Thangam Philip’s ‘Vegetarian Recipes for Healthy Living’, published posthumously by Orient BlackSwan was released by Chhagan Chandrakant Bhujbal, Minister for Tourism and Public Works, Maharashtra, on April 8, 2011 at the 16th Regional Convention of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India in Lavasa (Maharashtra).
The iconic Thangam E Philip was a giant in the world of cooking, catering and nutrition. In her long career spanning more than 50 years, she worked tirelessly to educate people about the joys and health‐giving benefits of cooking. Her recipes, always simple but delicious, have inspired countless numbers to take up the culinary arts.
In this book, she embarks on a gastronomic journey through the wonderful and diverse world of plants, exploring the economic and environmental values of health‐conscious diets as opposed to current market trends governed by the palate. She describes the nutritional benefits and medicinal properties of everything from roots to leaves, cereals to spices, and nuts to fruits, and also shows us how to use them effectively in everyday cooking. Packed with her favourite tried‐and‐tested recipes, this, her last work, is a testimony to her lifelong interest in healthy living.
Thangam E Philip (1921–2009), a name that is synonymous with good food and fine living, was acknowledged as the most eminent doyenne and teacher par excellence of the Indian hospitality industry. She served as a consultant for several international projects and was a member of numerous prestigious national and international institutes and committees. Philip was awarded the FAO’s Ceres Medal in 1975, for her outstanding work in nutrition. The following year, she was honoured with the Padmashri, in recognition of her pioneering role in professionalising hotel management and lending respectability to the catering profession. She was also conferred the knighthood of the Order of Cordon Bleu du Saint Esprit (1982).
