Book excerpt: ‘A vision of our past lives in images that are most often, I am not ashamed to say, memories of what we ate, with whom and when . . .’In this well-seasoned medley of memories and meals, Indranee Ghosh brings together charming vignettes from her youth in the densely forested Khasi Hills and in Bengal with a delectable selection of recipes passed down over three generations. Anecdotes about eccentric kith and kin, folklore from the time of the Second World War and chronicles of Partition are served up in a warm and engaging narrative along with accounts of audacious kitchen adventures and fascinating nuggets of hard-learnt culinary techniques.Featuring over 70 recipes that represent a mix of Bengali, Khasi and Nepali cuisines, Spiced, Smoked, Pickled, Preserved will introduce you to a variety of exciting fare. From essential spice mixes to forgotten dishes reinvented over time, from fermented delicacies like shidol in pumpkin leaves to a sizzling pan-roasted telapiya, from hearty fish stew to mouth-watering pork in plum sauce, and from sweet-and-sour fish roe ambal to a delicious tangerine payesh – every dish in this deeply personal collection has been tried, tested and practised to perfection.Whether you are an intrepid gastronome wanting to take your repertoire a bit further, or a foodie looking for a comforting bowl of goodness and a fresh flavour to tickle your tastebuds – this treasure trove of treats is your must-have culinary guide.