India: A Culinary Journey

by Prem Souri Kishore, Stephen P. Huyler (Foreword by)

Overview

Prem Souri Kishore invites readers on a personally-guided tour across the subcontinent, exploring the beloved foods, history, myths, festivals, and traditions that are unique to each region along the way. More than just a collection of recipes, India: A Culinary Journey gives readers a taste of India’s vibrant foodways, whether amidst the hustle and bustle of Chennai, where hawkers fry up delectable aloo ki tikki on a crowded Marina Beach; or in a railway car in Punjab where passengers share not only lively discussions about politics, cricket, and Bollywood films, but also whatever they have brought onboard for lunch; to the tranquility of the family home where the daily routine includes making fresh yogurt, hand-grinding spices with a stone, and taking an afternoon nap in the mango orchard.

Generously spiced with the author’s memories and personal stories from an Indian childhood brimming with delicious adventures, India: A Culinary Journey brings the flavors of India alive. Includes:

• More than 100 easy-to-follow recipes, all adapted for the North American kitchen
• A quick reference glossary on ingredients and spices
• A guide to festivals, celebrations, and customs

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780781813860
Publisher:	Hippocrene Books, Inc.
Publication date:	09/25/2018
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Prem Souri Kishore has lived in southern India, the U.K. and Dubai. She has worked as a broadcaster, teacher, lecturer, and freelance writer. She now hosts lectures on India and Indian foods, and is professional voice actor. She currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

Stephen P. Huyler is an art historian, cultural anthropologist, photographer and author conducting a lifelong survey of the India’s sacred art and crafts and their meanings within rural societies. Huyler is acknowledged as one of the leading documentary photographers of India and his image archive is recognized as one of the most extensive and valuable in existence. A prolific author, he has published six books, including Daughters of India: Art and Identity (2008), and Sonabai: Another Way of Seeing (2009).

Table of Contents

Foreword Stephen Huyler ix

Preface xi

Food And Family 1

My Personal Cooking Gurus 2

The Theater of Street Food 4

Railway Food Adventures 6

Have You Eaten?: Food Traditions 8

The Glass an Inch from Your Lips - The Etiquette of Eating 10

The After-Dinner Chew 11

Coconut Blessings and the Evil Eye 13

The Kitchen: A Sacred Space 15

Traditional Oil Baths 16

Grandmother: A Taste of the Times 17

Kolams, Coffee, and the Fisherwoman 17

In a Pickle 25

The Mango Daze 27

Sacred Favorites 30

Sharing Foods in Places of Worship 31

Restaurants, Home-Cooked Food, and Fasting 34

Celebrating Food and Festivals 36

Pongal 37

Gangaur and Holi 37

Navroz 38

Onam 38

Raksha Bandhan 39

Ganesh Chaturthi 39

Navaratri or Dussera 39

Sanjhi 40

Janmashtami 41

Deepavalli 41

Eid 41

Christmas 42

Coming of Age 42

The Food Heritage 43

Ayurveda and Vegetarians: Body, Mind and Spirit 44

Invasions and the Mughal Legacy 47

Persian Guests, Trade, Tiffins and Migrations 49

In An Indian Kitchen 52

Kitchen Vessels 53

Spices and Herbs 56

Dais and Oils 63

Regional Recipes 65

Masalas (Spice Blends) 68

Kashmir: Mountains, Lakes and Banquets 73

North India: Lentils, Breads and Tandoors 80

Uttar Pradesh: Of Pilgrims and Pappadams 99

Orissa and Bihar: Celestial Carvings and Tribal Flavors 104

Madhya Pradesh: Rustic Food and a Jungle Story 109

Rajasthan: Technicolor Cities and Desert Fare 112

Bengal: Bejeweled Fish and Rasagollas 116

Gujarat: Snack Utopia and a Persian Heritage 121

Maharashtra: Mumbai and Beach Vendors 127

Goa: Alhos, Xacutti and Vindaloo 136

Tamil Nadu: Idli, Dosa, and Rice 142

Chettinad: Heat and Spice 158

Andhra Pradesh: Hot and Hotter 166

Hyderabad: Diamonds, Forts and Hospitality 172

Kerala: Snakeboat Races and Appams 183

Karnataka: Southern Comfort Foods 192

Street Fare 201

Quick Takes 207

Index 218

What People are Saying About This

Gloria Whelan

“Prem Souri Kishore has written something much more than a cookbook. This is a love letter to India, full of loving descriptions of food, and fond memories of the kitchens of her mother and grandmother where she was first initiated into the world of food. . . . It would be a great mistake to venture into the world of Indian cooking without taking Kishore by the hand as your guide.”

Editorial Reviews

"She enters the world of pickle making, samples bhelpuri from street vendors, crunches on murukus on railway journeys, and drifts on the Dal Lake nibbling fried lotus stems, while feasting on Mughlai biryanis and eating a mango sitting atop a tree. The narrative is peppered with stories of food rituals, food myths, the place of food in sacred worship, food etiquette, and is layered with brilliant imagery of India's diverse landscapes."

INDIA POST - J.S. Bedi