Outline of cuisines

Silesian bread buns with caraway seeds

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to cuisines:

What is a cuisine?

Cuisine – specific set of cooking traditions and practices, often associated with a specific culture. It is frequently named after the region or place where its underlining culture is present. A cuisine is primarily influenced by the ingredients that are available locally or through trade. Religious food laws can also exercise a strong influence on culinary practices.

What type of thing is a cuisine?

Style of food preparation –
Food and drink –
- Drink –
- Food –

Components of a cuisine

Drink of particular types
Food of particular types
Food preparation styles
Meals of particular styles

Types of cuisine

Main article: Cuisine

Ethnic cuisine
National cuisine
Regional cuisine

Cuisine styles

Ethnic and religious cuisines

Regional cuisines

Regional cuisine

African cuisine

African cuisine – the various cuisines of Africa use a combination of locally available fruits, cereal grains and vegetables, as well as milk and meat products. In some parts of the continent, the traditional diet features a preponderance of milk, curd and whey products. In much of tropical Africa, however, cow's milk is rare and cannot be produced locally (owing to various diseases that affect livestock). The continent's diverse demographic makeup is reflected in the many different eating and drinking habits, dishes, and preparation techniques of its manifold populations.^[1]

Central African cuisine

East African cuisine

Horn African cusine

North African cuisine

Southern African cuisine

West African cuisine

Asian cuisine

Main article: Asian cuisine

Ingredients common to many cultures in the east and Southeast regions of the continent include rice, ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, chilies, dried onions, soy, and tofu. Stir frying, steaming, and deep frying are common cooking methods. While rice is common to most Asian cuisines, different varieties are popular in the various regions; Basmati rice is popular in the subcontinent, Jasmine is often found across the southeast, while long-grain rice is popular in China and short-grain in Japan and Korea.^[2]Curry is also a common dish in found in southern and eastern Asia, however they are not as popular in eastern cuisines. Those curry dishes with origins in India and other South Asian countries usually have a yogurt base while Southeastern and Eastern curries generally use coconut milk as their foundation.^[3]

Central Asian cuisine

Main article: Central Asian cuisine

East Asian cuisine

East Asian cuisine – evolved with a common usage of oils, fats and sauces in the preparation of dishes.
- Chinese cuisine – originated in what is known as the Eight Great Traditions, though it can be generalized into northern styles that feature oils and strong flavors derived from ingredients such as vinegar and garlic while southern styles tend to favor fresh ingredients that are lightly prepared. It has become widespread throughout many other parts of the world — from Asia to the Americas, Australia, Western Europe and Southern Africa. In recent years, connoisseurs of Chinese cuisine have also sprouted in Eastern Europe and South Asia. American Chinese cuisine and Canadian Chinese food are popular examples of local varieties. Local ingredients would be adopted while maintaining the style and preparation technique.
  - Great Traditions
    - Eight Great Traditions – Regional cultural differences vary greatly amongst the different regions of China, giving rise to eight main regional cuisines, or Eight Great Traditions (八大菜系, Bā Dà Cài Xì)
      1. Anhui
      2. Cantonese
      3. Fujian
      4. Hunan
      5. Jiangsu
      6. Shandong
      7. Sichuan
      8. Zhejiang.
    - Four Great Traditions – are often considered as the standouts of Chinese cuisine and due to their influence are proclaimed as the Four Great Traditions (四大菜系, Sì Dà Cài Xì).
      1. Cantonese
      2. Sichuan
      3. Shandong
      4. Huaiyang cuisine – often viewed as the representation of the entire Jiangsu cuisine.
  - Chinese cultural subcuisines
    - Chinese Buddhist cuisine
    - Chinese Islamic cuisine
  - Chinese cuisines, by region
- Japanese cuisine – known for dishes such as sushi that focus on raw ingredients and deep fried dishes such as tempura.
  - Okinawan cuisine
  - Ainu cuisine
- Korean cuisine – features cooking methods such as sauteing and what is known in the West as barbecue. Strong flavors featuring spices derived from chili peppers can also be found in dishes such as kimchi.^[4]
- Mongolian cuisine
- Taiwanese cuisine

Southeast Asian cuisine

Southeast Asian cuisine – The styles of cuisine found in the Southeast Asian regions include a strong emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with a strong aromatic component that features such flavors as citrus and herbs such as mint, cilantro (coriander) and basil. Ingredients in the region contrast with the ones in the Eastern Asian cuisines, substituting fish sauces for soy sauce and the inclusion of ingredients such as galangal, tamarind and lemon grass. Cooking methods include a balance of stir-frying, boiling and steaming.^[4]

South Asian Cuisine

South Asian cuisine – Dishes in this area of the world are known for their use of hot peppers, black pepper, cloves, and other strong spices along with the flavored butter ghee. Common meats include lamb, goat and chicken; beef is not very common as in western cuisines because the tenets of the Hindu faith prohibit its consumption. Other staples of many of the cuisines include rice, chapati made from wheat and barley, and beans.^[4] The cuisine of South Asia has roots in Persia, Turkey, and the Middle East as well as practices taken from the Hindu beliefs practiced by the large population found in the region. Naan, a type of flat bread from the former regions is a common part of meals in many parts of South Asia.
- Bangladeshi cuisine
- Bhutanese cuisine
- Maldivian cuisine
- Nepalese cuisine
- Pakistani cuisine
- Sri Lankan cuisine
- 250px
  Indian cuisine – is characterized by its sophisticated and subtle use of many spices and vegetables grown across India and also for the widespread practice of vegetarianism across its society. Considered by some to be one of the world's most diverse cuisines, each family of this cuisine is characterized by a wide assortment of dishes and cooking techniques. As a consequence, Indian cuisine varies from region to region, reflecting the varied demographics of the ethnically diverse Indian subcontinent.^[5] India's religious beliefs and culture has played an influential role in the evolution of its cuisine. However, cuisine across India also evolved with the subcontinent's cross-cultural interactions with the neighboring Middle East and Central Asia as well as the Mediterranean, making it a unique blend of various cuisines across Asia.^[6]^[7] The colonial period introduced European cooking styles to India adding to its flexibility and diversity.^[8]^[9] Indian cuisine has also influenced cuisines across the world, especially those from Southeast Asia.^[10]^[11]^[12] In particular, curry has been widely adopted in cuisines around the world.
  - North Indian cuisines
  - South Indian cuisines
    - Kerela cuisine
    - Tamil cuisine
    - Andhra cuisine
    - Cuisine of Karnataka
    - Hyderabadi cuisine
  - East Indian cuisines
  - North-East Indian cuisines
  - West Indian cuisines
  - Other Indian cuisines

West Asian cuisine

Middle Eastern cuisine – various cuisines of the Middle East. Despite their similarities, there are considerable differences in climate and culture, so the term is not definitive.

Arab cuisine – various regional cuisines spanning the Arab World from Iraq to Morocco to Somalia to Yemen, and incorporating Levantine, Egyptian and others. It has also been influenced to a degree by the cuisines of Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, India, the Berbers and other cultures of the peoples of the region before the cultural Arabization brought by genealogical Arabians during the Arabian Muslim conquests.

Levantine cuisine – traditional cuisine of Ottoman Syria, now usually called the Levant. This region shared many culinary traditions under the Ottoman Empire which continue to be influential today. It covers the modern states of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Israel, northwest Iraq (the province of Mosul), and southern Turkey near Adana, Gaziantep, and Mardin.

European cuisine

European cuisine (alternatively, "Western cuisine") – generalized term collectively referring to the cuisines of Europe and other Western countries. European cuisine includes that of Europe and to some extent Russia, as well as non-indigenous cuisines of North America, Australasia, Oceania, and Latin America. The term is used by East Asians to contrast with Asian styles of cooking.^[13] This is analogous to Westerners referring collectively to the cuisines of Asian countries as Asian cuisine. When used by Westerners, the term may refer more specifically to cuisine in Europe; in this context, a synonym is Continental cuisine, especially in British English.

Southern European cuisine

Mediterranean cuisine
- Cypriot cuisine
Cuisines of the Balkans
Cuisines of the Italian Peninsula
- Italian cuisine - presents popular dishes like Pizza, Pasta, Lasagne, Mozzarella and other well-known food. Italian cuisine has been influenced by Ancient Greek, Ancient Roman, Etruscan cuisines and dates back to 4th century BCE. It maintains strong regional diversity and it uses a vast variety of ingredients, mostly because of the political divisions in Italian history and different climate and resources in the country. Most of the dishes are simple to prepare and not expensive, which is one of the reason it is very popular around the world.
  - Sicilian cuisine
- Maltese cuisine
- Sammarinese cuisine
Cuisines of the Iberian Peninsula
- Gibraltarian cuisine
- Portuguese cuisine
- Spanish cuisine – variety of dishes including thousands of recipes and flavors arising from Spain's extensive history with many cultural influences, and variations in geography and climate. It is heavily influenced by seafood available from the waters that surround the country, and reflects the country's deep maritime roots.

Cuisine of Oceania

Cuisines of the Americas

Cuisines of the Americas – the cuisines found across North and South America are based on the cuisines of the countries from which the immigrant peoples came, primarily Europe. However, the traditional European cuisine has been adapted to a greater or lesser degree and many local ingredients and techniques have been added to the tradition.

North American cuisine

North American cuisine
- Canadian cuisine
- Mexican cuisine
- American cuisine (USA) – is a style of food preparation derived from the United States. The cuisine has a history dating back before the colonial period when the Native Americans had a rich and diverse cooking style for an equally diverse amount of ingredients. With European colonization, the style of cookery changed vastly, with numerous ingredients introduced from Europe, as well as cooking styles and modern cookbooks. The style of cookery continued to expand into the 19th and 20th centuries with the influx of immigrants from various nations across the world. This influx has created a rich diversity and a unique regional character throughout the country. In addition to cookery, cheese and wine play an important role in the cuisine. The wine industry is regulated by American Viticultural Areas (AVA) (regulated appellation), similar to those laws found in countries such as France and Italy.

Central American cuisine

South American cuisine

Caribbean cuisine

Latin American cuisine

Latin American cuisine – incorporates influences from all over the world. Most came due to colonization and the resulting mixtures among the Native Americans, European immigrants, and African slaves. Different waves of immigration (Some resulting from wars, such as World War II) have also had a hand in this mixture, mainly in the form of immigrants from central and eastern Europe and from east Asia (mainly China and Japan).
- Central American cuisine – see above
- South American cuisine – see above
- Caribbean cuisine – see above

History of cuisine

Historical cuisines

Africa

Ancient Egyptian cuisine

Americas

Asia

Europe

References

^ Bea Sandler (1993). The African Cookbook. Diane and Leo Dillon (Illust.). Carol Publishing Group. ISBN 0-8065-1398-5. http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Cookbook/about_cb_wh.html. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
^ "The flavors of Asia". Quaker Oats Company. http://www.ricearoni.com/rar_flavorsOfTheWorld/asian/. Retrieved 2008-12-19. ^{[dead link]}
^ "Cuisine Areas Of Asia". Kraft Foods (Australia. 2007. http://www.kraft.com.au/CookingSchool/CookingBasics/AsianCuisine/CuisineAreasOfAsia/. Retrieved 2008-12-20.
^ ^a ^b ^c Le, C.N. (2008). "Asian Cuisine & Foods.". Asian-Nation: The Landscape of Asian America. http://www.asian-nation.org/asian-food.shtml. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
^ "www.indiaat60.in/backgrounders/Incredible-India@60-indian-cuisine.pdf" (PDF). http://www.indiaat60.in/backgrounders/Incredible-India@60-indian-cuisine.pdf.
^ Chandra, Sanjeev (2008-02-07). "www.thestar.com/article/300969". The Star (Toronto). http://www.thestar.com/article/300969. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
^ "www.indianfoodsco.com/Classes/CulinayHistory.htm". http://www.indianfoodsco.com/Classes/CulinayHistory.htm.
^ "www.mit.edu:8001/people/alycem/writing_indiancooking.html". http://www.mit.edu:8001/people/alycem/writing_indiancooking.html.
^ "www.inmamaskitchen.com/Indian_Cooking/history_Indian_food_cooking.html". http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/Indian_Cooking/history_Indian_food_cooking.html.
^ "www.vegvoyages.com/food.htm". http://www.vegvoyages.com/food.htm.
^ "www.asiafood.org/features_dietary_culture4.cfm". http://www.asiafood.org/features_dietary_culture4.cfm.
^ "www.cafemeetingplace.com/pdf/lesson_dec07.pdf" (PDF). http://www.cafemeetingplace.com/pdf/lesson_dec07.pdf.
^ Leung Man-tao (12 February 2007), "Eating and Cultural Stereotypes", Eat and Travel Weekly, no. 312, p. 76. Hong Kong

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