What is curry? Today, the word describes a bewildering number of spicy vegetable and meat stews from places as far-flung as the Indian subcontinent, the South Pacific, and the Caribbean Islands. There is little agreement about what actually constitutes a curry. And, until recently, how and when curry first appeared was a culinary mystery as well. The term likely derives from kari, the word for sauce in Tamil, a South-Indian language.

A Taiwanese eatery famed for its dumplings was crowned Asia's best restaurant, while restaurants in Beijing claimed the lion's share of spots in the top ten of a new survey of the food-obsessed region's best dining. Five Indian restaurants made it to the list of 101 best Asian restaurants.

– MILPITAS, Calif. ore than 150 people went on a gastronomical journey with Chef Maneet Chauhan at an event hosted by the India Community Center of Milpitas on May 3. Chauhan kicked off the evening with a cooking demonstration, creating dishes from her new book “Flavors of My World.” Audience members watched as Chauhan whipped up each plate with expertise, a press release from the group said.

Simply put, Indian cuisine presents some of the most satisfying meatless dishes of any in the world, which is why in my relatively short time as a vegetarian I've become something of a regular at Rasika West End in Washington.  But I want to be just as comfortable making Indian dishes at home as I am ordering them out, so I've been studying up.

Mary’s bright “grasshopper green” chutney is a Proustian unifying memory for Saleem and the trigger for his exploration of the past, “The taste of the chutney was more than just an echo of that long-ago taste – it was the old taste itself, the very same, with the power of bringing back the past as if it had never been away...Once again an abracadabra, an open-sesame: words printed on a chutney-jar, opening the last door of my life.

Channa masala is a no-brainer when you’re ordering Indian takeout, especially if you’re a vegetarian. The Punjabi chickpea curry is a tantalizing balance of spicy, tangy and sweet, and it happens to be nutritionally unimpeachable. It also seems like one of those dishes that’s so uniquely flavored and intricately composed that it’s totally worth it to pay an expert to make it for you instead of endeavoring to make it yourself.

– MORRISTOWN, N.J. Top Indian restaurants in the region displayed their signature dishes at the Hyatt here April 14 to teach the younger generation to eat right and develop a love for desi cuisine. Hosted by the Varli group, The Varli Food Festival for Kids featured live cooking demos, booths, games and activities to introduce children to various aspects of Indian food.