What is ‘real’ Indian cuisine?

But article authors don't write headlines, at least not for most organizations. (Just like book authors rarely choose book titles.)

You'll note the author nowhere mentions "real". Quite the opposite, with quotes like "All cuisines in India have adopted the tomato" (just like Italian cuisine has adopted the tomato) and saying "Indian cooking has changed in the past 1,000 years".

Modern Indian cooking is no less "real" than its older traditions.

Unfortunately, 'real' sound very close to the observed issues with 'authentic' as it relates to foods often called "ethnic", meaning "not common to WASP-y homes in the US or UK". See https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/04/09/472568085/wh... ("Why Hunting Down 'Authentic Ethnic Food' Is A Loaded Proposition") and https://www.eater.com/2019/6/4/18652061/always-be-my-maybe-a... ("‘Always Be My Maybe’ and the Trap of ‘Authentic’ Cooking") for details.

My quip, therefore, was meant to make the reader consider what "real" means for Italy - Italian food with no tomatoes? - and perhaps apply that reconsidered perspective back to India.

But without this wall of text. :(