Itanagar: From the everyday to the exotic, the cuisine of a vast milieu of indigenous people of Arunachal Pradesh finds a place in a new book Aromas of Arunachal.

Published by the department of tourism, it takes readers to a journey from Tawang in the west to Longding in the east through the food habits of people. It gives an opportunity to look into the lives of the indigenous people, as has never been presented before.

During the book-launch in State Food Craft Institute at Indira Gandhi Park here on Saturday, tourism secretary Joram Beda said food and cuisine of Arunachal Pradesh are on a par with those in other parts of the world. "The problem was with presentation and documentation," he added.

The book, which Beda hopes will create interest in the state's cuisine and help preserve traditional knowledge, features dishes that are favourites across the state such as bamboo shoot pickle to the lesser-known Khunchang-Tok, a Tangsa dish where hot stones are an essential part of the cooking process. The book is also peppered with legends and tales of some of the tribes of the state which act as windows into their cultures.

Tourism minister Jarkar Gamlin said the book will help tourists and generate employment.