History, religion and festivals

India is a vast country, with a total population of around 1.25 billion. The huge variations in terms of climate, geography and local produce have had a powerful influence on the nation’s food and cooking, but history and the many different religions practised across the land have also played their part in the development of culinary traditions and the shaping of eating habits. Together, these elements have helped the country’s cuisine to emerge as one of the most colourful and exotic in the world.