced by western dishes or not ?

Please clarify

Thanks

 

I lived in India for over a year and I can tell you that onion is a big part of the cuisine there; everything with lentils or potatoes seemed to have plenty of onion in it. I don't recall eating much garlic there (I ate mostly in restaurants). Surprisingly, their 'pure veg' restaurants don't have any soy products which is unthinkable for a Western vegetarian restaurant. Also at the McDonalds there they only serve chicken sandwiches so the influence of the West does seem to have some limits.

[Narasingh]

I know that both onion (Pyaaj) and garlic (leheson) are used in Indian cuisine in domestic rural India. As for the influence of western dishes, I am not aware of it. There are many Indians who won't use them, and usually (at least rurally speaking) these are the Indians who are shakahari (vegetarian). The mashaharis (meat eaters) tend to use them freely.

[shiva]

Garlic and onions are not imported from the west. Garlic and onions are said to increase rajas, passion, because of pungency, and therefore they are considered to be bad for people seeking to practice celibacy. They also cause bad body odor. But they are very valuable medicinally, especially garlic, which can kill practically any virus or bacteria and has a host of other medicinal benefits and is spoken of highly in traditional ayurvedic writings. For devotees in India who tend to get sick from bacteria and viruses, they could avoid getting sick or quickly cure their infections and sickness by taking garlic. See http://www.innovations-report.de/html/berichte/medizin_gesundheit/bericht-24405.html

 

What is ironic is that garlic and onions are considered rajasic because of their pungency, and therefore excluded from strictly sattvic diets among some followers of Vedic paths, but chilis are commonly eaten in large quantities by the same people, and they are much more pungent and rajasic than onions or garlic. People get very passionate after eating food with a lot of chili pepper, much more so than garlic or onions. The reason chili peppers are allowed is because there is nothing in any sastra about chilis, why? Because chilis were imported into India from the Americas. There were no chilis in Indian cuisine prior to the discovery of America by Colombus. See http://www.chillies-down-under.com/chilli-history-world.html

[Vrindavan]

chilis are only imported to India ?

 

wow, a new theory !

 

so the same for chilis in China as well ?

 

seems to me there is a long history of chilis in China

[Sonic Yogi]

 

chilis are only imported to India ?

 

wow, a new theory !

 

so the same for chilis in China as well ?

 

seems to me there is a long history of chilis in China

 

No, actually the hottest chili in the world is native to India.

 

check out the story:

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071026162420.htm

[Vrindavan]

>> I lived in India for over a year and I can tell you that onion is a big part of the cuisine there

 

you misunderstood my question, i means historically, not now.

 

For now, many indian restaurants use onions, in India or not in India.

 

What about in the past ?

 

>> I don't recall eating much garlic there (I ate mostly in restaurants).

 

i know one indian restaurant in my country like so much to add garlic to some of their dishes. favoured by their owner.

 

>> their 'pure veg' restaurants don't have any soy products which is unthinkable for a Western vegetarian restaurant.

 

The above restaurants mentioned also like to use soy sauce.

strange to me really,

another hidden source of MSG added.

 

i don't know what ingredients in Indian food will make me so thirsty,

if not salt ? not spices ?

so i guess may be the MSG added indirectly from their use of soy sauce or other types of supermarket brought sauces or seasonings.

[sant]

i dont think so though im not sure

heres the link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_cuisine

[kaisersose]

 

Are these ingredients common in traditional( Authentic ) Indian Cooking ?

 

Onion ?

Garlic ?

 

I wonder if they are used because of influenced by western dishes or not ?

 

Please clarify

 

Thanks

 

They are very common and have been used in the sub continent for thousands of years. Solely, for religious reasons, some sections of Indian society have refrained from consuming onion and garlic. But a lot of it has changed in the last 100 years or so.

 

The west played no role in the usage of onion and garlic in India. However, Red chili peppers, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Green string beans, Cauliflower, etc., came to India from the west in the last few hundred years.

 

The long pepper (Green) and Black pepper are native to India and have been long time export commodities.

 

Cheers

[bhaktajan]

There are the diaries/memoirs of French & Portugeuese Catholic missionaries who would have definitely recorded such things.

 

Such travel logs are often biased against 'noble-savages' and thus are scathing and derideing yet incidently record common daily dealings in unique literary records.

[sant]

india is the secon largest producer of onions and garlic as per 2005 : Food And Agricultural Organization of United Nations: Economic and Social Department: The Statistical Division

[sant]

here another link to history of onions

http://www.foodreference.com/html/onions-history-of-onions.html

[bhaktajan]

India is the secon largest producer of onions and garlic as per 2005 --maybe this is the legit faction [the 'front' cover] for illegit buisness bosses needing to launder cash from nefarious ventures from earnings mixed with opium resin?

 

...........................................................

india is the secon largest producer of onions and garlic as per 2005; and have been used in the sub continent for thousands of years . . .

 

So Columbus was looking for onions and garlic? Not Herbs, Spices and Salt?

[sant]

 

<HR style="COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=1><!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->

India is the secon largest producer of onions and garlic as per 2005 --maybe this is the legit faction [the 'front' cover] for illegit buisness bosses needing to launder cash from nefarious ventures from earnings mixed with opium resin?

 

.................................................. .........

india is the secon largest producer of onions and garlic as per 2005; and have been used in the sub continent for thousands of years . . .

 

So Columbus was looking for onions and garlic? Not Herbs, Spices and Salt?

 

.................................................. .........

sorrry i dont understand i got an e in english in school

 

if its the report then heres the link

<TABLE class=wikitable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 border=1><TBODY><TR>.... colSpan=5>Top Ten Garlic Producers — 11 June 2008.....></TR><TR>.... bgColor=#ddddff>Country.....>.... bgColor=#ddddff>Production (Tonnes).....>.... bgColor=#ddddff>Footnote.....></TR><TR><TD> People's Republic of China</TD><TD align=right>12,088,000</TD><TD align=middle>F</TD></TR><TR><TD> India</TD><TD align=right>645,000</TD><TD align=middle>F</TD></TR><TR><TD> South Korea</TD><TD align=right>325,000</TD><TD align=middle>F</TD></TR><TR><TD> Russia</TD><TD align=right>254,000</TD><TD align=middle>F</TD></TR><TR><TD> United States</TD><TD align=right>221,810</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR><TD> Egypt</TD><TD align=right>168,000</TD><TD align=middle>F</TD></TR><TR><TD> Spain</TD><TD align=right>142,400</TD><TD align=middle></TD></TR><TR><TD> Argentina</TD><TD align=right>140,000</TD><TD align=middle>F</TD></TR><TR><TD> Myanmar</TD><TD align=right>128,000</TD><TD align=middle>F</TD></TR><TR><TD> Ukraine</TD><TD align=right>125,000</TD><TD align=middle>F</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#cccccc> World</TD><TD align=right bgColor=#cccccc>15,686,310</TD><TD align=middle bgColor=#cccccc>A</TD></TR><TR><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 0.7em" colSpan=5>No symbol = official figure, P = official figure, F = FAO estimate, * = unofficial/semiofficial/mirror data,

C = calculated figure, A = aggregate (may include official, semiofficial, or estimates).

Source: Food And Agricultural Organization of United Nations: Economic and Social Department: The Statistical Division

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[edit] Uses

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garlic

garlic one is 2008 report

sorry

[bhaktajan]

So India is full of Yavana?

[bhaktajan]

My Uncle would drink Beer and especially wine with his meal.

 

Women who eat anything that smells like fish, onions and garlic --wont mind smelly men. Correct?

 

When garbage is left for collection --it smells like onion and garlic [at least to me].

 

Have you ever tried this 'line' --to attract the attention of a pretty woman?:

"Ah, you are so beautiful, and you smell like garlic!"

Or is it the wrong order?

"First cook with me something with garlic --and who cares if she & you both smell of garlic?"

 

India is second to China? What do the Chinese possess that India has yet to achieve --in cuisine expertise?

 

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Sant, do you not know the western significance of this question?:

So Columbus was looking for onions and garlic?

 

It is taught that Columbus to find a quick route to the 'Indies' --inorder to primarily acquire "Spices". It was called the Spice-Trade-Route. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spice_trade

[sant]

im sorry im not a historian but this link might help you

maybe this link can help http:

//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yavana_Kingdom

 

if you refer to greeks then id dont think i have encountered a greek in india i think atleast no foreigner has told me hes a greek

[sant]

 

My Uncle would drink Beer and especially wine with his meal.

 

Women who eat anything that smells like fish, onions and garlic --wont mind smelly men. Correct?

 

When garbage is left for collection --it smells like onion and garlic [at least to me].

 

Have you ever tried this 'line' --to attract the attention of a pretty woman?: "Ah, you are so beautiful, and you smell like garlic!" Or is it the wrong order? First cook with garlic --and then what matter if she smells like garlic?

 

India is second to China? What do the Chinese possess that India has yet to achieve --in cuisine expertise?

 

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Sant, do you not know the western significance of this question?:

So Columbus was looking for onions and garlic?

 

This is what is taught as for the reason for columbus to find a quick route to the 'Indies'.

 

oh thank you

dont waste your mind explaining to me i just dont unerstand what you want to say

[bhaktajan]

Well thanks for the impetus to research:

 

Yes, I was talking about the Greeks [garlic eaters] --but you last reply made think of all those Greek invaders along with Alexander The Great . . .

 

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Yavanas:

Yavana was the name of one of the sons of Mahäräja Yayäti who was given the part of the world known as Turkey to rule.

 

Therefore the Turks are Yavanas due to being descendants of Mahäräja Yavana. The Yavanas were therefore kñatriyas, and later on, by giving up the brahminical culture, they became mleccha-yavanas.

 

Descriptions of the Yavanas are in the Mahäbhärata (Ädi-parva 85.34). Another prince called Turvasu was also known as Yavana, and his country was conquered by Sahadeva, one of the Päëòavas.

 

The western Yavana joined with Duryodhana in the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com<st1:place w:st=" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Battle</st1:place></st1:City> of Kurukñetra under the pressure of Karëa. It is also foretold that these Yavanas also would conquer <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>, and it proved to be true.

..........................................................................................................................................

 

SB 4.27.24

 

"Approaching the King of the Yavanas, Kälakanyä addressed him as a great hero, saying: My dear sir, you are the best of the untouchables. I am in love with you, and I want you as my husband. I know that no one is baffled if he makes friends with you."

 

 

 

PURPORT

 

 

 

The words yavanänäm åñabham refer to the King of the Yavanas. The Sanskrit words yavana and mleccha apply to those who do not follow the Vedic principles. According to the Vedic principles, one should rise early in the morning, take bath, chant Hare Kåñëa, offer maìgala-ärati to the Deities, study Vedic literature, take prasäda and engage in dressing and decorating the Deities.

One must also collect money for the temple expenditures, or if one is a householder he must go to work in accordance with the prescribed duties of a brähmaëa, kñatriya, vaiçya or çüdra. In this way one should live a life of spiritual understanding, and this is the Vedic way of civilization. One who does not follow all these rules and regulations is called a yavana or mleccha.

One should not mistakenly think that these words refer to certain classes of men in other countries. There is no question of limitation according to nationalism. Whether one lives in <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> or outside of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place>, he is called a yavana or mleccha if he does not follow the Vedic principles.

One who does not actually follow the hygienic principles prescribed in the Vedic rules and regulations will be subjected to many contagious diseases. Because the students in this Kåñëa consciousness movement are advised to follow the Vedic principles, they naturally become hygienic.Yavanas: Yavana was the name of one of the sons of Mahäräja Yayäti who was given the part of the world known as <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Turkey</st1:country-region></st1:place> to rule.

Therefore the Turks are Yavanas due to being descendants of Mahäräja Yavana. The Yavanas were therefore kñatriyas, and later on, by giving up the brahminical culture, they became mleccha-yavanas.

Descriptions of the Yavanas are in the Mahäbhärata (Ädi-parva 85.34). Another prince called Turvasu was also known as Yavana, and his country was conquered by Sahadeva, one of the Päëòavas. The western Yavana joined with Duryodhana in the Battle of Kurukñetra under the pressure of Karëa. It is also foretold that these Yavanas also would conquer <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>, and it proved to be true.

 

 

 

 

...........................................................

 

 

 

 

CC Madhya 18.213

 

 

"In this way Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu performed His pastimes. Coming to the western part of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place>, He bestowed good fortune upon the yavanas and mlecchas."

 

 

 

PURPORT

 

 

The word yavana means “meat-eater.” Anyone from a meat-eating community is called a yavana. One who does not strictly observe the Vedic regulative principles is called a mleccha. These words do not refer to any particular man. Even if a person is born in a brahmaëa, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra family, he is a mleccha or yavana if he does not strictly follow the regulative principles or if he eats meat.

 

..........................................................................................................

 

CC Antya 3.50

 

 

"My dear Thakura Haridasa, in this Age of Kali most people are bereft of Vedic culture, and therefore they are called yavanas. They are concerned only with killing cows and brahminical culture. In this way they all engage in sinful acts."

 

 

 

PURPORT

 

 

From this statement by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu we can clearly understand that the word yavana does not refer only to a particular class of men. Anyone who is against the behavior of the Vedic principles is called a yavana. Such a yavana may be in <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> or outside of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>. As described here, the symptom of yavanas is that they are violent killers of cows and brahminical culture. We offer our prayers to the Lord by saying, namo brahmaëya-devaya go-brahmaëa-hitaya ca. The Lord is the maintainer of brahminical culture. His first concern is to see to the benefit of cows and brahmaëas. As soon as human civilization turns against brahminical culture and allows unrestricted killing of cows, we should understand that men are no longer under the control of the Vedic culture but are all yavanas and mlecchas. It is said that the <st1:place w:st="on">Krishna</st1:place> consciousness movement will be prominent within the next ten thousand years, but after that people will all become mlecchas and yavanas. Thus at the end of the yuga, <st1:place w:st="on">Krishna</st1:place> will appear as the Kalki avatara and kill them without consideration.

.......................................................................

SB 9.16.33P:

In Vedic literature there are names like mleccha and yavana.

 

The mlecchas are understood to be those who do not follow the Vedic principles.

 

In former days, the mlecchas were fewer, and Viçvämitra Muni cursed his sons to become mlecchas.

 

But in the present age, Kali-yuga, there is no need of cursing, for people are automatically mlecchas.

 

This is only the beginning of Kali-yuga, but at the end of Kali-yuga the entire population will consist of mlecchas because no one will follow the Vedic principles.

 

At that time the incarnation Kalki will appear.

 

Mleccha-nivaha-nidhane kalayasi kara-bälam.

 

He will kill all the mlecchas indiscriminately with his sword.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bhaktajan]

oh thank you

dont waste your mind explaining to me i just dont unerstand what you want to say

 

<!-- / message -->That is "Ironic" coming from you!

 

..............................................................

It is taught that Columbus to find a quick route to the 'Indies' --inorder to primarily acquire "Spices". It was called the Spice-Trade-Route. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spice_trade

 

<!-- / message -->But now am I being taught that western civilisation was bereft of onions and garlic until it came in contact with India? I don't think so.

 

It seems apparent that western civilisation was un-schooled in the science of first class cuisine.

[sant]

 

oh thank you

dont waste your mind explaining to me i just dont unerstand what you want to say

 

<!-- / message -->That is "Ironic" coming from you!

 

<!-- / message -->

 

WHY ?

 

I HAVETO FIND MEANINGS OF THE ENGLISH WORDS YOU WRITE

I SEE ENGLISH MEANINGS WHICH ITHINK IV JUST FORGOTTEN AGAIN

[sant]

You Mean Im Being Sarcastic

[bhaktajan]

You Mean Im Being Sarcastic?

 

No.

By 'Ironic' --I'm referring to Sambya's accusation made to you [on other threads] that you do know what you are talking about;

 

but you might be hiding it by posing questions that seem to come from a person who is not already expert.

 

It was a refernce to Sambhya's [un-deserved] chasticement of you. You do remember which post(s) Sambya scolded you?

[sant]

No That Was Ranjeetmore In Vishnu Not Supreme

Hes A Vaishnav i think so or atleast on the process to become and answered my questions So I Will Not Be Rude To Him now but his

 

Besides Dont Know Which Post But I Do Agree That I Have Been Faulty At Times

I Am Not An Expert Sir J I Am Learning From You AND Others

Let Me Tell You Something You Might Already Know

Ive Read In Buddhist Teachin That Let Everything In Life Be A Teacher

 

 

So I Try Learning From Thingss Not Everything But Stilll

Chasticism? Please

[bhaktajan]

Oy Vey!

 

Sambhya's [un-deserved] chasticement of you:

 

http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/devi-mandir/452402-devi-bhagwat-mayavi.html#post1135214