About the Book

This book is tradition revisited; an oral tradition of an illustrious family, an heirloom preserved from one generation to the next in the face of changing times. Jigyasa Giri and Pratibha Jain take the initiative to record this legacy for posterity.

"After indulging in another soul-satisfying meal at Pedatha's home, we re-crowned her the world's best cook. She smiled indulgently and simply said - 'Anyone can cook that, it is so easy to make.' On an impulse, we switched on our laptop, and keyed in the recipe. "

The unfolding of this culinary legacy centres around eighty-five-year-old Subhadra Krishna Rau Parigi. Fondly called Pedatha, she was the oldest offspring of former President of India, Bharat Ratna Dr. V.V. Giri, and Smt. Saraswathi Bai Girl.

This book is more than a record of some of these traditional, time-tested recipes. Step-by-step guidelines in tempering and cooking, special tips running throughout the book, and a transliteration scheme for the pronunciation of Telugu terms add a distinctive touch. Rendered in stunning aesthetics, the book also gives a peek into the simple presentation of traditional Andhra vegetarian food, as well as the affection and joy which was shared in bridging the gap between the spoken and the written word.

About the Author

Jigyasa is a Kathak dancer and choreographer. She teaches at Devaniya, the school of Kathak dance started by her in Chennai. She is married to Pedatha's nephew, V.V.Giri and they have two children, Avani and Arnav.

Pratibha is a translator in the English-Hindi pair. She holds a Doctorate in Philosophy of Language from the University of Madras. She is married to Mahendar Chordia and they have a daughter, Manasvi.

Jigyasa and Pratibha are also the authors and publishers of "SUKHAM AYU", a cookbook based on Ayurvedic Insights. This book has been researched at KARE (Kerala Ayurvedic Rejuvenation Establishment), Pune.

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