Authentic Regional Cuisine of India is a beautifully written and illustrated cook book, as well as a travelogue and history of the famous Grand Trunk Road since its emergence as India’s first route for traders. The book follows Hardeep Singh Kohli’s travels along this age-old route, starting in Calcutta and linking with Lucknow, Aligargh, and Delhi before curling north into the Punjab. This book takes a fascinating look at the food, culture and traditions that have sprung up along the road, with recipes that reflect the eating traditions of the real India.

The recipes are provided by Anirudh Arora, head chef at Moti Mahal in London, who has devoted his career to researching the long-forgotten cuisine of rural India as found along the old Grand Trunk Road. Nostalgic favorites include ‘bhalla papadi chaat', a dish discovered in the streets of North India featuring crisp-fried pastry and chickpeas with a tamarind and mint chutney. From the seductive barbecued flavours of the Punjab to the sublime dals and vegetarian food of Lucknow, this is an eye-opening look at Indian food.