"We don't just cook; we balance," explains Meena Kumari, a home cook from Chennai. "In the monsoon, we increase the ginger and pepper to fight the damp cold. In the summer, we cook with cooling agents like fennel and cumin. The kitchen is our pharmacy."
Known for its delicate use of mustard oil and "Panch Phoron" (five-spice blend), Eastern India—particularly Bengal—is famous for its fish preparations and an incredible variety of milk-based sweets like Rasgulla.