“We live in a ‘food without borders’ world,” says Suneeta Vaswani, a leading Houston authority on the culinary arts of India . Over many millennia, the influx of foreign invaders left an indelible mark on the culture, art, and food of India. Of these, the Mughals proved the most influential. Builders of the magnificent Taj Mahal and patrons of the art of the book, the Mughals introduced many exotic ingredients including saffron, nuts, and cream, creating the distinctive blend of tastes that characterize Indian cuisine today.
At the February Artful Thursday, Suneeta Vaswani describes the origin and use of the expansive palette of spices used in Indian cooking, what foods are offered to various deities like Ganesh, the beloved god of good fortune, or to Shiva Nataraja, lord of the dance, both represented in the new Arts of India gallery at the MFAH, and much more.
Born in Mumbai, Suneeta Vaswani is the author of the Complete Book of Indian Cooking (2007) and Easy Indian Cooking (2004), and a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP). Her Web site is www.suneetavaswani.com.