Asian cuisine in the context of "Cuisines of the Indian subcontinent"

South Asian cuisine includes the traditional cuisines from the modern-day South Asian republics of Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, also sometimes including the kingdom of Bhutan and the emirate of Afghanistan. Also sometimes known as Desi cuisine, it has been influenced by and also has influenced other Asian cuisines beyond the Indian subcontinent.

Turmeric (/ˈtɜːrmərɪk, ˈtjuː-/), or Curcuma longa (/ˈkɜːrkjʊmə ˈlɒŋɡə/), is a flowering plant in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. It is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia that requires temperatures between 20 and 30 °C (68 and 86 °F) and high annual rainfall to thrive. Plants are gathered each year for their rhizomes, some for propagation in the following season and some for consumption or dyeing.

The rhizomes can be used fresh, but they are often boiled in water and dried, after which they are ground into a deep orange-yellow shelf-stable spice powder commonly used as a coloring and flavoring agent in many Asian cuisines, especially for curries (curry powder). Turmeric powder has a warm, bitter, black pepper-like flavor and earthy, mustard-like aroma.

Porridge is a type of semi-solid food made by soaking, poaching or boiling, in milk or water, ground, crushed or chopped starchy plants, typically grain. Gruel is a thinner version of porridge, and congee is a savoury variation of porridge of Asian origin.

Porridge is often cooked with added flavourings such as sugar, honey, fruits or syrup to sweeten the cereal, or it can be mixed with spices, meat or vegetables to make a savoury dish. It is usually served hot in a bowl or a pot, depending on its consistency. Oat porridge, known as oatmeal in North America, is one of the most common types; while rice porridge is more common in Asia.

Edible flowers are flowers that can be consumed safely. Flowers may be eaten as vegetables as a main part of a meal, or may be used as herbs. Flowers are part of many regional cuisines, including Asian, European, and Middle Eastern cuisines.

North American cuisine includes foods native to or popular in countries of North America, such as Canadian cuisine, American cuisine, African American cuisine, Mexican cuisine, Caribbean cuisine and Central American cuisine. North American cuisines display influence from many international cuisines, including Native American cuisine, Jewish cuisine, African cuisine, Asian cuisine, Middle Eastern cuisine, and especially European cuisine.

As a broad, geo-culinary term, North American cuisine also includes Caribbean and Central American cuisines. These regions are part of North America, so these regional cuisines also fall within the penumbra of North American cookery.

Bird's eye chili or Thai chili (Thai: พริกขี้หนู, romanized: prik ki nu, lit. ''mouse-dropping chili'' owing to its shape) is a chili pepper variety from the species Capsicum annuum that is native to Mexico. Cultivated across Southeast Asia, it is used extensively in many Asian cuisines. It may be mistaken for a similar-looking chili derived from the species Capsicum frutescens, the cultivar siling labuyo. Capsicum frutescens fruits are generally smaller and characteristically point upwards. In the Marianas and Guam, these are often called boonie peppers or Doni Sali, which can be a term for regional wild (technically feral) varieties. The variation between different varieties can be significant for regional dishes or visuals, such as the Thai ornamental varieties.