South Asian cooking is a full-on flavor celebration, with rice, wheat, lentils, vegetables, dairy, pickles, breads, and an astonishing spice cupboard. Cumin, turmeric, cardamom, mustard seed, chili, coriander, and cinnamon can be layered through roasting, frying, fermenting, tempering, and slow cooking.

India contains an almost dizzying range of regional cuisines, while Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan add their own distinctive traditions. Coconut-rich curries, tandoor breads, biryani, seafood, dumplings, street snacks, and vegetarian feasts all show how wonderfully diverse the region can be.