Finally, I've hit a stretch of books about food and cooking that I'm actually enjoying; I'm getting tired of writing bad reviews and I'm sure you're as tired, if not more, of reading them.
First up is Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors, by Lizzie Collingham, which traces the development of Indian cuisine such as we here in the West recognize it. Collingham straight up challenges the idea of 'authentic' cuisine; the story she tells involves food-culture clash across the subcontinent, starting with the Persians of the Mughal Empire and ending with, well, actually, it's really a neverending process. There are some fascinating anecdotes and startling revelations, and it's all woven together in a vaguely chronological narrative that's easy to read and mostly interesting and enjoyable.
The chapters are organized around particular dishes which, although most would consider them to be classic Indian fare, demonstrate how global and flexible food culture really is. From vindaloo (an Indian version of the Portugese vinho e alhos), to chai (an Indian variation on tea, which was originally introduced to the subcontinent by the British), to curry (a blanket term that the British applied to any spicy sauce with meat served over rice), Collingham explores the effects of commerce and colonization on cuisine.
Scattered throughout are recipes; some historical (like grilled black rat), and some modernized. I can't vouch for all of them (especially the rat), but the Chicken Biryani (which is too involved to go into here, but which will certainly get a post of its own someday very soon) at least was delicious. There's also this really adorable map that has little tags on it like, 'the place where the British officer found the kebabs too greasy' so you can easily match the anecdotes to the geography, and some nice illustrations, too.
In short, it's a pretty fantastic read if you are the sort of person who's interested in food and culture, which, if you're reading this blog, I like to imagine you are.





