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92nd out of 469 books
—
976 voters
Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors
Curry serves up a delectable history of Indian cuisine, ranging from the imperial kitchen of the Mughal invader Babur to the smoky cookhouse of the British Raj.
In this fascinating volume, the first authoritative history of Indian food, Lizzie Collingham reveals that almost every well-known Indian dish is the product of a long history of invasion and the fusion of differe...more
In this fascinating volume, the first authoritative history of Indian food, Lizzie Collingham reveals that almost every well-known Indian dish is the product of a long history of invasion and the fusion of differe...more
Hardcover, 315 pages
Published
January 1st 2006
by Oxford University Press
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This was a fascinating exploration of the foods that I've come to think of as Indian, and how those foods have been influenced by worldwide trade and imperialism. The book itself is organized by chapters: Chicken Tikka Masala, Biryani, Chai, etc., and each chapter delves into a rough history of each dish and its influences. Much to my surprise, many historical recipes and contemporary recipes are included as well, in case one wished to execute a variation of a dish in one's own kitchen.
After rea...more
Sep 05, 2007
monig
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Indophiles, Anglophiles, Postcolonialists
I thought this was a good book and worth the read if you're an Indophile, but I do have some criticism.
Collingham gives us a quick and dirty history of curry, which ends up of being the history of India, the spice trade, imperialism and colonialism (particularly the British colonization of the region), as well as the immigration of Indians to Britain and the Americas. Obviously, that's much to cover in one 250+ page book ... too much to cover.
I felt like I was being whisked through a historical...more
Collingham gives us a quick and dirty history of curry, which ends up of being the history of India, the spice trade, imperialism and colonialism (particularly the British colonization of the region), as well as the immigration of Indians to Britain and the Americas. Obviously, that's much to cover in one 250+ page book ... too much to cover.
I felt like I was being whisked through a historical...more
An informative, witty and fast moving culinary history of the South Asian subcontinent, Lizzie Collingham's meticulously researched description of the cuisine of the region is a sumptuous and easily digested delight. Moving sprightly between Persia, Afghanistan, Portugal, the New World, East Africa and India, she teases out truth from fiction on the origin and evolution of many "Indian" dishes that were, in fact, formed under the influence of successive waves of invasions and settlements. I'm no...more
Some history books do not so much alter your worldview as fill your head with a plethora of interesting trivia, some of which you will spout at your friends for a few days, and most of which will disappear in a month or two. Regrettably, I think most of the interesting factoids I've learned from this book are doomed to such a fate.
The book is a little disjointed--I often felt as if the author was on the verge of a grand unifying theory but could not quite wrap her arms around it. Instead, it stu...more
The book is a little disjointed--I often felt as if the author was on the verge of a grand unifying theory but could not quite wrap her arms around it. Instead, it stu...more
My sister is such an avid reader, so much more than I am, and she’s an excellent cook. When she recommended me this book, I did not hesitate. And I was not disappointed at all.
This book is so delicious: a great mix of history, culture, and cuisine, including recipes.
It was fascinating to discover how the Indian cuisines, and be sure to notice the -s, evolved all along the centuries depending on the invaders in this or that region.
A very interesting point that the author makes is that if Indians...more
This book is so delicious: a great mix of history, culture, and cuisine, including recipes.
It was fascinating to discover how the Indian cuisines, and be sure to notice the -s, evolved all along the centuries depending on the invaders in this or that region.
A very interesting point that the author makes is that if Indians...more
This was a perfect end-of-summer book. True, it's an academic work, but it's fun, interesting and quite the page-turner. The book is divided into chapters that focus on a different "Indian" dish -- vindaloo, korma etc. -- and carefully pieces together how the dish was first created, when it became popular and the historical background surrounding the dish's introduction. It's a fascinating look at the history of India, the history of food, and how the food most people recognize as "Indian food"...more
Scholarly work on Indian cuisine from a historical perspective. Excerpts from 15th and 16th century accounts of European travelers are a treat to read. One may observe how written English changed across centuries, in the excerpts that the author posted verbatim.
I must say the author has done an enormous amount of research for this book. Almost every important statement is backed by a reference to the book or essay in the (chapter-wise) bibliography at the end. It's almost as if the author has tr...more
I must say the author has done an enormous amount of research for this book. Almost every important statement is backed by a reference to the book or essay in the (chapter-wise) bibliography at the end. It's almost as if the author has tr...more
Great book about the history of Indian cooking. I nevered realized that I was really eating mostly British concoctions that Indians have adopted over the years. I think I read the book in a couple of days, I enjoyed it so much.
A thoroughly enjoyable book about Indian food. This 'tale' of cooks and conquerors is a history of what one could call fusion cuisine. Cultures that 'sort of' conquered others did not impose their food preparations and habits onto those conquered. The environment affected the food stuffs used and how they were prepared. Yet conquerors also introduced new food stuffs. Chilies, tomatoes, and potatoes are not indigenous to the Asian sub-continent but have become a well established part of some regi...more
'tracing Indian cuisine from the Mughal Courts of Delhi to the Balti houses of Birmingham'. a run through of how Indian food evolved (influence of the Persians, Portuguese, British, etc). parts of this just rambled and rambled and was hard to read - but overall it was kinda cool and gave some interesting facts - did you know Tomatoes didn't exist in India until the Portuguese brought them from Peru in the 16th century?? Same for hot chillies. or that potatoes came with the British?? What was Ind...more
I started this book with reservations, despite reading at least one review that recommended this book. Perhaps unfairly, I doubted that a non-Indian author could tackle this subject without a lot of otherness. Indeed, Collingham said she did not enjoy Indian food at first, which was part of the reason she undertook this subject. Can you really appreciate the subject matter if you cannot taste it?
Either way, this is a wonderful and interesting chronicle of Indian food. What we think to be native...more
Either way, this is a wonderful and interesting chronicle of Indian food. What we think to be native...more
Very interesting book, with many surprising bits of historical information. She cleared up some questions I had about the authenticity of curry, and confirmed information I had gleaned previously. I found some good ideas, and encouragement to try experimenting with some of the spices in my cupboard. The information on what order to add ingredients was very helpful. I have already created some simple dishes that were a hit with my wife and son. As an aside, some of my favourite curries have been...more
Curry serves up a delectable history of Indian cuisine, ranging from the imperial kitchen of the Mughal invader Babur to the smoky cookhouse of the British Raj.
In this fascinating volume, the first authoritative history of Indian food, Lizzie Collingham reveals that almost every well-known Indian dish is the product of a long history of invasion and the fusion of different food traditions. We see how, with the arrival of Portuguese explorers and the Mughal horde, the cooking styles and ingredien...more
In this fascinating volume, the first authoritative history of Indian food, Lizzie Collingham reveals that almost every well-known Indian dish is the product of a long history of invasion and the fusion of different food traditions. We see how, with the arrival of Portuguese explorers and the Mughal horde, the cooking styles and ingredien...more
Jun 27, 2007
Laura
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Food Geeks
Shelves:
cookbooks-food,
to-reread
I really enjoyed this book. I thought I was picking up only a history of Indian cuisine, I was happy to discover this book is an expansive study of the evolution Indian food. The author explores the effect India had on British cuisine, history and eating habits in equal detail as the influence of Britain on Indian foods and culture. I was surprised to learn that the British introduced the habit of tea drinking to India . Collingham details a myriad of other cultures that contributed to India's...more
My recent weight gain is completely this book's fault.
Lizzie Collingham cooks up a most potent book using equal measures of History and Food. The stories of Indian marquee foods and marquee conquerors of India is very well told. Biryani, Vindaloo, Korma, Curry, Tikka Masala & Chai are examined in detail at the dinner tables of the Mughals, Nawabs, Portugese, Company Bahadurs, & the British. Several assumptions of the casual Indian foodie are questioned and authentic recipes from histori...more
Lizzie Collingham cooks up a most potent book using equal measures of History and Food. The stories of Indian marquee foods and marquee conquerors of India is very well told. Biryani, Vindaloo, Korma, Curry, Tikka Masala & Chai are examined in detail at the dinner tables of the Mughals, Nawabs, Portugese, Company Bahadurs, & the British. Several assumptions of the casual Indian foodie are questioned and authentic recipes from histori...more
Sep 26, 2010
Autumn
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Any Foodies
Recommended to Autumn by:
Eliza
This book is fascinating. I learned a lot about the history of Indian food in India and around the world. The book provides a lot to talk about with friends! I would give it five stars except that most of the recipes given are not ones you would really try. There are a few that are feasible but most of them are incomprehensible,
(but interesting!)to the modern cook.
(but interesting!)to the modern cook.
Curry as Westerners know it is not the same curry as used in India. Collingham explains the historical significance behind India's most popular dishes along with a chapter on the history of tea. The Portuguese and British occupations of India along with the tide of history have brought curry to England and the US with many hybridizations along the way.
Fabulous- I bought it in Connaught Place in New Delhi and enjoyed it all the way home. What could be better than a history of curry? Certainly takes the British (and British cuisine... if you can call it that) to task. Has me inspired enough to even think about cooking... which is pretty amazing.
I didn't know much about the history or about Indian food in general so it was interesting to read about how awesomely Britain has shaped Indian cuisine and India has shaped Britain's cuisine. There were all these little vignettes that sounded fascinating about how food has shaped someone's life.
So far an amazing journey into the history of "India" via food...Who knew that the Spanish/Protuguese Inquisition reached India. It is engrossing.
Finished it, lots of time on the commuter train...it stimulated my mind, and my appetite. Interesting side notes on the history of Britian and India. It is mostly a Britian centric book with an aside to the SE Asian diaspora in other countries. It could have been a lengthier text and still kept my interest.
I appreciated even more what I grew up with...more
Finished it, lots of time on the commuter train...it stimulated my mind, and my appetite. Interesting side notes on the history of Britian and India. It is mostly a Britian centric book with an aside to the SE Asian diaspora in other countries. It could have been a lengthier text and still kept my interest.
I appreciated even more what I grew up with...more
This is food history, done really well. Collingham pieces together the iconic dish through the religious taboos and agricultural resources of ancient India, adds Middle Eastern cooking techniques from the Mughals, shows what happens when chilies arrive from Latin America via the Portuguese, Anglicizes it to the tastes of the East India Company nabobs through their house servants, imports curry powder back to Britain for said nabobs who retire, sees the dish trickle down to as cheap, filling food...more
Plenty of historical detail and patriculars about the different aspects of religion and Raj, and many receipes that might be good if one were not expecting some vegetarian fare. Devastating to my preconceived notions!
terrific insights if, like me, you are curious about the cultural context of food. so far it seems well-written and the recipes that accompany the text look promising...
The history of invasions and fusion of food in India. Some recipes are included. Well researched and presented in a easy readable fashion. Great book !
Feb 03, 2008
Anie
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
those interested in Indian food and culture
I liked this book a great deal. It's a nice overview of foreign influence on Indian food, from the Mughals to the British. Of course, one cannot simply list "and they borrowed this from them" and have anything compelling. The book is a combination of the more "important" history (your landings, invasions, and politics) and the attendant cultural change - seen so strongly in the foods one adopts or fails to adopt from a foreign land. Collingham is a good writer and the book flows well. Very, very...more
My biggest complaint was with some of the Romanizations, which were really awful. Overall it was an interesting book.
A good read, it was exciting to have the recipes, and the history was both engaging and easily understood. Towards the end however it wandered a bit thematically, the chapter on tea seemed particularly out of place.
This was a fun read discussing how other cultures affected and were affected by Indian food, organized by dishes commonly found in Western curry joints. It has some recipes too.
Enjoyed this a lot. The historical background is really informative. Its a good read too.
Beautifully written, great to finally understand the history of a favourite dish!
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Dr. Elizabeth M. Collingham has lectured at Warwick University and been a reasearch fellow at Jesus College, Cambridge.
More about Lizzie Collingham...
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Feb 01, 2012 10:01am