India, Oct. 31 -- One of the great joys of writing is reading, and of all the books I've read, few remain as memorable as the Mahabharata. In it lies the remarkable tale of a king who has lost everything - his wife, his kingdom and his identity - but not his skill. Disguised as a servant, Nala becomes such a masterful cook and charioteer that another king asks him to share his knowledge of the art and science of cooking.

Nala's reply forms one of India's earliest cookbooks: Paka Darpanam (literally, Mirror / Reflections on Cooking). This philosophical and practical book includes verses on how to cook rice and how not to. Nala warns against eight defects, including overboiling, burning, and using stale or out-of-season rice.

To cook the ...