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When the peanut reached India with the
Portuguese, it had circled the earth, and two varieties
arrived. The larger, so-called Brazilian variety came east
from the Caribbean, through Africa to India. The second
variety was also carried by the Portuguese when they sailed
across the Pacific from Mexico. This was the smaller Peruvian
variety that traveled through Manila (Philippines) to China.
The Chinese had found ways to grow the peanut in volume
and to make oil with it. As it happened with tea, the peanut's
agricultural methods were transplanted to India.
East Indians, with a legacy of vegetarianism, latched onto
it as a source of protein, one that thrives in the tropics.
"In India, the peanut is never thought of as anything
but good for you," says Julie
Sahni.
Like China, India quickly prized the peanut as a
prolific source of oil. The southern regions of Maharashtra
and Gujarati became major oil producers. These regions also
made the most creative use of the peanut as a protein in
vegetarian dishes.
The recipe for Maharashtra-Style
Fiery Hot Tapioca and Peanut Croquettes shows the creative
uses that the cooks of Southern India made of peanuts as
a protein source and in vegetarian preparations. Serve
this as either an appetizer or a vegetarian main dish.
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