If there's anything beyond Bollywood and cricket that the world looks up to India for, it has to be food. India, as a country has one of the most diverse and rich food scene in the world. To top that, the very fact that the country has always attracted wanderers from across the world, India's food scene also has a lot of international influences. In fact, you'd be surprised to know that food items like samosa and jalebi which you always thought were from India, are actually not!
Here are eight iconic Indian food items that don't have desi origins at all!
1. Rajma chawal
A unanimous favourite in North Indian homes, rajma, or kidney beans doesn't belong to India at all! Kidney beans were never grown in the country in the first place and were in fact, brought in by the Portuguese. As for the common preparation style where the beans are soaked, boiled and then cooked with species is something that comes from Mexico! Of course, we Indians only amped up the spice factor to give kidney beans a completely new meaning.
2. Jalebi
Despite the fact that this dessert that has many-a regional variations across the country, jalebi is also not an Indian preparation. The much-loved sweet was introduced in India by Persian invaders. In fact the name jalebi also comes from the dessert's Persian name ‘zalibiya’ or ‘zulabiya’ while it is called 'zalabiya' in Arabic.
3. Samosa
When you think of the perfect evening snack on a rainy day, it is most likely that the first thing that comes to mind is a samosa. The potato-filled snack has united one and all since time immemorial but you'll be surprised to know that it originates from the middle-east. Legend has it that the popular tea-time snack was first brought in by traders in the 14th century. Indians took to samosas in no time and there just hasn't been any looking back ever since.
4. Gulab Jamun
Gulab Jamuns as we know them, are deep fried dough balls soaked in sugar water but did you know that they were never meant to be prepared in this manner! Before gulab jamuns became the staple Indian dessert, the Persians used to soak them in pure honey that would give them a completely different taste palate. Luqmat al qadi, the original gulab jamun got quite a makeover upon reaching India and became a go-to dessert that you can't help but obsess over.
5. Chicken Tikka Masala
It is believed that chicken tikka masala, yet another popular delicacy in North India was actually invented when a chef in Glasgow decided to mix tomato soup in chicken curry to appease a customer. The dish took the Scottish town by storm and in no time, travelled far and wide including India where it reached its present form. So the next time you're feasting on to chicken tikka masala, don't forget to remember the one man who started it all!
6. Chai
Love it or hate it but if you're in India, you just cannot ignore chai. It is one of the most grown and consumed products in India but believe it or not, chai or tea, actually has its origins in China. The Chinese had been using tea as a medicinal drink before the British came across it and decided to bring it to India. The British also taught tribes in north-east India the art of tea cultivation and ever since, tea has become synonymous to India.
7. Filter Coffee
Yet another drink that is associated with India and loved across states but has its routes abroad is filter coffee. The beverage was first made in Yemen where it was consumed without milk and sugar, as a substitute to liquor. It is believed that Baba Budan, a sufi saint first smuggled the beverage to India and it was only after a coffee house was set up in Mumbai in 1936 that Indians started brewing up filter coffee.
8. Dal rice
A dish reminiscent of the entire idea of home cooked food, dal rice is as basic yet as comforting as it can get. However, did you know that the perfect comfort food actually comes from Nepal? Yes, it was the locals in Nepal who are credited to having first paired cooked lentils with boiled rice. The combination just clicked, travelled through the shared borders with North India and became a staple meal of sorts.