The Food of Bharat: A Chef’s Journey Through India’s Rich Culinary History (Helly Raichura, Hardie Grant Books)

Self-taught chef Helly Raichura started her career in 2018, hosting a supper club called Enter Via Laundry out of her Melbourne home, and she quickly gained national popularity. Raichura set out to share her heritage and passion for regional Indian food, and these are at the core of her first cookbook, The Food of Bharat: A Chef’s Journey Through India’s Rich Culinary History. The book charts the evolution of Indian food from its earliest incarnations through to the trade and migration era, invasions and colonisations. Raichura’s research considers the origins of each featured recipe, the history of the ingredients, and the recipe’s cultural significance in shaping Indian cuisine. The Food of Bharat is a stunning volume of full-page photography and art, and a curated selection of recipes for each era of India’s cultural and culinary evolutions. Cooks of all levels will be inspired by the simple, ‘from scratch’ recipes, including traditional ghee and temple sambar, and sumptuous celebration dishes such as murg musallam (whole stuffed chicken). Elevated modern dishes, including masoor dal with native enoki and game pasanda (pan-fried smoked kangaroo with floral spices), include native Australian ingredients as a way of honouring local and seasonal produce – a core Indian food philosophy – and to pay homage to the land. In The Food of Bharat, Raichura has skilfully steered away from the dishes most widely known outside India, challenging others’ perception of her cultural cuisine and encouraging a whole new vision.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Kate Dunphy is an emerging writer and bookseller based in Meanjin. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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