Vedas, a restaurant in Shanghai, offers several dishes that are specifically from southern India [Photo by Belle Taylor/China Daily]

The lemon rice with cashews sounded pleasant enough on the menu, but on the plate it was a revelation: Perfectly fluffy yet moist rice with a sweet burst of lemon, a nice nuttiness thanks to the cashews in the dish and a musky depth of flavor from the curry leaves.

The chicken Madras is light and spicy, with a smoky tomato base. The flavors are distinctive, and the whole dish has an excellent texture. The chicken is moist and succulent. Again there is that distinctive flavor of the curry leaves.

The skilled chefs at Vedas don't drown their food in heavy sauces, but let each ingredient speak for itself.

If the dishes we sampled at Vedas are any indication of the cuisine eaten by travelers along the maritime Silk Route, it's not surprising that the spices of India were eagerly traded across the world.

IF YOU GO

Vedas

11:30 am-2:30 pm, 6 pm-11 pm. 3/F, 83 Changshu Lu (Road), near Julu Lu, Xuhui district, Shanghai. 021-6445-8100.