Indian cuisine is more than 4,000 years old and is as varied and complex as its 28 states and 200-plus language dialects.

The earliest civilizations were the Harappa and Mohenjodaro, from which the holistic Ayurvedic tradition of cooking and health sciences derived, according to various food references.

Later, Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism influenced the rise of vegetarianism, primarily in the south. Then came the Muslim invasion from the north (the distinctive “;tandoor”; clay oven originated in Central Asia), bringing lavish meats and sweets. British colonization led to Anglo-influenced cuisine and the development of teas.

“;You have to realize that India is only about one-third the size of the U.S., but each state is entirely different, with its own culture and language,”; explained Bombay Indian Restaurant owner Ashwani Ahuja. “;I could drive to the next state and not understand a word spoken, and the food would be entirely different.”;

Rice is the staple in South India, according to Ahuja, because there is no wheat. Being on the coast, it has many seafood dishes, and the food is very spicy.

India Cafe co-owner Jiva Segaran said the weather is much hotter in the south, so the food's spiciness might derive from the belief that “;sweat is our body's natural air conditioning.”;

Wheat is grown in the north, Ahuja said, so there are many breads (the famous naan bread derives from the north), and the cuisine is usually milder and nonvegetarian (goat, chicken and lamb are consumed).

Zaffron Restaurant owner Taiyab Khan described South Indian food as “;dark, with heavy spices, using coconut milk, and a lot of seafood because it's on the shores,”; whereas northern food is “;not hot, using a lot of dairy and beef, and very colorful, with a lot of yellows and reds.”;

To the east are West Bengal and Calcutta, where rice and fish are consumed—hardly any vegetables—and the spiciness factor is “;medium,”; according to Ahuja. Bombay is to the west, known for soups, lentils and other vegetables, deep-fried dishes and sweets—some of these foods can be fairly spicy.

“;Indians use more exotic spices, such as star anise, cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, mustard seed and fennel,”; said Segaran, “;and we use longer, slower cooking times to bring out all those flavors.”;