Deck 14: India

Question 1

Which European country invaded India in 300 BC, bringing their food customs with them and returning home with some food customs from India?

A) Spain
B) Greece
C) Portugal
D) England

Answer 1

Greece

Question 2

Which of the following food preparations was introduced to India by Moghuls from Persia when they invaded India in 500 BC?

A) Marinating meat in yogurt to tenderize and add flavor
B) Eating raw meats and seafood after marinating them in lemon juice
C) Poaching fish and shellfish in very flavorful broths
D) Smoking and salt curing of meats as a means of preservation

Answer 2

Marinating meat in yogurt to tenderize and add flavor

Question 3

Which European nation was the first to introduce chili peppers to Indian cooks which they had recently discovered while exploring Brazil?

A) Portugal
B) Spain
C) Denmark
D) England

Answer 3

Portugal

Question 4

What was the last foreign country to have control over much of India, finally vanquished in 1947 when India became an independent nation once again?

A) Germany
B) Portugal
C) England
D) Spain

Question 5

Which religion listed below, held by over 80% of India's population, laid down strict dietary laws that have influenced Indian cuisine since 500 AD?

A) Jewish
B) Muslim
C) Christianity
D) Hindu

Question 6

What natural feature of the Asian continent created a natural barrier between India and China, thus accounting for many differences in their respective cuisine?

A) The Himalayan Mountains
B) Bay of Bengal
C) The Ganges River
D) The Indian Ocean

Question 7

Which type of nut grows profusely at the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains in northern India?

A) Pecan
B) Peanut
C) Cashew
D) Walnut

Question 8

In which region can you find both the Ganges and Indus Rivers which provided fertile lands and abundant seafood for thousands of years?

A) West
B) North
C) East
D) South

Question 9

Which of the following foods could you easily associate with southern Indian cooking?

A) Coconuts and bananas
B) Goose and reindeer
C) Apples and Swiss chard
D) Cranberries and blackberries

Question 10

Which type of legume listed here is a common ingredient by itself or in stews and soups found everywhere in India?

A) Pinto beans
B) Peanuts
C) Snow peas
D) Lentils

Question 11

What is ghee, an ingredient used frequently in Indian cooking?

A) Clarified butter
B) Sweet bean paste
C) Hot spice mixture
D) Ground nut flour

Question 12

What name is given to the cone-shaped clay oven that Indians use to cook skewered meats and flatbreads?

A) Cataplana
B) Tangine
C) Dutch oven
D) Tandoor

Question 13

The Indian Karachi and the Oriental wok are both used to stir-fry fish, meats and vegetables quickly in hot flavorful oil. In what way are they different?

A) The Karachi is made from cast iron.
B) The Karachi has a hinged lid that fits on tightly for steaming.
C) The Karachi has a flat bottom.
D) The Karachi has two handles.

Question 14

Which of the following describes Indian chutney?

A) Fruit preserves
B) Yogurt drinks
C) Pureed pea soup
D) Spicy relish

Question 15

What are raita in Indian cuisine, usually served as cool accompaniments to otherwise spicy foods?

A) Sweet pickle relish
B) Indian ice cream
C) A form of rice pudding
D) Yogurt based salads

Question 16

Basmati rice is aged for up to six months before cooking, which gives it distinctive flavors and aromas.

Question 17

In southern India, foods are often wrapped in banana leaves and cooked directly in the fire, very similar to the way tamales are made in Mexico.

Question 18

For religious purposes, Hindus do not eat pork, nor do Muslims eat beef.

Question 19

Thanks to religious restraint and Moghul influences, lamb is the number one meat served in India today.

Question 20

Indians rarely eat fresh fruit, preferring dried and preserved fruits which last all year round.