Book excerpt: THE CLASSIC COOKBOOK THAT HELPED MAKE SOUTHERN VEGETARIAN CUISINE ACCESSIBLE AND EASY-TO-COOK FOR ONE AND ALL. South Indian vegetarian cuisine is subtly flavoured, yet rich in variety. The spices are so delicately and judiciously blended that the best South Indian food always retains the basic essence of its flavour. Therein lies its speciality. From the nutritional point of view, the food is perfectly balanced, low in cholesterol and fat, and not necessarily spicy. Chandra Padmanabhan, an expert cook, has been dishing up delicious meals for her family and friends for more than twenty-five years. Over the years, she has experimented with various styles of vegetarian cooking and ingeniously adapted them to suit every palate. Dakshin is a compilation of her favourite recipes, and several years after it was first published, it continues to be the best introduction to vegetarian South Indian cuisine.