"Welcome to a unique experience in gourmet eating. Ten years in the making, this is a landmark work on the world's most sophisticated vegetarian cuisine. Ideally suited to our contemporary palates, Indian vegetarian cooking combines the exotic flavors, the healthful preparations, and the respect for fine ingredients -- fresh produce and herbs, delicate spices, homemade dairy products -- that have attracted food lovers in all cultures and in all times. All recipes are based on readily available ingredients and have been scrupulously adapted for American kitchens. An introduction to each recipe describes the unique flavor and appearance of the dish and offers helpful serving suggestions and a sample menu of traditionally compatible dishes. In the "A-Z of General Information," the author describes and explains new and traditional equipment (why it's desirable to have non-stick cookware) and techniques (there is a simple way to open a coconut). The uses and variations of each fruit, vegetable, grain, and milk product are described. The "A-Z" also offers recommendations for setting up and stocking your kitchen -- what to have on hand, what to buy fresh, how to store what you have -- and suggests sources for all ingredients and equipment. With the author's recommendations for planning menus and serving elegant, traditional meals from breakfasts to parties and banquets, this book, in every sense, makes authentic Indian vegetarian cuisine surprisingly simple and pleasurable. The recipes are enlivened by the author's anecdotes and personal reminiscences of her years in India, including stories of gathering recipes from royal families and temple cooks, which had been jealously guarded for centuries."--