Purba: Oriya Cuisine from Eastern India

Not just a recipe book but a comprehensive survey of culinary delights from the eastern Indian state of Orissa, better known for the architectural splendors of its ancient temples in Konarak and Puri.

The author speaks of her own experience in the context of the food she describes meticulously documented by her as she passes through her grandmother's kitchen to her mother's overseen by the family cook. The little anecdotes that accompany some of the recipes provide an unusual glimpse into the middle-class Indian existence the author experienced while growing up in that vast and fascinating country.

Comparing and contrasting the techniques refined over generations, with that from diverse and distant cultures, augmented with an extensive bibliography, the book should appeal to a wide spectrum of readers-from the faltering beginner to the serious cook. An unusual chapter on the family cook's contribution might make the orthodox in you squirm but nevertheless offers a glimpse into the evolution of "restaurant-food" in urban Orissa.

A scientist by training, the author injects her own scientific-humor into the writing that also makes the book an amusing read.