"This book, then, is mostly an account of the best food that I know from the sorts of homes I have lived in or visited, and with a few exceptions, not the daily fare of India's villagers, about 80 per cent of the country's inhabitants. There are no "great" restaurants or famous chefs in India as there are in, say, France, to guide one in formulating a nationally accepted "great cuisine. " Relatives, friends, friends of friends, acquaintances and some professional cooks have, in their generosity, provided much of my material. " -Santha Rama Rau