chilli book review
Curry: A Tale Of Cooks & Conquerors
- My Review

chilli book review

Illustrated: Yes

Overall Rating : 9/10

As a keen student of food history I was very eager to get into this one as soon as I had bought it.

And, I wasn't disappointed either. Lizzie has previously done writing on Indian history and therefore brings a lot of that knowledge into the book. The result is that you get to visit India's fascinating history from the context of it's food and the changes introduced by the multitude of invaders that have ruled the country.

The narrative of how Indian cooking developed over hundred of years is a fascinating insight into the complexity and tradition behind one of the world's great cuisine.

The book then goes on to document the arrival of the English and the beginning of the sad practice of lumping all Indian foods under the banner of "Curries" - a term that never even existed before.

It also dispels a number of myths surrounding Indian food e.g., curries were developed as highly spiced foods to cover the smell/taste of meat that is going off.

All in all this is a great read for anybody interested in food history, and it also has a few very good, authentic recipes scattered throughout.

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