Pakistani Food in the American Culture

            Imagine for a moment, everyone in the world eats the same food, prepared in the exact same way. Boring, isn't it? But now let me ask you this "do people tend to think that the food in their own culture is good while other cultures are not so good? Well, here in America, that answer would be no. America, known for its diverse population, is advancing towards mainstreaming numerous amounts of ethnic dishes through acceptance and consumption. Research taken from the College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences from the University of Illinois indicates that 70 to 80 percent of consumers "are familiar with Chinese, German, French, Greek, Cajun/Creole, Japanese, Indian, Caribbean and Spanish cuisines- and that the reason for its popularity is because of the diverse immigration into the U.S. As ethnic groups grow larger, so is the change in American cuisine. As a result, various consumers are enthusiastically in quest of spicy foods, playing a vital role in giving recognition to other ethnic foods. That brings me to today's topic: The various Pakistani foods that have become popular in some regions of the US, the influence of Islam in its cuisine, and the countless types of herbs and spices used. .
             The cuisine of Pakistan is a mixture of Arab, Turkish, Persian and Indian influences. Roti (bread), chawal (rice), sabzi (vegetables) and gosht (meat) are the four main components of a Pakistani meal. Naan is the most popular form of bread and is eaten at almost any meal. Besides these basic foods, ceremonial occasions such as weddings have inspired a number of lavish dishes. A traditional dish at marriage feasts, for example, is chicken curry with either pilau or baryani. Ras gulla, made from cream of rice and milk, is an equally traditional wedding dessert. It is served in clay saucers topped by silver foil. Some sweet foods: mithai are sweets made of flour and milk or cream and are cooked in sweet syrups.