The thing that makes Mahanandi special is its context of cooking within a family and a tradition, and the warm history that comes with each dish or simple recipe. It is also the work of native experts on the food of that country, so you can be sure you're getting an authentic experience. Their genuine knowledge of Indian cooking brings with it an emphasis on using the freshest, most natural ingredients.
As far as I can tell, all of their dishes are vegetarian, save for occasional dairy products (cream, yogurt, cheese) and eggs. As a natural result, almost all of their dishes could be considered heart-healthy. Spiced chickpeas, typically over rice, is a favorite dish (one of my own) that's very filling, and a good replacement for meat that's packed full of protein; when combined with rice, such legume dishes provide all the amino acids needed for complete protein (like meat).
The site also features some excellent photography, which always helps in locating those unfamiliar ingredients.
Indian cooking is not something I grew up with. But because my brother married into an Indian-American family, I have developed a great love for it. Those who presume it it to be too spicy or too vegetarian (or too meaty, for that matter--I have heard both) have not yet had a proper, complete exposure. It can be all of those things at times, and much more, while still remaining true to its origin.
If you are a meat lover, like much of my company at gatherings with my brother's in-laws, also try some of their links to other Indian food blogs. There's a large community of sites covering all aspects of Indian cuisine.
On a related note, Mahanandi recently won an online competition for Best Food Indiblog of the year 2006. Congratulations Mahanandi!
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There has been a lot of buzz recently about the health benefits of spices and herbs in general. Indian food does make good use of plenty of these at times, and it is perhaps best associated with curry by westerners.The above link describes a study, along with many others on the topic of healthful spices, linking curry to a reduced risk of Alzheimer's:
"A recent study suggests curcumin — a component of curry and turmeric — may help the immune system get rid of the protein that builds up to form damaging plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. The findings complement previous research linking curry consumption to reduced Alzheimer's risk. One study found that in India — where curry is commonly used to spice food — only one per cent of the elderly developed the disease. That's one-quarter of the rate in North America."
That article comes from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, a very reliable source akin in quality to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
Wikipedia also has a rather thorough entry on the various kinds of curry and their uses; as you can see it's not just an Indian spice, and a good ingredient regardless.
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