Ancient India gave birth to culinary traditions that still carry wide influence. Learn about the culture of the Aryans, whose religion prefigured Hinduism; food customs relating to caste; and the traditions of vegetarianism in Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. Also study the dietetic system of Ayurvedic medicine and the components of Indian cuisine.

Curry is one of the most widely used-and misused-terms in the culinary lexicon. Outside of India, the word curry is often used as a catchall to describe any Indian dish or Indian food in general, yet Indians rarely use it to describe their own cuisine.

A feast for the eyes as well as the mind, this is a comprehensive encyclopedia of the mouth-watering ingredients used in Indian cooking. Monisha Bharadwaj shares the secrets of Indian cuisine and celebrates variety and ingenuity. From asafoetida to walnuts, each of 100 ingredients is explored giving useful advice about its appearance and taste, how it grows, how to store it and, of course, its culinary uses, complemented with over 200 classic Indian dishes. Every ingredient is a vivid insight into India's great and colourful traditions, from the earthy, creamy lentil dishes and yogurt-based marinades in North Indian cooking to the rice, coconut and curry leaves that are the famous staples of the South. Including tips on how to balance hot, sweet and sour flavours, how to cook spices so that they achieve their full-bodied, almost nutty-tasting flavour and explanations for why it is so essential to brown onions to a deep russet colour, The Indian Kitchen will bring rich and heady flavours into the heart of every home.

"Sen, a noted author on Indian cuisine, consummately encapsulates the foodways in historical context, including the influence of the British period (the "Raj"). Among the topics covered are the restrictions of various religions and castes and the northern wheat-based vs. the southern rice-based cuisine, with an extensive review of each regional cuisine with typical meals. She characterizes the only-recent restaurant culture, with mention of Indian fare offered abroad. In addition, the Indian sweet tooth so apparent in the dishes made for many festivals and celebrations is highlighted. The roles of diet and health are also explained, with an emphasis on Ayruveda, which is gaining support in Western countries. A plethora of recipes for different regions and occasions complements the text."--BOOK JACKET.

From dal to samosas, paneer to vindaloo, dosa to naan, Indian food is diverse and wide-ranging-unsurprising when you consider India's incredible range of climates, languages, religions, tribes, and customs. Its cuisine differs from north to south, yet what is it that makes Indian food recognizably Indian, and how did it get that way? To answer those questions, Colleen Taylor Sen examines the diet of the Indian subcontinent for thousands of years, describing the country's cuisine in the context of its religious, moral, social, and philosophical development. Exploring the ancient indigenous plants such as lentils, eggplants, and peppers that are central to the Indian diet, Sen depicts the country's agricultural bounty and the fascination it has long held for foreign visitors. She illuminates how India's place at the center of a vast network of land and sea trade routes led it to become a conduit for plants, dishes, and cooking techniques to and from the rest of the world. She shows the influence of the British and Portuguese during the colonial period, and she addresses India's dietary prescriptions and proscriptions, the origins of vegetarianism, its culinary borrowings and innovations, and the links between diet, health, and medicine. She also offers a taste of Indian cooking itself--especially its use of spices, from chili pepper, cardamom, and cumin to turmeric, ginger, and coriander--and outlines how the country's cuisine varies throughout its many regions. Lavishly illustrated with one hundred images, Feasts and Fasts is a mouthwatering tour of Indian food full of fascinating anecdotes and delicious recipes that will have readers devouring its pages.