Curries and Kababs

In this book Dipali Sen presents a variety of Indian recipes while recollecting many incidents from her life, especially the idyllic years she spent as a little girl with her grandparents in the sleepy town of Bogra, now in Bangladesh. For her, food is associated with the most exciting history, the most colorful customs, and the most fascinating personal reminiscences. She tells how her great grandfather was paraded about on an elephant when he graduated from Dacca University, and how in later life he developed an interest in dancing girls. There are also stories about a grandmother who battled snakes, an untouchable friend, a floating palace, a pet peacock with a dazzling display of feathers, and a dangerous encounter with a cobra that she barely survived with the help of two gun-bearing relatives, all of which are associated with easy-to-follow recipes. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in food, elephants, cobras, and the mysterious Indian subcontinent.