About this item
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.
About the Author
Chicago-based Colleen Taylor Sen is a food historian and writer specializing in the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent. Her articles have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times, Travel and Leisure, Food Arts and other publications. She is the author of Food Culture in India (Greenwood 2006) , Curry: A Global History (Reaktion 2009) , Pakoras, Paneer, Pappadums: A Guide to Indian Restaurant Menus (2010) and its e-book version Decoding the Indian Restaurant Menu and is coeditor (with Bruce Kraig) of Street Food Around the World: An Encyclopaedia of Food and Culture and (with Helen Saberi) Turmeric: The Wonder Spice. Her website is www.colleensen.com
