India, Nov. 7 -- It was only when I was researching this piece that I realised that because I had travelled so much this year, some of my best meals were eaten abroad. When I wasn't travelling, I was less enthusiastic about going out, partly because it's nice to be home, and mostly because my wife's cooking is so perfectly attuned to my preferences that I eat much better when I don't go out.

Nevertheless, here is a list of some of the best meals I ate in India this year. I have excluded street food, delivery food and meals cooked by such visiting superstars as Massimo Bottura.

Perhaps a little unfairly, I have also excluded the great superstars of Indian food. You don't need me to tell you yet again that Hussain Shahzad, Kavan Kuttapa, ...