Summary of Anglo-Indian Food and Customs by Patricia Brown

Patricia Brown’s book is both a cultural history and a comprehensive cookbook, preserving the heritage of the Anglo-Indian community—a group formed through centuries of intermarriage between Europeans (Portuguese, Dutch, French, British) and Indians. The book blends recipes, storytelling, cultural commentary, and personal reminiscence, documenting a way of life now diminishing with time.

 

Cultural Background & Identity

Brown explains how the Anglo-Indian community emerged during European colonization, beginning with the Portuguese in the 1500s and followed by Dutch, French, and British settlers. Intermarriage produced a Eurasian population who gradually formed a distinct cultural identity

 

Despite their mixed origins, Anglo-Indians developed a shared lifestyle characterized by:

• Social warmth and hospitality

• A carefree “devil-may-care” attitude

• A strong sense of community expressed through food, celebrations, and humour.

   After Indian Independence in 1947 many Anglo-Indians felt displaced, and the community began to shrink. The author notes that future generations may be assimilated, making this book an attempt to preserve their heritage for posterity.

   

  Food and Culinary Philosophy

  A major portion of the book is dedicated to Anglo-Indian cuisine, which Brown describes as a “delicious blend of East and West” combining:

• Indian spices and techniques

• European roasts, stews, pies, and puddings

• Use of coconut, yogurt, almonds, chillies, ginger-garlic, tamarind, and curry leaves.

   

  Detailed notes explain essential ingredients (onions, chillies, curd, spices), cooking techniques, oils used in different regions, and the role of coconut in many dishes.

  Recipes

  The book provides an extensive collection of recipes, organised into chapters:

• Soups

• Side dishes

• Rice (including pulaos, biryanis, kitcheree)

• Curries and masala fries

• Vegetables, lentils, eggs

• Cakes, cookies, sweets

• Pickles, chutneys, salads

• Snacks and appetizers

• Beverages

Each recipe is accompanied by notes on preparation, cultural context, and suggested accompaniments.

Examples include:

• Kitcheree (kedgeree), originally a British-adapted rice–lentil dish, modernized into a nutritious Anglo-Indian staple

•  Junglee Pulao, created to recycle leftover curry before the days of refrigeration 

  • Mutton Korina, Chicken Pulao, Tomato Pulao, biryanis, etc.

  These recipes emphasise simplicity, fragrance, spice layering, and the use of fresh ingredients.

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  Festivals & Customs

• A major thematic section focuses on Christian festivals and rites as celebrated by Anglo-Indians—Christmas, Easter, Lent, Shrove Tuesday, weddings, baptisms, and funerals. Brown explains their origins and how they were adapted within the community.

• Shrove Tuesday (“Pancake Tuesday”) involved coconut-filled crêpes and tea

•  Lent, Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter are described with historical and religious detail, blending biblical narrative and family traditions 

  Easter lunches, Easter eggs, and relaxed family gatherings are vividly recounted from the author’s memories.

   Rites of passage such as weddings and funerals are described with attention to ritual, community involvement, and associated feasts. Weddings in particular include traditional ceremonies, receptions, music, dance, and celebratory meals 

   

  Lifestyle & Social Habits

  The book paints Anglo-Indians as:

• Gregarious and party-loving

• Non-caste-minded and socially inclusive

• Fond of impromptu gatherings and shared meals

• Deeply tied to Christian religious practices
  These habits shaped not only their community but subtly influenced local Indian society wherever they settled

   

  Purpose of the Book

• Brown states that the book is not only a cookbook but a cultural document aimed at preserving the lifestyle, humour, stories, festivals, and food traditions of a nearly vanishing community.

   

  In Essence

  Anglo-Indian Food and Customs is:

• a cultural memoir,

• a historical overview,

• a celebration of festivals and customs,

• and a major culinary compendium.

It preserves an entire world of Anglo-Indian heritage through recipes, stories, and richly detailed descriptions of social life, ensuring future generations can glimpse a community whose influence far exceeded its size. 

 

Source: Anglo-Indian Food and Customs by Patricia Brown, based entirely on the uploaded file and its contents. (Citations included.)