To Prasanna,
For partnering with me in gluttony. For introducing me to escape velocity. For giving me wings. Sharing this one life and its little journeys with you is my greatest blessing. (Clooney just didnt make the cut.)
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Interior Photographs Stockfood/Artfeeder,
Front cover photography Suzanne Clements
Illustrations Tom Bingham
ISBN: 978-1-62315-696-1
eBook 978-1-62315-697-8
A Culinary Adventure
THROUGH THE WORLD OF AUTHENTIC INDIAN FOOD
Arm yourself with the secrets behind authentic Indian food and get to know tips and tricks that will simplify the cuisine for your kitchen and your dining table.
The journey begins in the North with classics like Tandoori Chicken ().
Move on to the Northeast with the delicious flavors of Naga Pork with Bamboo Shoots ().
Stop over in the East for lovely seafood delicacies like Shrimp in Coconut Cream Sauce ().
Head to the beautiful South for breakfast delights like Easy Rice and Lentil Crpes ().
End your adventure in West and Central India with Goan Shrimp and Okra Curry ().
Also included are popular Indian fusion dishes, like the Chinese-inspired Manchurian Fish ().
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
I was born and raised in Bombay (now Mumbai), one of the most cosmopolitan cities in India. Rich in history, the city shows signs of its early colonization, as well as more recent changes from the growing migrant population hailing from all regions of Indiaeveryone living, sharing, and blending into a fascinating ethnic mosaic. My own cultural background mirrors the melting pot of the city, with half my family being Anglo-Indian (a small community of British colonial rulers who married into the Indian community and formed a new subculture) and half being Mangalorean (natives of a seaside district in Southern India). Just to make the mix more interesting, I grew up alongside a variety of religious communities and married a Hindu. Suffice it to say, this wonderful intermingling puts beautiful food on the table.
As a child, ironically, I ran away from food. Id sneak away and throw a bitter tantrum only to be reminded that food can never be wasted. Indians at home firmly believe that food is akin to Godand whats on your plate must be eaten. So when I was a child, my grandfather would sit me down on his lap and read me stories while giving me the freedom to mix my morsels more creatively as I listened. This broke a barrier for me as I could combine the various courses on my plate any way I wanted to. And just as I reacted with pleasure to the stories being read to me, I would be pleasantly surprised by the end results with my food.
This was the early beginning of my love for eating and experimenting with the wonderful array of spices and produce that India has to offer. I began to deeply love and pursue authentic Indian food in all its diversity, and eventually write about it on one of the leading food blogs of the world, Serious Eats.
In the course of writing my column Beyond Curry, I came to realize that theres a growing, global interest in Indian food. I would get emails from Indian expats and non-Indians alike, many asking questions about cooking techniques or thanking me for bringing authentic Indian flavors to their cooking. I loved hearing from Indian readers who said my recipes reminded them of a trip they took back home or evoked memories of a dish made by a loved granny who was no longer with them. Thats what Indian food doesit takes you on a journey, one that is sometimes sensorial and sometimes nostalgic.