Fire and Spice. Joyce Westrip

The Parsis are descendants of the Zoroastrians who left Persia 1,300 years ago and settled along India's western coast. Their aromatic cuisine, which combines the sophistication of Persian and Middle Eastern cooking with the heat and spice of the subcontinent's, is one of Asia's last great culinary enigmas. Fire and Spice is the first ever book on Parsi cooking to be published outside India and introduces the reader to a delicious arra recipes, ranging from simple, everyday dishes that can be prepared in a matter of minutes to elaborate dhansaks and biryanis normally served at weddings and other special occasions. With its unusual, tastebud-tantalising combinations – Coconut-Flavoured Fish with Aubergine, Baked Eggs with Spicy Bananas, and Orange-Flavoured Rice with Dates – and numerous recipes suitable for vegetarians, including Sweet and Sour Pumpkin, Omelette with Ginger and Coriander, and Spinach Pilau, Fire and Spice offers a broad, mouth-watering range of authentic recipes from this little known cuisine.