On the Curry Trail: Chasing the Flavor That Seduced the World

by Raghavan Iyer

Award-winning author and instructor Raghavan Iyer explores the origin of curry across the globe with 50 recipes in this illustrated cookbook about the simmering, scrumptious history and lore of a globally beloved dish.​

 
On the Curry Trail  is an enlightening journey across Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas to explore the origins of curry and the signature, essential curries of each region. This diaspora of curry brings alive not only the most iconic, category-defining recipes from these continents, but also the history, lore, anecdotes, and familial remembrances that fashion each dish. It delves into the story of curry—what it was and what it is, the places to which it has traveled and the ways it has evolved en route (whether because of local ingredients, cultural tastes, or other factors)—and embraces the many interpretations and definitions of this beloved dish.  It makes the flavors of these scintillating curries accessible to the everyday home cook. On the Curry Trail  is at once a mash note and an education—one rich in history and sense of place—that tells the definitive, delectable story of this beguiling dish in 50 irresistible recipes. Illustrations throughout.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Nonfiction, Cooking, History, Food Writing, Food and Drink

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2023

About the author

Bombay-native Raghavan Iyer, a Certified Culinary Professional, and a member of The International Association of Culinary Professionals, has acquired degrees in Chemistry (Bombay University), Hotel, and Restaurant Management (Michigan State University). Raghavan and his Mother He is a cookbook author, culinary educator, spokesperson, and consultant to numerous national and international clients including General Mills, Bon Appetit Management Company, Target, and Canola. He helped launch an Indian Meals program for Bon Appétit Management Company and trained all their chefs across the United States in Indian cuisine. He helped design a shelf-stable, Indian, ready-to-eat meals for Target’s Archer Farms brand. Most recently, he was named a 2008 Sustainable Seafood Ambassador for the prestigious Monterey Bay Aquarium.

He most recently finished a commercial project as the consulting Executive Chef for an upscale/casual Indian-themed restaurant called OM that opened September 2009 in downtown Minneapolis to rave reviews.

Iyer is co-founder of the Asian Culinary Arts Institutes, Ltd., an organization dedicated to the preservation, understanding, and enjoyment of the culinary arts of Asia.

An accomplished and prolific culinary instructor at many international, national, and local venues, including the International Association of Culinary Professionals’ Annual Conferences in Phoenix, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Montreal, Dallas, Seattle, and Chicago. With over 24 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Iyer is also fluent in more than six languages. Annually, he leads food and cultural tours to India.

He has appeared in numerous radio and television shows across the United States and Canada including Martha Stewart Radio, The Splendid Table (national public radio show with Lynne Rossetto Kasper), A Chef’s Table with Jim Coleman (WHYY Philadelphia - NPR affiliate), WGN Morning News (WGN Chicago), Good Day Atlanta (WAGA TV - Fox Affiliate), Good Day Tampa (Fox Affiliate Tampa), The Morning Show (KARE 11 - NBC Affiliate in Minneapolis/St. Paul), and the Vicki Gabereau Show (national Canadian television talk show).

Reviews

[David Crumm · Rating 5 out of 5]

An important update for potential readers of this book:
There was a fascinating New York Times profile of Iyer published February 21, 2023, about how important this final book was to him as he was suffering through the end stage of his years-long battle with colorectal cancer. Then, the Times also published his obituary on April 2, 2023.

I'm a lifelong journalist specializing in reporting on religious and cultural diversity and my resume include several periods of writing about food for newspapers and magazines. For that reason, our home shelves already are groaning with cookbooks and my wife and I made a conscious decision that any new cookbook we decide to save means that some other older book has to go.
Because of this process, I'm well aware of how far cookbooks have evolved through the decades in welcoming American home-cooks to the wonders of global cuisine. When some of the first classics appeared on our shelves, there were often all kinds of questions left unanswered in these books and there was little help in determining how to find certain ingredients (or to make substitutions if all else failed).

This new book by veteran chef, food writer and educator Raghavan Iyer is both wonderfully diverse and colorful and it's also so friendly that it reads as if Iyer had visited our home to coach us as we cooked these recipes. His "tips" sections throughout this book are invaluable!

I was even pleasantly amused to find his "tip" that shares his thoughts on when deep-frying oil can be saved and reused so that we're not constantly "wasting" so much oil.

My wife and I are blessed to live in an area with a huge diversity of Asian groceries, restaurants and community centers from temples to nonprofit agencies. I didn't find a single ingredient in Iyer's new book that I can't find in the shops in my town. Partly that's because we have so many ethnic shops. Overall, however, that's because Iyer has selected recipes to share with readers that are not super exotic. For example, I've had curries when traveling in Thailand, Bangladesh and other areas of Asia that involve proteins or spices that I would be hard pressed to find. So, I'm praising Iyer for walking a fine line between real global diversity and recipes that American home cooks will have a fair chance of actually replicating. This is a very practically curated book.

There were also some pleasant surprises here! I did not expect to enjoy "Curried Chickpea Stew Sandwiches" as much as I have (although I have to admit that I did not add the "Scotch Bonnet Relish," which was one step too hot for me).

But that's the fun of his book. Iyer introduces why each recipe is included, then provides the recipes and adds further "tips" as well.

This is a great cookbook for anyone who wants to explore more adventurous home cooking, and its lovely layout and fascinating stories make it a great gift idea as well.

In our home, we were happy to give away an older book to make room for this delightful addition.

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great mix of recipes, history and personal stories. Admittedly, I had always thought of curry as distinctly Indian, so I loved this trip around the world in the form of curry.

The layout, colors and illustrations are beautiful. The table of contents sorted by country with a numbered map is brilliant.

I haven’t personally tried any of these recipes yet, but one of my favorite things already is that Iyer did something to make his mark on all of them, even if he got the recipes from a fellow friend or chef.

I live in the Southern U.S., and I had never heard of Country Captain Chicken before! I suppose it’s probably more common in the coastal south, and now I’m determined to try it.

I highly recommend this book, not just for the recipes but also as a coffee table book. Even someone who doesn’t cook would enjoy looking at it.

I’m very sad to hear that Iyer is nearing the end of his battle with cancer, and I’m thankful for this one last gift he shared with the world.

Thank you NetGalley and Workman Publishing Company for the ARC!

[LAPL Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

According to Raghavan Iyer, “The sophistication of Indian cuisine, balancing six taste elements: hot, sour, sweet, bitter, salty, and astringent (umami was a much later discovery), is deeply embedded in the annals of ayurvedic medicine, from around the first century BCE, a science that dictated the role of spices, herbs, and other flavorings to regulate various body types for a sense of equilibrium. Temperature contrasts, colors, aromas, and textures were under consideration as well, as practitioners of ayurveda combined seemingly disparate ingredients with highly nuanced results, balancing the therapeutic qualities inherent in food. Every dish had a specific spicing technique, every stew and sauce a particular name. The word curry was nonexistent in any of the languages spoken in India for thousands of years until the British set deep colonial roots in this subcontinent.”

Throughout the centuries, all manner of tangible goods have traveled and/or been traded across continents because of refugees, conquerors, conflicts, wars, politics, economics and colonizers. Iyer makes special note of the British colonizers, who were in India for over 300 years, and what influence they had over curry and other Indian foodstuffs. “It was under the British Raj … that Indian stews and saucy dishes were bastardized into monochromatic Anglo-Indian cuisine. This muted the vibrant complexity of Indian foods …” Curry powders, pastes and recipes are found all over the globe, as evidenced in four of the book’s chapters (Asia; Africa & The Middle East; Europe & Oceania; The Americas).

The 50 recipes, “ … are broken down by nation within continents.” And Iyer states, “I have never been a fan of using words like authentic, classic, and traditional to describe recipes from different parts of the world.” In his very concise and captivating history of curry, curry powder, and curry dishes, he says,“ food is dynamic and is a reflection of the fluidity of cultures that accommodate new ingredients and techniques, or adjusts when ingredients are or techniques fall out of favor.” That is why I love to read this type of cookbook because it provides histories of foods, foodstuffs, ingredients, recipes and marvelous analysis and insights about people and food.

The recipes are clearly printed, and each one is preceded by a brief historical comment or anecdote, followed by cooking tips. For those of us (I am one) who can never consistently cook any type of rice correctly, on pages 192-194, Iyer presents three methods for preparing basmati rice: My Steeped Basmati Rice; Absorption/Steeping Method; Open-Pot Pasta Method. There are conversion tables; an abridged bibliography; an index. As if any type of discussion about curry needed added intensity, there are vibrant illustrations from four artists: Neethi, Anisa Makhoul, Jenny Bowers, and Marisol Ortega.

Reviewed by Sheryn Morris, Librarian, Literature & Fiction

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I really loved this! In fact I ordered a physical copy before I even finished the eARC and I am sending copies to several friends.

Iyer starts by giving a little background on what curry is and how this dish traveled worldwide. The recipes are then separated by region, starting with Asia then going to Africa and the Middle East, Europe & Oceania, and then ending with the Americas. Each section starts with a little comment about what that region’s dishes will include and before each specific recipe, Iyer writes a little background of the region or the recipe. I loved that touch a lot. For one, I love knowing the history of food and for another I upheave been fortunate enough to travel to several of the places mentioned so it allowed me to reminisce a little.

Another thing I really liked was that Iyer acknowledges the problem around the idea of “authenticity” when it comes to global food. In the beginning he talks about how food is dynamic and how dishes change all the time so that even a “representative” or “national” dish has variations depending on the chef, which I have found that to be especially true with Asian cuisines. Even something as simple as a curry blend can be so different depending on the chef and palette, so I love that he acknowledges that.

[Danielle McClellan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a keeper. A well designed and nicely illustrated survey of curries around the globe. The recipes are accessible and straightforward, and the book is filled with a great selection of curry blends, curry pastes and curry dishes. Chapters on Asia, Africa & the Middle East, Europe & Oceana, and the Americas provide information about historical and traditional foodways as curries were passed along through the Indian diaspora and colonial activities.

The author provides a perfect combination of history and recipes as he tracks the permutations of curries across the globe. He is thoughtful about reaching out to others with regional specialties and is always detailed about his sources. I have already upped my basmati rice game 100% by following Iyer's steeping method, which is slightly different than the way I have always made rice.

I have numerous flagged pages, which shows that I plan to do a lot of cooking out of this book. Some particularly appealing items include Flatbreads stuffed with Curried Yellow Peas, Handheld Eggplant Pies with a Sour-Hot Coconut Dip, Prawn Curry with Darkened Cinnamon, Chicken Lemongrass Curry with Potatoes.

Iyer also explores the idea that curries can be found under different names in different parts of the world. He points to the food of Mexico as deeply connected to the food of India. His recipe for Poached Chicken with Spiced Mole Sauce is a great example of the recipes in the book: authentic, given to him by a friend and colleague who lives in Oaxaca, Mexico. The recipe is not oversimplified, but it is presented in a straightforward manner, and layers flavors with an incredibly luxurious spiced mole sauce. The author provides alternate ingredients for those that may be slightly difficult to obtain for some, for example, here giving the option of using bananas instead of plantains and canola oil for lard.

There is a lot to like about this book, and although I received an ARC digital copy for review, I plan to purchase a hard copy of this book the minute that it comes out. My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Workman, for the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Valerie Thirkettle-Kayser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. It starts by being pleasing to the eye, with lovely bright colours and graphics. is very informative too, thanks to a round the world tour of everything curry. The book covers the various regions of the world and looks at how culture and history have shaped these countries' relation to curry and all its variations. It is really fascinating to see how spices have travelled around the world and combined with the culinary and social cultures to create local curry influenced dishes. I learned a lot and appreciated the research that has clearly gone into writing this story of the curry diaspora.
There is also a wealth of information about spices and ingredients, which will be handy for those who have access to all these spices, but also for those for whom this might be more difficult.
And of course, the recipes! For each country the author is taking us to, there is one or more recipe. The recipes are very well explained, and accessible to anyone who wants to try the experience of cooking curries. I really liked recipes of particular curry powders like the Madras curry powder, the curry pastes and the Ethiopian spiced clarified butter. It is also nice to have bread, rice and pulses recipes. On the top of my list are the Prawn Curry with Darkened Cinnamon from Sri Lanka, the Chicken curry with lemongrass and curry leaves from Malaysia, the Red lentils with ginger from Ethiopia and the Slow cooked chickpeas from Morocco, but there are many more I will cook from this book..On top of that, we are offered lots of tips that make the whole book feel almost like a masterclass in curry cooking.
I could virtually smell the fragrant spices and mixes as I was reading and although there are no pictures of the dishes, I realised I did not miss them because the explanations were excellent.
This book will definitely be in my kitchen!

[Yvonne Walus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, love this book. It has everything: unique yet simple recipes, handy tips, the history behind culinary trends, amazing artwork that makes you hungry. It's also an armchair travel book, with recipes from France as well as Fiji.

I valued that lesser-known curry cuisines like Nonya (Chinese Malay) and South African (Cape Malay) were also represented. I highly recommend serving Bunny Chow (officially and descriptively titled Lamb Potato Stew in Bread Bowls) to your as a simple yet unusual dish.

I learnt that British Vindaloo is a Goan adaptation of a Portuguese dish, and that chicken tikka in tomato soup became chicken tikka masala.

This cookbook is a must-have for all curry lovers out there.

[nightmares.of.eliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the Curry Trail, No Passport Required 🌶️🗺️

On the Curry Trail: Chasing the Flavor That Seduced the World by Raghavan Iyer is less a kitchen workhorse and more a smart, well-read traveler on your shelf. The concept is fantastic (and the cover sells it instantly): curry not as a single cuisine, but as a global idea, absorbed, bent, and reinterpreted across continents. Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas — the book does a solid job showing how different food cultures made curry their own.

This isn’t a book about obscure techniques or cheffy flexing. Most recipes rely on ready-made curry powders or pastes, with a few DIY blends folded in. Difficulty levels vary, but many dishes land squarely in family-friendly, budget-aware comfort food territory — warming stews, curries, breads, even a sandwich or two. Ingredients are largely accessible in any larger city, though one or two recipes may require a deliberate shopping mission.

Flavors are genuinely diverse, and instructions are clear, calm, and reliable. Where the book stumbles is visual guidance. The lack of photographs does hurt — not a deal breaker, but noticeable, especially given the price and relatively modest recipe count (roughly 40–50, including spice blends and pastes). When you encounter a dish you’ve never seen or tasted before, a visual anchor would make a real difference.

This ultimately reads as a curated collection of global curry classics with historical framing rather than an intimate memoir or a hardcore technical manual. You’ll probably come away with about ten repeatable, crowd-pleasing recipes — and a better understanding of why curry belongs everywhere.

Verdict: 4 / 5. A thoughtful, globally minded curry anthology — more shelf curiosity than daily driver, but rich in context and quietly practical once you start cooking.

Recommended if you liked this:
• The Curry Guy by Dan Toombs — practical, cravey, weeknight-friendly.
• National Dish by Anya von Bremzen — for the cultural deep dive.
• Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love by Yotam Ottolenghi — for modern comfort cooking.

#CurryAroundtheWorld #NoPhotoIssue #SpiceUpMyLife

[Karen Hancock · Rating 4 out of 5]

ward winning cookbook author and cooking star, Raghavan Iyer has released a cookbook that will make everyone to fall in love with curries that are served throughout the world. On the Curry Trail: Chasing the Flavor That Seduced the World has unique and fabulous curries from Cambodia, China, Thailand, Tibet, Japan, Britain, Africa, and the Middle East, as well as Europe , Oceania, Jamaica and Mexico.

These recipes aren’t just for curries; rather they include breads, steamed curry buns, curry fried rice, and other tempting curry specialties. There also recipes for curry powders from different regions of the world. The recipes are written in the traditional manner and are easy-to-follow. Some of the recipes have a long list of ingredients, but sometimes that is necessary to get just the right flavors and textures in certain dishes. Both beginning cooks as well as advanced cooks will find that their dishes turn out picture perfect (even though there aren’t pictures here to compare the dishes with).

Although there are cute and colorful illustrations, this cookbook doesn’t include color photographs of the curry dishes. This is unfortunate, and is the one definite drawback to this cookbook. With modern technology, it is surprising that the publisher didn’t insist on real photos.

This is definitely a book for curry lovers. The variety of recipes is expansive, and there are enough appealing recipes to keep curry lovers busy cooking for months. The prose is excellent and interesting, as well as educational.


Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

*This book was received as an Advanced Reviewer's Copy from NetGalley.

I originally thought this was just going to be an informational/historical book around curry. Much to my pleasant surprise it included recipes as well and was part cookbook and part historical/informational. Not a bad combo.

I love curry; and while I can't always take the heat, having this information and recipes at my fingertips means that I can alter and still get all the wonderful flavors that comes with the rest of the ingredients. And there are so many good ones in here. I've made the Koshari already (one of my favorites and I needed something to go with my feteer meshaltet) and the roti is probably on the docket soon.

But the real gem of this book is that it is split up into regions, with information about how curry originated or how it was used in the area, the types of ingredients and flavor profiles, and then the variation on recipe; one from each area within that region. The book is split into Asia, Africa & the Middle East, Europe & Oceania, and the Americas. There are a few commonalities amongst the curries, but largely they all reflect a unique profile.

If you adore curry, this would be a great recipe book to add to your collection.

Review by M. Reynard 2022

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

On the Curry Trail is written by a much published and renowned curry chef, Raghavan Iyer. The book itself is lovely, colorfully illustrated with brightly colored illustrations that capture some of the excitement of eating a curry, and its burst of flavors to your palette. The author obviously loves his subject and this transmits into his writing. My mouth watered as he described dishes and the flavor of the spices. He is also obviously well traveled as he mentions other chefs and special dishes he experienced in many countries.

The book starts with a discussion on curry, then a general history of the spice route. But after this introduction, the author writes one representative recipe for every country that has experienced having curry in their cuisine, and this includes a lot of countries! I like curry but I wouldn't have called myself a fan. However the author's enthusiasm has me wanting to purchase the book and try some of the recipes. The way he describes the dishes, the flavors pop out of the pages!

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book. Opinions are my own.

[Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like curry and I like cookbooks with some food history, so I was excited to pick up Iyer's book. Iyer takes the reader though curries in Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas, with histories, recipes, commentary and more. Unfortunately, it appears that as of February 2023 Iyer is in the end stages of colorectal cancer that has spread through his body, so this book is especially bittersweet.

Overall, the book is fairly formulalic. Iyer takes the reader through different regions in the world with various curry histories, recipes, and some commentary on each of these recipes. It's a cookbook, so the recipes are pretty much the focus. I haven't tried them myself and couldn't say how hard or easy it is.

That's pretty much it. If you like curry and would like try different ones from around the world, this might be a really great book for you. It would probably be a fun project to try them all and study how the influences have spread around the world and how the curry gets its own twist in different countries, regions, ingredients, etc.

Borrowed from the library and that was best for me.

[Beth Grant DeRoos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. Especially if you LOVE curries. And the title On The Curry Trail: Chasing the Flavor That Seduced the World is a perfect title.

When reading the book and its recipes I often sit and imagine a long trip where we go to all the different countries to savour the different curries each offers.

The fact that there are curries from different countries that we can actually make in our own kitchen makes the book extra special.

The reason I say curries is because there is not one type of curry. And curries come from Asia, Africa and the Middle East, as well as Europe and the Americas. As well as what is called the Oceania which consists of the islands of the central and South Pacific, including Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.

The book is rich with the history of curries, from how they are done in different countries, the plethora of herbs and spices different cultures use to meat, fish, vegetarian and vegan/plant based curries.

The photographs, illustrations and recipes are worthy of the price of the book.

[Susanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, Workman Publishing Company and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a unique look at the history of curry - which many may think of as exclusively a South Asian dish - and the way it has spread and influenced food culture around the world. The book is structured in geographical areas, and the author gives fascinating insights into the adaptations of curry into each culture, and includes historical information and recipes from each area. Some of the dishes are very intricate, others are more easily achieved by the not-so-practiced home cook, and the author includes tips for hard-to-source ingredients and unfamiliar cooking procedures. The book was nicely illustrated, but I would have loved to see photos rather than the drawings. My only quibbles with the book were the US-centric view and the lack of metric measurements - although at least there was a conversion table included in the back of the book.

[A Girl From Queens · Rating 5 out of 5]

On the Curry Trail by Raghavan Iyer is a beautiful and accessible book focusing on curries of the world.

For a nerdy girl who loves to cook, this is a gem. There are detailed histories of origins of different types of curries, which part of the world they originated from, and recipes (some familiar and some not) featuring the curries. There are helpful tips and anecdotes sprinkled liberally throughout the book, which just demonstrate the vast depth of knowledge that Iyer holds.

The book is colorful and easy to read, while detailing and providing such great information, and while I haven’t tried to make any of the recipes, I can see the recipes are easy to follow and will work. (I’m a trained chef.)

This book is a must for a nerdy foodie, and for anyone who loves a good curry.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[(a)lyss(a) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is an interesting book about curry around the world.

While high level at times, this book has a lot of information about different curry variations and their history. The book talks about different spice combinations by region and area and what recipes those spices are most commonly used in. There's flavor profiles and information about how curries differ around the world. Some of the recipes seem time intensive for me, but there's an interesting variety from shellfish to vegetable.

Overall an informative read.

[Leyla Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only is this a fabulous curry recipe book, but it provides a good read. Curry is popular all over the world, this book shows, not only the history of curry, and its spread throughout the world, but the culture that infuses the spices. The Areas are broken into Asia, Africa & Middle East, Europe & Oceania and The Americans but only in the sense on how the various people and cultures have modified, added and used these fabulous flavors to hold them for their own.
This is a very interesting book, and a must for any curry lover. I really enjoyed it Thanks you NetGalley and the publishers for the DRC

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the kind of cookbook I love. There are pages and pages of background on the topic, the history of curry from inception to today organized by geographic region, along with lots of cooking tips to both make the authentic recipes or make modifications with ingredients more readily available. I never realized there were so many different manifestations of curry across the planet. Iyer's style is conversational and personal. He also references other books/authors on the topic so the reader can further their exploration of it. Photos of the featured recipes and engaging graphic design make this book a delight to read. I'm so glad I added it to my collection.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

"On the Curry Trail" offers a fascinating global journey through curry's history and evolution. Iyer's storytelling and cultural insights shine, creating a rich tapestry of curry's influence across continents. While the concept is brilliant and the design beautiful, I found myself wishing for more visual representation of these unfamiliar dishes. The absence of photos makes it harder to visualize the end results, especially for unique regional variations I've never encountered. The comprehensive collection of 50 recipes spans the globe impressively, though some more complex dishes could benefit from additional guidance.

[Drea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the entire experience of this cookbook - recipes along with the author’s personal travel and culinary experiences organized in a way that opened and expanded my knowledge of the multitude of cultural curries. It’s wonderful. The writing is lovely and personal and the recipes include tips and hints to use ingredients that, to some, including me, are new. The illustrations are lovely. A must have kitchen cookbook ! Thanks to Workman Publishing Company for this gift of a cookbook.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting and unique book. A lot of history of curry in different parts of the world, and then recipes specific to that culture. With tips and techniques, and just a whole lot of fun in a recipe book. But it's not just recipes. It's an enjoyable book to be read as well to learn more about curry.

[Erica Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great resource on curries, with a diverse representation of how curries have taken shape throughout the world.

I love that each section of the book focuses on a different region of the world. And I was surprised by how widespread curries actually are.

Recipes, history, and a wonderful variety of tips adorn this book.

[Gin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a well researched book with a wide variety of dishes. The brief histories and anecdotes were interesting, and I can't wait to try some of the recipes! While the illustrations were beautiful, there were no photographs of the prepared recipes.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Lisa H · Rating 5 out of 5]

How curry became a global food...

On the Curry Trail takes on the history and path that curry took to become an iconic food.
History, 50 recipes and illustrations make for a lovely book to have on hand, not just for cooking but for the stories and understanding how food traveled the world.
Recommend.

[Elizabeth Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

"On the Curry Trail" was an enlightening read, as I did not realize exactly how generic a term "curry" really is. Raghaven Iyer takes you on a cultural journey across multiple continents to explore curry dishes from all over the world, with cultural and historical context. I especially love the Thai curry recipes, but the recipes in general are really solid.

[OneDayI'll · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very informative book/cookbook. There's history, and recipes for both the spice blends and the dishes. From first records of curry like dishes, to how it traveled through the various countries via trade routes and soldiers returning from wars, to how countries have adapted curries ot their own tastes and designs. I really enjoyed the book.

[MountainsMama]

[Doesn’t feel fair to leave stars when I won’t make any recipes from this book.]

The premise is interesting! Although the recipes were too meat-centric for my tastes, I enjoyed reading about ‘curry’ and the history of its development around the world.

[Rizwana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the actual history of the curries.
It was very immersive book, learned a lot, perfect for a culinary enthusiast like me.
It is a very informative book and love the fun layout of the book!

[Colton Brydges · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting book! There is such a richness of history explored here, with curry and curry-esque dishes as a through-line for so many cultures and dishes in disparate parts of the world. Worth it for the history, and the recipes aren't too shabby either

[Pooja Bag · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haven’t made any of the recipes - picked it up to read through. The history was quite interesting, but I wanted more of it and less of the personal anecdotes and flowery language. But that’s also maybe a mismatch of my expectations!

3.5/5 as a read