Mavis Hyman’s family went from Baghdad to Kolkata, India, 200 years ago with a colony of Jewish traders. They are members of the little-known Indian-Baghdadi group, whose cuisines combine Iraqi and Indian ingredients and culinary traditions. Hyman covers the cuisines of her community as well as other Indian Jewish communities, with recipes ranging from spam, a coconut-flavored confection, to mango and chicken dopiaza, a meal made with small, sour green mangoes, ginger, and cardamom.
