A historical dictionary of Indian food - K. T Achaya

An unusual diversity of food materials -- cereals, legumes, oilseeds, spices and condiments, vegetables and greens -- have been produced in India for centuries. It was in India that the Aryan cultural ethos flowered, bringing to every area of human activity, including food and dietetics, a spiritual and moral dimension. On India converged waves of culturally diverse immigrants -- Persian, Muslim and European. All these elements melded, on the receptive Indian soil, to create one ofthe great cuisines of the world, further enlivened with distinctive regional nuances. This dictionary lists alphabetically the food materials, the food ethos, cuisines and recipes of India, as well as Indian foods in relation to health perceptions. It draws upon literature, archaeology, historicalwriting, botany and genetics to situate Indian foods in time and place.References are listed together at the end after which follow an author index and a comprehensive general index. Facilitating easy reference, this volume will serve as the authoritative dictionary of Indian cuisine.