One of Peter’s first food memories is of his father feeding him with his fingers. Little balls of rice and dhal delivered on rough, cracked hands. He also remembers his grandmother in their kitchen in Sri Lanka, cooking with other women, all passionate about food and produce, all teaching him that there is so much more to food than just filling our bellies. In Sri Lanka, meat was rarely the star of the show, outshone by the multitude of delicious vegetable curries that were very much the main event and this concept is reflected in Lands of the Curry Leaf as Peter takes us on a vegetarian food journey from Sri Lanka to Nepal. Lands of the Curry Leaf explores a goldmine of plant-based flavor’s in recipes for street foods; pulses and legumes; salads; dairy-based dishes; curries, stir-fries and stews; rice; soups; chutneys; and sauces. They are supported by detailed glossaries of ingredients, as well as advice on setting up a subcontinental pantry, tempering and blending spices, and adapting authentic regional cooking methods for the home kitchen. In Lands of the Curry Leaf, you can sample the street food of the subcontinent with Peter’s recipes for Vegetable and chickpea flour pakora; experience the beauty of Afghan food as you tuck into an Afghan spiced potato salad with minted yoghurt; and taste the explosion of flavor on your tongue as you devour his Cashew, onion and paneer curry, served with a side of pomegranate rice and warm chapatti. Lands of the Curry Leaf is a reflection of the changing dialogue about what we eat, as the world embraces the idea of a meal where vegetables, grains and pulses are the culinary stars. | Lands Of The Curry Leaf by Peter Kuruvita, Hardcover | Indigo Chapters