The India Cookbook: From the Tables of My Friends

India is a vast country a subcontinent that is one-third the size of Europe with perhaps a greater diversity of people. In thiscountry of multiple cultures and varied perspectives on food the range of cuisines is also extraordinarily extensive. This collection of recipes from Sunita Kohli’s friends highlights the immense variety of Indian food. Every region has its own cooking methods ingredients—oils tempering spices—and its own particularly designed utensils the shapes of which have evolved over generations.<br><br>Divided into six sections—North South East West Central and Subcontinental India (from friends across the border)—thebook features recipes from friends of the author right from her school and college days and from all walks of life including Vinod and Chinna Dua Nalini Singh Sagarika Ghose Shobita Punja Shabana Azmi Aruna Sairam Shashi Tharoor Shobhaa De Visalakshi Ramaswamy Meenakshi Meyyappan Nalini and P. Chidambaram Pheroza Godrej Prem Patnaik Renuka and Pavan Verma Nita Khanna Sharmila Tagore Richard Holkar William Dalrymple Zarine and Sanjay Khan Najma Currimjee Shirin and Priya Paul and many others. <br><br>This cookbook is an account of how culture most intimately expresses itself—there are dishes for all occasions and for all seasons. There are recipes that can be used for dinner parties with friends as well as ones for relaxed family meals. It features familiar comfort foods like Pakora Karhi Pongal Butter Chicken Dhansak Vangi Bhaat and others as well as unusual special dishes such as Sat Saag Nimona Santula Mutton ki Karhi Fesenjan Mohan Maas Baked Crabs Yakhni and more. <br><br>The follow-up to the bestselling <i>The Lucknow Cookbook The India Cookbook: From the Tables of My Friends</i> is a celebration of warmth and friendships and the enormous variety of cuisine across India.