Most of the food items which define modern North Indian and Subcontinental cooking have origins inside the Indian subcontinent though many foods that are now a part of them are based on fruits and vegetables that originated outside the Indian subcontinent.
Vegetable origins
Vegetable | Hindi name | Tamil name | Telugu name | Kannada name | Origin | Likely time of introduction | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bitter Melon | karela | Paavarkai | Kaakara kaaya | Haagalu kaayi | Africa[1] | ||
Cabbage | Patta Gobhi | Muṭṭaikkōs | Ele koosu | Possibly European | During colonial times[2] | Derived from Wild Mustard | |
Calabash | Lauki/Pankaj | Curaikkāy | Anapukaya,sorakaya | Sore kaayi | China/Japan[3] | ||
Cauliflower | Phool Gobhi | kosu puvvu | Hoo kosu | Cyprus[4][5] | 1822 CE[6] | ||
Chili pepper | Mirch | Miḷakāy | mirapakaya | Menasina kaayi | Mesoamerica [7] | 1550 CE[7] | india |
Coriander | Dhaniya | Kottamalli | kotthimeera | Kothamari soppu | North Africa [8] or Mediterranean | 1000 AD [9] by Arabs | Mentioned in ancient Egypt |
Brinjal | Baingan | Kattirikkāy | vankaya | Badane kaayi | India/China[10] | ||
Fenugreek | Methi | Ventayam | menthi koora | Menthya | Near East [11] | 326 BC [12] | Alexander's campaign to India |
Garlic | Lahsoon | Pūṇṭu | Velluli/Elligadda | Belluli | possibly Middle East [13] | Unknown | |
Lemon | Neembú | Elumiccai | nimmakaya | Nimbe hannu | South China or Northeastern India[14] | 2000-1000 BC[14] | Lemon seeds found in the Harappan Bara culture excavations indicate time of spread[14] |
Moringa | Muruṅkai | Munakkaada | Nugge kaayi | India | |||
Okra | Bhindi | Veṇṭaikkāy | Bendakaaya | Bende kaayi | Highlands of Ethiopia and india[15] | 100-500 CE[15] | |
Onion | Pyaaz | Veṅkāyam | Ulligadda,ullipaya,erragadda | Eerulli | India [citation needed] | Unknown, but present by 500 BCE[16] | Mentioned in the Charaka Samhita |
Potato | Aloo | Uruḷaikkiḻaṅku | Bangala Dumpa/Aloo Gadda | Aloo gadde | South America (Peru/Bolivia) [17] | 1600 CE | Likely introduced by Portuguese traders |
Sweet Potato | Shakarkand | Iṉippu uruḷaikkiḻaṅku | Chilagada dumpa | Sihi genasu | South America [18] | 1600 CE) | Via Portugal |
Taro | Arbi / Arwi/ Guhiyaan | Seppankizhangu | Chaamadumpa, chaamagadda | Unknown (India, Polynesia or SE Asia) | Unknown | ||
Tomato | Tamatar | Takkāḷi | Tamata / rama phalam | Goode hannu | Latin America (Mexico to Peru) [19] | 1600 CE | Likely introduced by Portuguese traders |
Turnip | Shalgham | Ṭarṉip | Gedde kosu | West Asia or Eastern Europe [citation needed] | 1500 BC | Very early presence in the South Asia | |
Yam | Zimikand/Suran/kachalu/banda | Karunai kizhangu | Kanda | Genasu | Africa/Asia [citation needed] | 7000 BCE | Different types of yams by taste, colour, size, skin, acidity |
Fruit origins
Fruit | Hindi Name | Telugu Name | Tamil Name | Origin | Likely time of introduction | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apple | Seb | Āppiḷ | Central Asia (Kazakhstan) [20] | Unknown | ||
Mango | Aam | Mamidi Pandu | Māṅkaṉi | India | Unknown | Mango is mentioned by Hendrik van Rheede, the Dutch commander of the Malabar region in his 1678 book |
Mulberry | Shehtoot/Toot | Malperi | China/Japan | Unknown | Its white type is toxic whereas red is very sweet | |
Orange | Santara [citation needed] | Kamalapandu | Ārañcu | India | Unknown | A sweeter Indian variety was introduced by the Portuguese in Europe (ca. 15th century) |
Plum | Aloo Bokhara | Piḷam | Armenia | Unknown | ||
Tamarind | Hunase Hannu/ Imli | Chintakaya/Chintapandu | Puḷi | Africa | Unknown | Known for savourish taste, the fruit has mention since Harappan times |
Tangerine | Narangi | Narinja Pandu | Ṭēṅkariṉ | China | Unknown |
See also
References
Further reading
- "Domestication of plants in the Old World," Daniel Zohary and Maria Hopf, Oxford University Press, 2000.
- "History of Food," Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat, Blackwell Publishing, 1994.
- "Culture and Cuisine: A Journey Through the History of Food," Jean François Revel, Doubleday, 1982.
- "The Agrarian History of England and Wales," Edward John T. Collins, Stuart Piggott, Joan Thirsk, Cambridge University Press, 1981.
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