Varied Kitchens of India

Book excerpt: Well-known food writer Copeland Marks has a unique talent for going to exotic places and returning with cuisines home cooks can take great pleasure in cooking for themselves. Here is an Indian cookbook that helps us discover delightfully accessible food in unfamiliar kitchens. More than two hundred dishes gloriously represent the range of flavors and cuisines of India’s regional groups including: - Anglo-Indians of Calcutta: Hearty, spicy and deeply satisfying foods. - Bengalis: Delicious seafood and vegetarian dishes, and exquisite desserts. - Jews of Calcutta: Imaginative combinations of Middle Eastern and Indian elements that follow the traditional dietary laws. - Kashmiris: Food that combines Hindu and Muslim traditions with creative use of vegetables, fruits and nuts. - Parsis: Piquant and innovative dishes from the descendents of the Persians. -Tibetans of Darjeeling: Food that displays the shared influence of China and India in Tibetan culture; stuffed breads are a particular favorite. Here is an extraordinary experience for the practical, health-conscious cook and the culinary folklorist alike.