Books like Food Culture in India by Colleen Taylor Sen

A scholarly overview tracing the development of Indian cuisine from prehistoric origins through British rule, exploring regional practices, ancient medical theories, and the cultural, linguistic, and technological forces that shaped its diverse culinary heritage.

"The second most populous country in the world after China and the seventh largest in area, India is unique among nations in its diversity of climates, languages, religions, tribes, customs and cuisines. Today, Indian food in its many incarnations has become a world cuisine. This reflects an increased awareness of the virtues of a traditional Indian diet, especially the centrality of fruits, vegetables and grains and the extensive use of spices, the benefits of which have been confirmed by modern science. India has always been part of the global economy. For thousands of years, the subcontinent was the centre of a vast network of land and sea trade routes - conduits for plants, ingredients, dishes and cooking techniques to and from the rest of the world. Foreign visitors have long marvelled at India's agricultural bounty, including its ancient indigenous plants, such as lentils, mangoes, turmeric and pepper, all of which have been central to the Indian diet for thousands of years. Yet what is it that makes Indian food so recognizably Indian, and how did it get that way? Feasts and Fasts: A History of Food in India is an exploration of Indian cuisine in the context of the country's religious, moral, social and philosophical development. It addresses topics such as dietary prescriptions and proscriptions, the origins of vegetarianism, culinary borrowings and innovations, the use of spices and the inseparable links between diet, health and medicine. It also looks at special foods for festivals, street foods and the splendour of Mughal feasts. This lavishly illustrated book gives a mouth-watering tour of India's regional cuisines, containing numerous recipes to interest and excite readers."--Publisher's website.

Traces the evolution of Indian cuisine and describes the culinary characteristics of the different regions. This book offers an in-depth coverage of the utensils, spices, herbs and other ingredients used, as well as basic recipes and preparations common to the cuisine. It contains 200 recipes taken from all the regions.

Approaching his fortieth birthday, Michael Booth found himself in a slump. Physically, and existentially. Increasingly glued to the computer screen, gaining weight and obsessed with attempting (and failing) to recreate his beloved Indian takeaways, his only relief came in the form of afternoon soaps and plenty of wine with dinner.

Flavours of Avadh: Journey from the Royal Banquet to the Corner Kitchen is the story of food and cooking from the palaces to the pavement of the Avadh region in Uttar Pradesh. The book charts out a unique socio-cultural route down the decades, sketching out the exclusive regional food history of Lucknow and its neighbourhood, richly coloured with family anecdotes, local festivities, regional culture and dining traditions. More than sixty recipes on offer from the elite homes and kitchens where this unique and traditional cuisine thrived, taking shape between the mid-14th and the early 18th centuries.