Gearing up for my trip to India in 2009, I was admittedly more excited to eat than sightsee. The curries spooned over rice, the fiery hot condiments, and the intensely sweet desserts made me salivate in nearly catatonic daydreams. I had, however, only experienced Americanized Indian cuisine — in the array of Indian restaurants in Manhattan or from a chafing dish in Whole Foods. I certainly had never prepared an Indian meal myself before. I was not at all prepared for the invaluable epiphany I had in India. The fact is, authentic Indian food is missing from the kosher kitchen and it need not be.