Curry

A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors

Lizzie Collingham

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This imaginative book tells the history of India and its rulers through their food. It follows the story of curry as it spread from the courts of Delhi to the balti houses of Birmingham, from the tiffin-carriers of Bombay to the army canteens of Japan

Curry tells the story of an array of familiar Indian dishes and the people who invented, discovered, cooked and ate them. Curry is vivid, entertaining and delicious.

'Fascinating and meticulously researched.layers historical fact with mouth-watering dinner table gossip' Meera Syal, The Times

This imaginative book tells the history of India and its rulers through their food. It follows the story of curry as it spread from the courts of Delhi to the balti houses of Birmingham.

Curry is the product of India's long history of invasion. In the wake of the Mughal conquerors, an army of cooks brought Persian recipes to northern India; in the south, Portugese spice merchants introduced vinegar marinades and the chillies they had recently discovered in the New World; the British soon followed, with their passion for roast meat accompanied by cauliflowers and beans. When these new ingredients were mixed with native spices, they produced these distinctly Indian dishes.

Published: 1 December 2010
ISBN: 9781407073309
Imprint: Vintage Digital
Format: EBook
Pages: 352

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About the author

Lizzie Collingham

Lizzie Collingham taught History at Warwick University and was a Research Fellow at Jesus College, Cambridge before becoming an independent historian. Her books include Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors and The Taste of War: World War II and the Battle for Food. She is currently an Associate Fellow of Warwick University and the Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Newnham College, Cambridge. She recently completed a project researching the history of the kitchens of the Indian President’s palace and regularly lectures on a gastronomic tour of Kerala. She works in a garden shed near Cambridge.

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Praise for Curry

'a thoroughly absorbing book, packed with fascinating stories.'
Bee Wilson, New Statesman

'richly researched read...More that just the story of a dish, this engaging book provides a sidelong history of India'
John Koski, Mail on Sunday

'This is a sensuous subject, and Collingham gives it a sensuous treatment, taking an exquisite but never gluttonous delight in describing Mughal banquets, and a sympathetic approach to the disappointments bad food brings to people who are a long way from home.'
Bill Saunders, Independent on Sunday

delectable...packed with fascinating facts, analysis and even some recipes, this book is a mouth-watering introduction not only to Indian food, but the the history of the sub-continent and its hugely influential place in the world
Scotsman