I've said many times before that the only country in which I could bear to be a vegetarian is India. It's not through health or spiritual concerns, but because Indian vegetarian food is so complex, delicious, varied and filling that I don't miss meat.
After a trip to Jaipur a few months ago, where I tasted many dishes that were new to me, I was more interested than ever in exploring the cuisine. So far, it's an armchair exploration - I haven't cooked it yet, because I have yet to amass all the spices. One of the first sites I found was Total Veg (totalveg.com). It's primarily Indian vegetarian; even when it ventures into other cuisines, the dishes often have Indian touches, as with the 'pasta delight', which contains asafoetida powder, in addition to dried oregano and basil; while the noodle stir-fry - a 'Chindian' dish - contains ghee and asafoetida.
When I do get into the kitchen, I'll stick with the site's more traditional dishes, such as radish parathas; aloo chat, (below left; a cold potato dish flavoured with masala, chilli and ginger); fresh coconut and mint chutney; samosas; and laddu (below right; a delicate cookie made with chickpea flour, butter and spices).
