The Illustrated Foods Of India

The Illustrated Foods of India contains a wealth of information on the food materials, food ethos, cuisine, and recipes of India. Drawing up material from a range of sources - literature, archaeology, epigraphic records, anthropology, philology, and botanical and genetic studies - the book details the history of Indian food from the prehistoric times through British rule till date. Arranged in alphabetical order, the book is profusely illustrated with line drawings and photographs.

An alphabetical listing of Indian food materials, cuisines and recipes of India, and the health aspects of the foods, which makes reference to the literature, archaeology, historical writing, botany and genetics of India.

The extreme diversity of Indian food culture—including the dizzying array of ingredients and dishes—is made manageable in this groundbreaking reference. India has no national dish or cuisine; however, certain ingredients, dishes, and cooking styles are typical of much of the subcontinent's foodways. There are also common ways of thinking about food. The balanced coverage found herein covers many states ignored by previous food writers. Students will find much of cultural interest here to complement country studies and foodies will discover fresh perspectives. From prehistoric times there has been considerable mixing of cultures and cuisines within India. Today, the endless variations in cuisine reflect religious, community, regional, and economic differences and histories. 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.

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.

Within this volume are 350 user-friendly recipes from all over India, a country whose diverse cultures and religions are reflected in its cuisine. The recipes include background information and are designed to educate cooks in order to make them more comfortable with Indian food.

The Book of Curries and Indian Foods is a richly varied collection of more than 100 recipes, encompassing many different regional cooking styles. Beautifully illustrated in full color, the step-by-step recipes show you how to use unusual ingredients and achieve the authentic flavors of India. Book jacket.

This Book Outlines The Variety Of Cuisines, Food Materials And Dishes That Collectively Form Indian Food . It Draws Upon A Range Of Sources Literature, Archeology, Epigraphic Records, Anthropology, Philology, Botanical And Genetical Studies To Trace The History Of Indian Food: Classification, Customs, Rituals And Beliefs, Including The Etymology Of Food Terms. It Shows How Our Wonderful Indian Cuisine, With All Its Regional Variants, Is The Outcome Of Food Plants Brought Into India From Numerous Directions Over Thousands Of Years. And Of A Social Ethic In Which Cleanliness Was Indeed Next To Godliness.

Authentic Regional Cuisine of India is a beautifully written and illustrated cook book, as well as a travelogue and history of the famous Grand Trunk Road since its emergence as India’s first route for traders. The book follows Hardeep Singh Kohli’s travels along this age-old route, starting in Calcutta and linking with Lucknow, Aligargh, and Delhi before curling north into the Punjab. This book takes a fascinating look at the food, culture and traditions that have sprung up along the road, with recipes that reflect the eating traditions of the real India. The recipes are provided by Anirudh Arora, head chef at Moti Mahal in London, who has devoted his career to researching the long-forgotten cuisine of rural India as found along the old Grand Trunk Road. Nostalgic favorites include ‘bhalla papadi chaat', a dish discovered in the streets of North India featuring crisp-fried pastry and chickpeas with a tamarind and mint chutney. From the seductive barbecued flavours of the Punjab to the sublime dals and vegetarian food of Lucknow, this is an eye-opening look at Indian food.