Indian cuisine encompasses a wide variety of regional cuisines native to
India. Given the range of diversity in soil type, climate, culture, ethnic group and occupations, these cuisines vary significantly from each other and use locally available
spices,
herbs,
vegetables and
fruits. Indian food is also heavily influenced by religious and cultural choices and traditions. There has also been
Central Asian influence on
North Indian cuisine from the years of
Mughal rule. Indian cuisine has been and is still evolving, as a result of the nation's cultural interactions with other societies.