Curry. A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors. (First Edition)

New York: Oxford University Press, 2006. 315pp. Small octavo. Hardcover in publisher’s boards. Numerous black and white illustrations and plates. Bookplate hidden under front flap of dustwrapper, faint spotting on top-edge of book. A near fine copy. First edition. In this volume, Lizzie Collingham presents the first authoritative history of Indian food, revealing that most well-known Indian dishes are the result of centuries of invasion and the fusion of diverse food traditions. She traces how Portuguese explorers and the Mughal empire introduced new ingredients and techniques from Central Asia, Persia, and Europe into Indian cooking. These influences shaped dishes like biryani, jalfrezi, and vindaloo. Even the word "curry" likely stems from a Portuguese mispronunciation of an Indian term. Collingham also follows the global journey of Indian cuisine, from London’s curry houses to Japanese karee raisu, and New York’s first kosher Indian restaurant, Madras Mahal. (Publisher’s statement).