Have you ever imagined that food can bring history and mystery to it?
- Etymology - The name "samosa" was derived from Persian word"sanbosag". other names for samosa before the actual name were "sanbusaq", "sanbusak", and "sanbusaj".
- Evolution - The triangle-shaped dough filled with different kinds of stuff was introduced in the Indian subcontinent in the 13th or 14th century by traders from central Asia. It has traveled a long route, from the middle east and central Asia passing through Africa and arrived in Southeast Asia and South Asia.
According to the evidence of a piece of a poem written by a Persian poet named "Ishaq al-Mawsili", where he wrote about the praise of samosa in the 9th century. so, it is believed that it was found in the 9th century in the middle east and central Asia.
Many recipes for samosa were found in the 10th- 11th century in Arab cookery books. Initially, the samosas were filled with non-veg, and then in this modern era, it is also available with veg stuffings.
Amir Khusro (1235-1325), a scholar and the royal poet of the Delhi sultanate, wrote in around 1300 CE that the prince and nobles enjoyed the "samosa" prepared from meat, ghee, onion, and so on.
- Current scenario - Now in this modern era, samosa has taken another great evolution. you can find many varieties of samosa in the streets of India with different names. The Desi samosa filled with potatoes, paneer, and vegetables to the Chinese stuffings like pasta, noodles.
- Varieties - Non-veg samosa, veg samosa filled with potatoes or vegetables, panner samosa, noodles stuffed samosa, macaroni samosa, samosa chaat topped with curd and green chutney. These quite popular varieties in the recent scenario.
Paratha
- Etymology - This Hindi word "Paratha" is derived from Sanskrit words. It is an amalgamation of the words "parat" and "atta", it means a layer of cooked dough.
- Evolution - Paratha's evolution has two different aspects and which sometimes contradicts. according to date, first comes the king Someshvara 3rd, who ruled from present-day Karnataka mentioned recipes for various stuffed wheat puranpolis(which achaya(2003) describes as parathas) are mentioned in "Manasollasa" a 10th century Sanskrit encyclopedia.
Another earlier reference mentioned by Nijar (1968) in his book Punjab under the sultans,1000-1526 AD. He writes that Parauthas, were common with nobility in Punjab.
- Current scenario - Now Parathas have become the common dish and mandatory in the main course of the meal, especially in north India. as authentic Indian food, it has spread all over in India from the north.
- Varieties - There are many plain parathas, stuffed parathas, and layered parathas. Stuffed parathas like stuffing pf panner, potatoes, pulses, meat, etc. layered parathas are named "lacha paratha".
Momos
- Etymology - The name "Momo" points to northern China. The name Momo spread to Tibet, Nepal, and India. the word "Momo" is a colloquial form of the Tibetan word "mog mog".
- Evolution - The steamed dumpling took two main routes to spread its popularity. it is believed that it was spread by caravan routes connecting to the central Asian steppe to both east and west.
Another one was the Himalayan Momos, which was spread from Tibet along with the inflow of the Tibetan diaspora. also, there is a belief that traveling Newar merchants brought the recipes and the name "Momo" from Tibet where the Newar merchants used to go for the trade.
Originally, the filling of Momos was meat such as yak, due to the scarcity of vegetables in Tibetan. Momos have become the delicacy in Nepal and Tibet communities, people of Ladakh, northeast India, Darjeeling.
- Current scenario - Momos never failed to be in trend. now it's available in each corner of the streets in India. Momos are not yet popular in south Indian regions but in the north where you can find in every market selling.
- Varieties - There are steamed and fried moms which have many varieties like, steamed veg Momos, steamed non-veg Momos, fried Momos both veg, and non-veg, pan-fried, tandoor Momos, gravy Momos, and many.
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