The Indian Pantry: The Very Best of Rude Food

by Vir Sanghvi

WINNER OF THE GOURMAND WORLD COOKBOOK AWARD 2019

The way we look at our food has changed a lot in the last few years. With a slow-growing awareness about what we eat and where our food is coming from, we all wish there was an expert who could tell us everything we need to know. Why is haldi suddenly so popular around the world? Do avocados live up to the craze? Which fruit and vegetables are indigenous to India?

From food columnist and star journalist Vir Sanghvi comes a collection of insightful, witty and myth-busting pieces about the ingredients in our kitchens.

In his distinctive, no-holds-barred style, Sanghvi introduces the reader to not only the Indian pantry but also the culture, history and unique experiences that make Indian food so popular the world over.

Genres: Food, Nonfiction, Cookbooks

272 pages, Paperback

Published September 16, 2019

About the author

Vir Sanghvi is an Indian print and television journalist, author, columnist and talk show host. He has been a member of many professional, academic and government bodies including the National Integration Council.

Reviews

[Aakash Marodia · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the book may revolve around the idea of 'the stuff available in india is substandard', it is later that you realise that the author probably has a point when he expresses "Make bread any way you want. But price it according to its actual cost. And tell us whether it is real bread or chemically enhanced cheap stuff. I think we have a right to be informed of what we are actually buying."
If you have little to no exposure of what's served at places which are frequented by the ones the author interviews, the views might come off as snobbish. As the pages pass by, the book gets you comfortable and exposes you to a newer world with mentions of chefs such as Joel Robuchon and Heston Blumenthal.
Overall, the book is a good start into the history and cultural influences of food.

[Debjani Banerji · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vir Sanghvi is one of my favourite food writers. I have been following his Rude Food on Sundays in the Hindustan Times since donkeys years. And his book Rude Food is one of my favourite books.
I love his style of writing. It comes from the heart and he doesn't mince words. Also there is an underlying strain of humor throughout.
The Indian Pantry is an amalgamation of some his Rude Food columns at the HT. They have chapters as diverse as Dal to chocolates!
You wonder at the origin of some of the food which you thought were totally Indian. Do you know the 'Samosa' is actually from the Middle East? Or that our beloved potatoes are from Portugal? And that Chillies were never ours. And that fancy Durrum wheat in your pasta is actually Suji?
You also come to appreciate that something as mundane as Dal or Pulses is an wholly Indian thing and it's only consumed and grown in the Indian Subcontinent. And that Myanmar and Australia just grows it for us to consume. The day they stop, we've had it!
Read the book if you are interested in the history of food and you will love it. #djreads #Virsanghvi

[Swayamtrupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a lot of sentiments from the author poured in the book. Although he laments the loss of regional cuisines, he misses the bullseye by not being inclusive of food and culture from many regions. The focus, whenever the India cuisine was brought up, went directly to Punjabi, Gujrati and Nawabi cuisines. Which to me is an injustice, given especially that the book tries to depict the Indian taste and it's evolution. Nevertheless, the book has its highs and lows, at times critical about the right things that 'we' have evolved to like or dislike, and with speckles of wisdom on the local and global cuisine and ingredients.

[Vishnu Balamurugan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Where should I begin? The Indian Pantry by Vir Sanghvi is terrible. It is woefully antiquated, pretentious, intolerant, prejudiced, erroneous, and inconsistent. The title ought to have been "The North-Indian Pantry," as it solely focuses on the author's limited knowledge and neglects other regions. The book contains numerous factual inaccuracies, indicating a dire need for editorial assistance as it is excessively repetitive. Additionally, the author's recipe creations appear unsophisticated, amateurish and subpar. To describe the book, I do agree with the author's last sentence "And that let's be honest, it's sad"

2.25/5

[Abhishek Anand · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a collection of many articles written by Vir Sanghvi over the years for HT. It is fairly elaborate in the ingredients it covers and is well researched with fun personal anecdote from Mr. Sanghvi added in to the historical origins and current popularity of the ingredient. Some of the facts were surprising for me like how samosa have middle eastern origins and came with keema in them (not ALOO) and how pasta and our suji ka halwa come from the same grain. This was my first food book and i hope to pick up more such.

[Neha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have never found cook books worthy of my time so I was bit apprehensive and prejudiced and this book didn’t do anything to rectify that. Is this written before Internet era? Only then you can impart secrets like- crisp French fries needs double frying. All kids know this and then some. Also peppered with patronising observations and forced humour and vapid cosmopolitan tone.

[Ashutosh Misra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fine book - well researched and interestingly presented. Knew of the details presented, got confirmation on some of my beliefs, but a whole new world opened up on several other topics. Vir Sanghvi has a very good narration and deep understanding of culinary world - one of my favourites

[Tara Mesquita · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting read. How indian food has changed or the years, where and how it started. Well written, Vir Sanghvi says it like it is. May appear a bit snobbish but that's just the way he is and that's why he's so respected.

[Madhurima Kahali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Left me craving for some good food! Enjoyable, an easy breezy read- it is essentially a compilation of articles by Mr Sanghvi. This book introduced me to a new category of books- the food books, and I don't regret it at all!

[Rajesh Thatha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but biased

Rude Food was the first ever food book I read and greatly enjoyed it. Indian Pantry is just as good but now that I have a broader world view about food, some parts of this book feel needlessly judgemental of Western cuisines.

[Dipra Lahiri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Certainly the best Indian writer on food, and the brevity of the essays is a relief. Well informed, a discerning yet adventurous palate, and generous in crediting his knowledge to chefs and other writers.

[Soham Banerjee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet, savoury, spicy, very Indian

[Shameer Ks · Rating 5 out of 5]

As delectable as the dishes he enlists might offer

[Sarthak Dev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. Felt like I was discovering food that I had casually consumed all this time. Filled with context and history, and always stays relevant.

[Balvinder · Rating 1 out of 5]

Could not read beyond the first 2 chapters.

[Mayank Dixit · Rating 3 out of 5]

A historical evolution of each food you eat nowadays. Not a health book. Nicely written.

[Tushar Shukla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite an exhaustive foray into Indian spices, food habits, nuances and preferences. Tends to get too fixated with "we don't get the real good stuff in India", and barring few generalizations, name dropping and reverential praise of the Raj and all the glory of the past, there is mostly good information and trivia here. Liked the chapters on Bread, Chocolate, nature/organic food fads, Noodles. Gets you hungry like anything. Good companion read in cafes, restaurants. Be prepared to have your expectations crash down as you have some substandard food afterwards though.