India, March 19 -- A plate of food is never truly apolitical. It is a complex record of history, trade, and power. What we eat is shaped by politics, by the crops governments support, by the goods nations import, by the access to basic sustenance communities have, and by the ideas that societies hold about religion, caste, gender, ethics, and livelihood.

This deeply political nature of food becomes especially visible during cultural and religious celebrations. The dishes prepared on these occasions often reflect older histories of empire, resistance, and nationalist pride. Ingredients, recipes, and rituals carry the imprint of trade routes, colonial policies, and movements that urged people to favour local produce.

Beginning August 1905...