'Curry' is one of the most widely used - and misused - terms in the culinary lexicon. Rarely used by Indians to describe their food, the word has become a catchall for any Indian dish, or Indian food in general. Curry: A Global History answers the elusive question 'What is curry?' by giving a lively historical and descriptive account of a dish that, like the Hindu deity, Lord Vishnu, has many incarnations.