Also Available from Bloomsbury: The Bloomsbury Handbook of Food and Popular Culture, Edited by Kathleen LeBesco and Peter Naccarato THE The Handbook of Food and Anthropology, Edited by Jakob A. Klein and James L. Watson The Handbook of Food Research, Edited by Anne Murcott, Warren Belasco and BLOOMSBURY Peter Jackson HANDBOOK OF INDIAN CUISINE Edited by Colleen Taylor Sen, Sourish Bhattacharyya and Helen Saberi CONTENTS BLOOMSBURY ACADEMIC Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP, UK 1385 Broadway, New York, NY 10018, USA 29 Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2, Ireland List of EntriEs vi List of iLLustrations xvi BLOOMSBURY, BLOOMSBURY ACADEMIC and the Diana logo are PrEfacE xviii trademarks of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc acknowLEdgEmEnts xix First published in Great Britain 2023 notEs on tExt xx Copyright © Colleen Taylor Sen, Sourish Bhattacharyya, Helen Saberi and contributors, 2023 Introduction 1 Colleen Taylor Sen, Sourish Bhattacharyya, and Helen Saberi have asserted their rights under Entries 7 the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Editor of this work. BiograPhiEs 410 For legal purposes the Acknowledgements on p. xix constitute an extension of this copyright page. indEx 413 Cover image: Ramayana, Bala Kanda. Udaipur, 1712 © The British Library Board. Add. 15295, f.148. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc does not have any control over, or responsibility for, any third-party websites referred to or in this book. All internet addresses given in this book were correct at the time of going to press. The author and publisher regret any inconvenience caused if addresses have changed or sites have ceased to exist, but can accept no responsibility for any such changes. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Library of Congress Control Number: 2022948392 ISBN: HB: 978-1-3501-2863-7 ePDF: 978-1-3501-2864-4 eBook: 978-1-3501-2865-1 Typeset by Integra Software Services Pvt. Ltd. To find out more about our authors and books visit www.bloomsbury.com and sign up for our newsletters ENTRIES vii ENTRIES 25 Barley 42 26 Basil 42 27 Bene Israelis 43 28 Bengaluru 44 29 Ber 46 1 Achaya, K.T. 7 30 Berries 47 2 Agra Petha 7 31 Bihar 49 3 Ajmud 8 32 Bikaneri Bhujia 52 4 Ajowan 9 33 Biryani 53 5 Alcohol 9 34 Bohras 55 6 Amaranth 18 35 Bombay Duck 56 7 Amla 19 36 Breads 57 8 Ammal, S. Meenakshi 19 37 Butter Chicken 63 9 Amritsar 20 38 Buttermilk 65 10 Andhra Pradesh 21 39 Camphor 66 11 Anglo-Indians 23 40 Capsicum 67 12 Aniseed 26 41 Cardamom 67 13 Appam 26 42 Carey, William 68 14 Apple 27 43 Carrot 70 15 Apricot 29 44 Cassava 71 16 Arunachal Pradesh 30 45 Cassia 72 17 Asafoetida 31 46 Cheese 73 18 Ashoka 32 47 Chennai 74 19 Assam 33 48 Cherries 77 20 Aubergine 37 49 Chhana 77 21 Bael 38 50 Chhattisgarh 78 22 Bamboo Shoots 39 51 Chicken 65 79 23 Banana 41 52 Chicken Manchurian 80 24 Barfi 42 53 Chillies 81 viii ENTRIES ENTRIES ix 54 Chinese Indian Cuisine 83 83 Drumstick 133 55 Chutney 86 84 East Indians 134 56 Cinnamon 88 85 Eggs Kejriwal 134 57 Citrus Fruits 89 86 Falooda 136 58 Clove 90 87 Fasting 136 59 Coconut 91 88 Fennel 139 60 Coffee 93 89 Fenugreek 139 61 Cookbooks, Early 94 90 Firni 140 62 Cooking and Dining 97 91 Firpo, Angelo 140 63 Coriander 102 92 Fish 141 64 Corn 103 93 Fish Koliwada 144 65 Country Captain 104 94 Flower Waters 145 66 Cucumber 104 95 Flurys 146 67 Cumin 105 96 Food and Medicine 147 68 Curry 106 97 Gandhi, Mohandas 150 69 Curry Leaves 108 98 Garlic 152 70 Curry Powder 109 99 Geographical Indication 153 71 Dabbawallahs 110 100 Ghee 153 72 Dairy Sector 111 101 Ginger 154 73 Dalal, Tarla 116 102 Goa 155 74 Dates 117 103 Gourds 157 75 de Orta, Garcia 118 104 Guava 159 76 Delhi 119 105 Gujarat 160 77 Devi, Pragyasundari 123 106 Haleem 162 78 Dhabas 124 107 Halwa 163 79 Dharwad Pedha 126 108 Haryana 163 80 Diaspora 127 109 Himachal Pradesh 165 81 Dorabjee & Sons 131 110 Honey 166 82 Dosa 132 111 Hyderabad 167 x ENTRIES ENTRIES xi 112 Ibn Battuta 170 141 Lal, Premila 211 113 Ice 171 142 Landour Community Centre Cook book 211 114 Idli 174 143 Lassi 213 115 Irani Cafes 175 144 Ledikeni 214 116 Jackfruit 176 145 Lichens 214 117 Jaffrey, Madhur 177 146 Lotus 215 118 Jalebi 178 147 Lucknow 216 119 Jambu 179 148 Lychee 218 120 Jammu and Kashmir 180 149 Madhya Pradesh 218 121 Jamun 183 150 Maharashtra 222 122 Jharkhand 184 151 Manasollasa 227 123 Kachori 187 152 Mangaluru 228 124 Kanji 188 153 Mango 230 125 Karnataka 189 154 Manipur 232 126 Kebab 194 155 Mappilas 233 127 Kedgeree 197 156 Mathew, Mrs KM 235 128 Kerala 197 157 Mavalli Tiffin Rooms 235 129 Kheer 198 158 Megasthenes 236 130 Khichri 199 159 Meghalaya 237 131 Khoya 199 160 Melons 238 132 Khus Khus 200 161 Millets 239 133 Kodavas 200 162 Mint 241 134 Kofta 202 163 Mizoram 242 135 Kohinoor, Boman 203 164 Modaka 243 136 Kokum 204 165 Mughals 244 137 Kolkata 204 166 Mukhopadhyay, Bipradas 248 138 Kulfi 208 167 Mulberry 249 139 Ladakh 208 168 Mumbai 250 140 Laddu 210 169 Mushrooms 252 xii ENTRIES ENTRIES xiii 170 Mustard 253 199 Poppy Seeds 288 171 Mysore Pak 254 200 Potato 289 172 Nagaland 254 201 Poultry and Eggs 290 173 Nairs 255 202 Puducherry 292 174 Neem 257 203 Pulao 293 175 Nigella 258 204 Pulses 294 176 Nihari 258 205 Punjab 297 177 Ni’matnama 258 206 Rabri 301 178 Nutmeg and Mace 260 207 Radish 301 179 Nuts 260 208 Railway Food 302 180 Odisha 262 209 Raita 304 181 Okra 266 210 Rajasthan 304 182 Onion 266 211 Rama Rau, Santha 307 183 Paan 267 212 Rampur 308 184 Pakora 269 213 Rasgulla 309 185 Palghat Iyers 270 214 Rice 310 186 Palmer, Edward 272 215 Riddell, Dr Robert Flower 314 187 Paneer 273 216 Rites of Passage 315 188 Panjabi, Camellia 274 217 Saffron 327 189 Papad 274 218 Sahni, Julie 328 190 Papaya 275 219 Salt 329 191 Parsis 276 220 Sambar 330 192 Peliti, Federico 280 221 Samosa 331 193 Pepper, Black 281 222 Sandesh 332 194 Pepper, Long 282 223 Sapodilla 333 195 Pickles 283 224 Sesame 334 196 Pineapple 285 225 Sev and Seviyan 335 197 Plums 286 226 Sheherwalis 336 198 Pomegranate 287 227 Sherbet 337 xiv ENTRIES ENTRIES xv 228 Shrewsbury Biscuits 337 257 Vadas 395 229 Shrikhand 339 258 Varanasi 395 230 Sikkim 339 259 Vark 398 231 Sindhis 340 260 Vegetarianism 398 232 Singh, Mrs Balbir 341 261 Vindaloo 401 233 Singh, Raja Digvijaya 342 262 West Bengal 401 234 Soft Drinks 343 263 Wheat 406 235 Spice Box 348 264 Woodapple 407 236 Steel, Flora Annie 357 265 Wyvern 407 237 Stokes, Satyananda 358 266 Yam 408 238 Street Food 359 239 Sugar 363 240 Sweets 365 241 Syrian Christians 369 242 Tamarind 371 243 Tamil Nadu 372 244 Taro 375 245 Tea 376 246 Telangana 379 247 Temple Food 381 248 Thandai 385 249 Tiffin 385 250 Tomato 386 251 Tripura 387 252 Turmeric 387 253 Turnip 389 254 Udupi Restaurants 389 255 Uttar Pradesh 390 256 Uttarakhand 393 ILLUSTRATIONS xvii ILLUSTRATIONS 25 KEBAB. Shami kebabs 195 26 KEBAB. Seekh kebabs 195 27 KODAVAS. Women rolling kadambuttus, steamed rice dumplings 200 28 LADDU. Besan laddus 210 29 LASSI. Kolkata lassi shop 213 1 ALCOHOL. Rice beer of Assam 9 30 LUCKNOW. Shop making nihari 216 2 APPAM. Neyappam is a Kerala speciality 26 31 MAHARASHTRA. Vada pav 222 3 ASSAM. Tea smoked in bamboo tube – Shing Po tribe 33 32 MODAKA 243 4 BAEL 38 33 MUGHALS. Babur and a banquet of roast goose 244 5 BIHAR. Bihari thali 49 34 NUTS. Nutseller, Delhi 261 6 BIRYANI. Kolkata biryani 53 35 ODISHA. Chenna poda, a popular dessert 263 7 BOMBAY DUCK. Fried Bombay duck 56 36 PAAN. Paan in Varanasi 268 8 BREADS. Phulka 58 37 PAKORA 269 9 BREADS. Cooking rumali roti 58 38 RICE 311 10 CAREY, WILLIAM 69 39 SAMOSA. Samosas and chutney served at a roadside stand 331 11 CHILLIES. Chilli vendor, Mumbai 81 40 SPICE BOX. Turmeric on sale in the market 349 12 CHINESE INDIAN CUISINE. Sing Cheung sauce factory, Kolkata 84 41 STREET FOOD. Plate of momos 359 13 COOKING AND DINING. Idli pan 98 42 STREET FOOD. Students enjoying street food in New Delhi 360 14 COOKING AND DINING. Grinding stone 98 43 SUGAR. Sugarcane mill driven by bullock 363 15 CURRY LEAVES. Curry leaves (Murraya koenigii) 108 44 SWEETS. Sweet stall in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh 365 16 DABBAWALLAHS. Dabbawallahs tiffin carrier 110 45 TEA. The Colonel’s Morning Tea 376 17 DHABAS. Dhaba on a highway near Delhi 125 46 TEMPLE FOOD. Langar at the Gurdwara Bangla Sahib 382 18 DIASPORA. Menu in Doubles Shop, Santa Cruz, Trinidad 127 47 TEMPLE FOOD. Annakuta at a Swaminarayan temple 382 19 DOSA 132 48 VARANASI. Morning tea 396 20 EGGS KEJRIWAL 135 21 FISH. Fishing in village pond in Bengal 142 22 FLURYS. Iconic Kolkata restaurant 146 23 JAMMU AND KASHMIR. Rogan josh 180 24 KARNATAKA. Lunch on a banana leaf 189 PREFACE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Editing and writing this book proved to be a challenge. How can the cuisine of a country This book could not have been written without the contributions of the twenty-seven as vast, as diverse and as ancient as India be summarized in a single volume? Every state writers who generously shared their expertise in their areas of speciality. We owe a of India, indeed every city (and perhaps even certain neighbourhoods) warrants a book of great debt of gratitude to Jyotirmay Nirjhar who reviewed the copy and put it into its this scope and size. We see this book as the next iteration in the ever ongoing expansion final form; Nirjhar is a paragon among editors. Thanks to our agent Max Sinsheimer of the body of knowledge of and writing on Indian food. who solved some of the knotty problems that arose during the book’s creation, and While we have written much of the book ourselves, we have also drawn on the expertise to Lily McMahon and Kaveya Saravanan, our editors at Bloomsbury Berg for their of India’s leading food writers, whose names will be familiar to every aficionado of Indian patience. Above all we thank our spouses – Ashish Sen, Kaveree Bamzai and the late food. These writers bring their own unique and personal perspective to their subjects. Nasir Saberi – for their understanding and continuing support. While striving for consistency in content and style, we have tried to retain the writers’ own voices. And to some extent the available expertise has determined what topics are covered. There are a great many areas of Indian cuisine that still await their chroniclers. The only works of a similar scope were written by the late K.T. Achaya more than twenty years ago. Achaya, a scholar of Sanskrit as well as a noted food chemist, focuses to a large degree on historical roots of Indian cuisine. Since then, much has changed. More states have been added to the Republic of India, including Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand, whose cuisines are different from what is mainstream. This work contains what may be the most comprehensive description yet of the ingredients that go into Indian cuisine, especially the individual spices and spice mixtures that give it its unique flavours. Furthermore, the history and usage of ingredients essential – potato, chilli, onion, garlic, paneer, pulses, ghee, etc. – and special – ajowan, kokum, lotus, etc. – are described. Iconic dishes such as butter chicken and dosas have their own separate entries. There are major entries on important topics such as alcohol, breads, spice mixtures and rites of passage. The book also features profiles of individuals who have had a major impact on the development of Indian food, including agriculturalists, restaurateurs, authors and rulers (Ashoka, the Mughals). The connections between food and medicine and food and worship are explored in separate entries. New creations such as chicken 65 have become international favourites. The Indian diaspora has been the source of exciting new dishes, such as roti, the national food of Trinidad and Tobago. And recent years have seen a surge in the writing of not only collections of recipes, but also articles and, even, entire books on regional and local cuisines in both English and Indian languages – some of them written by contributors to this work. The availability of such work was a great help in putting together this work which would have been much more difficult to write ten years ago.