India's centuries-old dialogue with other cultures has led to the development of such culinary staples as falooda, idli and samosa.
The Indian sweet tooth has been the fortunate beneficiary of a rich tradition of desserts, from within its own traditions and outside.
The interaction between India and Britain led to the development of mulligatawny soup, while the modak has its roots in ancient Indian tradition.
The paan, India's favorite digestif, has its roots in contact with Southeast Asia, while the khichri has long been India's favorite comfort dish.