Throughout history waves of invaders, traders, and settlers have left their marks on India. The Persians, Portuguese, and British have influenced Indian cooking. Perhaps the biggest differences in Indian cooking are religious - Hindu sects and castes have varying dietary habits and taboos, and Hindus do not eat beef, while Muslims do not eat pork.
Halal meat is that which has been slaughtered according to Islamic law.
Indian cuisine generally relies on vegetables and spices, including the famous curries. In India, curries are not pre-purchased, rather they are individually blended from various spices by each cook. Wheat, in the form of baked or grilled bread, is a staple in northern India, while rice is used in the south. In Kashmir, influences from Persia and Central Asia are strong, while Bengali cooking is similar to that of Bangladesh. Punjabi food is available in much of the rest of India because after India and Pakistan separated in 1947 millions of Hindus fled the Pakistani portion of the Punjab.