Festive Food of India and Pakistan - Tapa dura

"The Festive Food of India and Pakistan" is a culinary celebration of the varying feasts and festivals of this vibrant, culturally eclectic and colourful part of the world. Eat Raan of Lamb at Id Ul-Fitr, the Muslim festival celebrating the end of Ramadan; or indulge in Almond Fudge at Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights; or enjoy a Prune and Claret Mould for Christmas - the cultural and religious influences are aplenty in the exotic food of this region and now you can create these dishes for yourself.

Louise Nicholson has visited India more than 160 times, travelling the length and breadth of the country. In addition to her prolific writing and lecturing on all aspects of India's culture, she takes private and museum tours there and designs trips for independent travellers. One of her particular interests is the diversity of Indian cuisines and their relationship to local traditions and festivals. Louise lives in New York where, she says, the options for eating authentic Indian cuisines increase almost monthly.