Indian vegetarian cookbook Review

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(More customer reviews)Tarla Dalal has incorporated a variety of dishes in this one great book. Her dedication to Indian vegetarian cooking has to be applauded. Great fan of her cooking ideas.Let the books keep rolling in Ms. Dalal.

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Amma's Cookbook: From Indian Village to Internet Review

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(More customer reviews)This is one of those books, a very rare find, that I'm sure will one day be a collectors item. My friends tell me I have the largest cookbook collections of anyone they know, and I can say that Amma's Cookbook is one of the most remarkable cookbooks I've ever bought.I was lucky to find the book in a bookstore while visiting Sydney, just stumbled across it, it was tucked away behind several other books.
Most the other Indian cookbooks I know feature celebrity chefs who cook for westerners, or who like to play up the exotic side of Indian cooking, their own celebrityhood. You know what I mean. Amma says the food should speak for itself. She was a housewife most her life, then she started a cooking website called Ammas.com. The site is now apparently one of the largest Asian sites on the Internet. Amma means "mother" in many South Asian languages and the woman behind this book seems to have taken on that name herself because most Internet users know her as "Amma" now. I visited the site and couldn't believe my eyes, thousands of recipes, thousands of lifestyle tips, people writing their questions Dear Amma, I love you etc...it's an amazing story! The kind of thing someone like Oprah or some other popular program would pick up if they ever found out about it, or could figure out who Amma really is. Who knows, maybe they will.But my impression is this Amma would prefer to remain anonymous. More power to her!Myself,I want to know more about her because I love her cooking and she's so inspiring, especially her love for motherhood and cooking, and for her own mother who inspired her in life (her mother sounds like a remarkable woman!).
The books gives unique authentic Indian recipes that are NOT on the website, and which are direct from the villages of India. They're translated into western ingredients and cooking methods so western readers can cook the food. Some really incredible dishes, like rabbit curry, crab, lobster, duck, things you won't find in your typical Indian restaurant. I never knew they cooked duck and rabbit in India! The dishes are prepared with an affection, tenderness, mastery of spices and ingredients you won't find with the more popular cookbook authors.
One more great thing about this cookbook is the stories of life in India. Like I said straight out of India, as if you're there! How many westerners get to experience life in an Indian village? This book takes you there.If you buy one cookbook this year, this is the one I recommend. It makes all the other Indian cookbooks seem like cheap entertainment!

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Amma ("mother") is an Indian housewife and grandmother who began posting recipes for her children on the Internet when they moved overseas and missed her cooking.From this simple beginning in 1996, Ammas.com has grown to be the world’s largest and most successful Asian food and lifestyle Web site, audited at more than 2 million hits per month. Demand for a cookbook from site users has led to this superb collection of genuine Indian recipes adapted for international use. These include traditional vegetarian, chicken, lamb, and game dishes, vegetables, dals, rices, breads, and seafood. Let Amma introduce you to crayfish in a creamy curry, stuffed eggplant, golden fried coconut rice, cashew nut curry, and other exquisite new dishes and exotic flavors you can create at home.Recipes are presented in easy-to-follow steps, with explanations of Indian spices, flavorings, and cooking techniques, and every dish is photographed in color. Amma also provides delightful anecdotes of Indian village life, which convey the warmth, love, and traditional values of her upbringing.Not a book for chefs, full of recipes you might find in an Indian restaurant, instead Amma offers recipes for cooks, with food from a mother’s kitchen.A dish I associate with the towering clouds and pounding rain of the monsoon, my mother’s minced lamb curry was unique in our village. All the other women cooked this dish as they would any other meat curry. But Amma added a few eggs, which poached in the heat of the frying pan. The aroma of the lamb would mix with the tenderly cooked eggs. . . . Memory also serves a dab of butter, some yogurt, and a large spoon-ful of lightly cooked vegetables with these monsoon-enriched meals.-from Amma’s CookbookAmma is the pseudonym for a southern Indian housewife who wishes to remain anonymous, but who is known through her Web site to millions.

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Indian Food Made Easy Review

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(More customer reviews)I live in Mumbai now and have been watching Anjum's program on Discovery Travel and Living. Watching her make the recipes looked so easy, and since I am already in India, I figured finding the ingredients would be no sweat (it wasn't).
Anjum also lightens up the recipes (i.e. Potato and Pea Samosas made in Filo pastry dough and then baked) and the desserts at the end look divine--especially the kilfi (Indian style ice-cream). Anjum Anand is in London, so all the ingredients can be found in the west if you only take the time to look for them.
So far, I've made the Himalayan Lamb and Yoghurt Curry (page 50)and today made the North Indian Lamb Curry (page 54). Both times I used mutton on the bone as lamb is hard to come by in India!
Both were outstanding curries, but the North Indian recipe (from Punjab) turned out so well, I was compelled to write a review of the book. The paneer recipe is so simple that once I get myself a cheese cloth, I'll be making my own cheese from now on. Milk + lemon juice or yoghurt? How easy is that?
This is an outstanding book and the recipes are laid out in a simple, novice friendly way. There are gorgeous pictures of almost every recipe and there are a few glossaries to help those unfamiliar with Indian spices or terminology. I highly suggest making your garlic/ginger paste from scratch and not try to find any store bought. It makes all the difference!

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Crockery Cookbook (Better Homes & Gardens) Review

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(More customer reviews)I found this book in the bookstore shortly after buying my crockpot three years ago -- initially, to cook standard soup and bean recipes with little effort. I was so pleased with the first couple of 'non-standard' crockpot recipes I tried that I began sharing the book with friends and family; within a few months, at least four copies found homes in their own kitchens!
The Easy Cassoulet, Split Pea and Ham Soup, and Zesty Beef and Vegetable Soup have become regulars in my work lunches, while Beef Stroganoff, Easy Italian Chicken Breasts, and variations of the Hearty Beef Stew and Beef Pot Roast have made their mark in our regular meal portfolio. And the Italian-Style Meat Loaf taught me that you can enjoy a tasty meat loaf in the middle of summer without heating up the kitchen! And back to the soups -- my friend introduced me to the Calico Ham and Bean Soup (note that black beans will turn the entire dish dark, still tasty but not so pretty!); my sister's family adores the Wild Rice and Chicken Soup; and my brother likes serving the colorful Herbed Vegetable Soup when entertaining.
If you, like me, wondered whether anything good came out of a crockpot besides chili and soup, this little book will help open up the possibilities!

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Take advantage of the growing trend back to crockery cooking. From appetizers to desserts, here are quick and easy family meals for entertaininging and other special occasions. With more than 100 recipes created to appeal to today's tastes, these recipes have been tested and approved at the BH&G Test Kitchen. Concealed spiral binding.

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Julie Sanhi's Introduction to Indian Cooking Review

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(More customer reviews)It is not an understatement for me to say that Julie Sahni and her cookbooks are the reason my friends think I'm actually a chef extraordinaire, when all I really am is a person who can find and follow recipes, perhaps somewhat too slavishly.
I wish I had had Julie's "Introduction to Indian Cooking" earlier in my culinary progression. I might have avoided some of the burnt offerings I provided willing friends (okay, guinea pigs, but they weren't complaining as they're usually hungry).
I really came to this cookbook because I decided that I needed to expand my repertoire, so that I could satisfy the gamut of tastes and predilections of the "fish" vegetarians, the omnivores, the strict vegans and the hosts of others that I hang out with and have over to my house on various occasions.
I have done that and more through such things as making my own mixing, toasting and grinding my own curry powder from scratch. (Compare the aroma of that with some of that store bought ground stuff that's probably gone stale and I suspect you'll never go back.)
The consensus favorite among the fish vegetarians and omnivores so far is Julie's recipe for Malabar Coconut Shrimp, also known as Konjupa. As I'm fond of saying, "it's out of this world."
For more standard dinners with your family, you could try the chicken curry, or murgh masala masala recipe. Let me know if it doesn't easily surpass any such entree you may find at your local Indian restaurant.
My home on cooking weekends is now known as "Hindu haven." The small god that I pray to-- that things will work out as I'm scrambling before a party--is this book.
Bon appetit as you travel East on your culinary adventures.

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Lemongrass And Sweet Basil: Traditional Thai Cuisine Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a sweet, simple book that provides a great introduction to the ingredients and techniques you need to begin making basic Thai dishes. It is not exhaustive or particularly creative, but accomplishes what it sets out to do. With clear instructions, glossary, and balanced flavor combinations, I've found the recipes (which range from homemade curry pastes to marinades, soups and noodles) accessible and delicious. Recommended for the inexperienced Thai cook.

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Creating the tastes of Thailand is an irresistible challenge for cooks who love the pungent combinations and subtle balance of ingredients.True to Thai traditions, Lemongrass and Sweet Basil features recipes based on Royal Thai Cuisine, but the author has moved from the highly decorative and intricately carved presentation to a more easy-to-follow, modern approach.The key to successful Thai cooking is using the best and freshest produce that you can find, so the book starts by detailing the main ingredients that are essential to the Thai cook.This is followed by clear instructions on the cooking methods and techniques that are used to achieve the unique Thai flavors.Based on the traditional recipes of each Thai region, every cook has his or her own version of a dish including the addition of a secret ingredient or two.Kham shares with us over 50 of his recipes from Isan and Central, Southern, and Northern Thailand.Also included is a chapter of Thai "tapas," Khap Klaem with mouthwatering dishes such as Fresh Oysters with Spicy Thai Sauce and Drunken Noodles.The stunning photographs accompanying the recipes give a strong sense of the Thai way of life.The beautiful location photography shows the seamless integration of food and the Thai Buddhist religion and the vibrant and informative food photographs reflect the Thai's liking for strong color and the importance of garnishes.Thai people have a passion for the best ingredients, a passion for eating, a passion for the experience of sharing good food.Be inspired by this and create a delicious meal for your family and friends.

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Royal Indian Cookery: A Taste of Palace Life Review

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(More customer reviews)THis book is full of TRADITIONAL Indian recipes. It is not curry in a hurry but goes back to basics. If you have the time, this is possibly the best Indian Cookbook around.

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Cooking Vegetarian: Healthy, Delicious, and Easy Vegetarian Cuisine Review

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(More customer reviews)Of the many vegetarian recipes books I own, this is the one I return to the most. The recipes are delicious, turn out well consistently and have ingredients that I would normally have on hand. The nutritional information is listed with every recipe, which makes it easy to see at a glance, and the opening chapters are very informative about healthy eating. The recipes include enough spices to give them wonderful flavour without being too hot. A practical and inspiring book.

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Discover the Richness of Vegetarian Cooking … Following a vegetarian/vegan diet doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice taste or nutrition. No matter where you are on the food spectrum - from near vegetarian to vegan inside you will find tasty, nutritious, and easy-to-prepare recipes. Cooking Vegetarian is a comprehensive overview for healthy eating and healthy living through vegetarian eating. Nutrition guidelines, an ingredient guide, shopping resources and uncomplicated recipes help you understand what a healthy diet means and how to put it into action. No matter what your motivation - spiritual, philosophical or nutritional - Cooking Vegetarian offers you a wealth of recipes, resources, and ideas for creating a full and flavorful diet. Inside you Will Find: Over 150 easy-to-prepare recipes including 75 delicious low-fat ideas for heart health and weight loss • Clearly defined nutrition guidelines helping you create a balanced diet that is easy to follow • Identification and definitions of key vegetarian ingredients helps you simplify cooking and shopping • A complete listing of companies that provide high-quality nutritional foods • Complete nutritional analysis of each recipe.

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Thai Food Review

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(More customer reviews)`Thai Food' by Australian chef, restaurant owner, and Thai food scholar David Thompson is one of those books which, if you have an enduring interest in food, you genuinely regret it took any more than a few days since its publication to acquire, read, and assimilate the book's material. It is one of those books where you can open it to virtually any page and find evidence of its quality.
I recall some reviews of this book which noted that although it was certainly comprehensive, it may be criticized for giving recipes containing hard to find ingredients. While I think this is a valid criticism of a book advertised as having recipes for the home cook such as `Vatch's Thai Kitchen' by chef Vatcharin Bhumichitr, it is not a valid criticism of a scholarly book where the object of the author is to present an accurate picture of a national cuisine. And, Thompson has done this as well or better than virtually every good survey of national cuisines I have reviewed such as Diane Kochilas `The Glorious Foods of Greece', Jean Anderson's smaller book on `The Food of Portugal', Marcella Hazan's `Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking', Diana Kennedy and Rick Bayless various books on Mexican cuisines and the granddaddy of them all, Julia Child's `Mastering the Art of French Cooking'. This may be just a bit unfair to these authors, as not all of them were aiming at a grand scholarly treatment of an entire cuisine. Child, for example, was giving us `cuisine bourgeois', leaving the three other types of classic French cooking to others. Kennedy and Bayless have covered Mexico in not one, but in at least two or three different books, with Kennedy's latest, `From My Mexican Kitchen' being a model treatment of some special subjects in a national cuisine.
Thompson has covered the whole range of Thai cooking, including very good essays on Thai history and geographical regions and the regional influences on Thai cuisine. One look at the map of Thailand and you can see how broadly different one part of the country may be from another. The northern section virtually pokes its head into the China, and Chinese make up about 11% of the population, as they seem to do in virtually every country on which they border or every nearby island group such as the Philippines. Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam surround the Northeast. The southern peninsula borders on Malaysia. The central rice-growing region is close to Burma and India. There are some parts of the country such as the far north and northeast to which it was literally impractical to travel from capital Bangkok until the mid-1920's when a railroad was build from Bangkok to Chiang Mai on the Ping river.
While China, India heavily influences Thai cooking, and it's Southeast Asian neighbors, it is also different from China and India in important ways. While the wok is important to Thai cooking, it is not used in the same way as their Chinese neighbors. The most traditional Thai wok is actually earthenware, replaced by brass upon contact with European traders. `Traditional Thai stir-frying was not the fierce and furious method of the Chinese, but gentle frying over radiant heat in an earthenware pot.' It is obvious in this very same paragraph that Thompson is not a `scientific' food scholar, as he correctly states that the proper technique is to heat the wok before adding the oil, but describes the level of heat as `white hot'. White-hot temperatures are found only in the centers of stars, not in Bangkok kitchens. Nevertheless, his cooking advice is solid and entirely consistent with observations made by Shirley Corriher on heating metal pans before adding oil.
Every major cuisine has their classic techniques for preserving food. In fact, one may almost measure the sophistication of a cuisine by their representative preparation and preservation methods. The Italian cuisine is one of the world's leaders because of their cheese-making for milk preservation, salumi techniques for preserving meats, drying and curing methods with ham, winemaking and olive oil techniques, and salting techniques for fish and capers. While salt is a signature ingredient of Mediterranean cuisine, it is simply not as common in southeast Asia, so Thailand and surrounding countries extending as far north as Korea use fermentation as their primary preservation technique. It seems they simply ferment everything the can get their hands on, such as bamboo shoots, bean curd, fish, rice, watercress, and soybeans. Like the Italians with Parmesan and anchovies, the fermented products are often sources for adding saltiness to dishes.
When I go to a Thai restaurant or look at recipes in popular Thai cookbooks, many Thai dishes seem to be a mix of a great number of ingredients. Thompson, on the other hand, states that the ideal of a Thai salad is simplicity, but it is also about a balancing of ingredients, as exemplified in Alford and Duguid's book title, `Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet'. I will venture the hypothesis that this great mix of tastes comes from the intersection of the sour of fermented ingredients and the strong capsasian chiles used to combat the oppressive Thai heat.
Some people, even some foodies, may be inclined to dismiss this book as simply not a type of cooking with which they have any interest. I would recommend they get and read much of this book anyway. One example is the chapter on salads. In spite of the great difference in ingredients, I find a remarkable similarity between Thai and French salad making. This means that Thompson's essay and survey of Thai salads contains some insights into saladmaking that you simply may not get anywhere else. Even if you never go out of your way to find red shallots, holy basil, or Kaffir lime leaves, there is much you can learn here!
This book should be on the shelves of anyone who wishes to be sophisticated about food.


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The Williams-Sonoma Collection: Fish Review

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(More customer reviews)I took the Williams-Sonoma "Fish" cookbook out from my local library and was fairly impressed with it. I have a number of seafood cookbooks in my personal collection, but there are several things I really like about this book. First off, though the book is not large, it covers all the essential seafood recipes, such as gravlax, bouillabaisse, chowder, paella, crabcakes, boiled lobster, fish and chips, sole in lemon-butter sauce, etc. Rest assured, the book contains at least one good recipe for every major type of fish or shellfish, so it is a good basic reference to have. Every recipe features a photo of the completed dish on the opposite page, often featuring a very nice presentation. Most importantly, and something that is lacking in far too many cookbooks: the recipes are laid out on the page in a very clear and organized fashion. A list of the ingredients is on the left, the recipe instructions are in the middle, and a small photo with notes is on the right. There are also helpful hints and serving tips at the bottom of the page. This makes it very easy to size up the recipes and take them on. Also included at the back of the book are tips on selecting and cleaning fish, advice on different cooking methods, and a glossary covering attributes of different fish species. Whether you're a beginner cook or an experienced amateur such as myself, this book will improve your knowledge and technique of fish cookery.

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From delicate fillets of sole sauced with butter and lemon to flavorful salmon paired with apple and fennel, the variety of fish dishes is nearly endless. And even with so many different ways to prepare it -- sautéed on the stove top, braised in the oven, or grilled over an open fire -- the fresh, clean taste and delicate texture of fish always shine through. Quick and easy to cook, fish is an excellent choice for any occasion. Williams-Sonoma Collection Fish offers more than 40 recipes, including classic fare as well as exciting new ideas. Inside, you'll find simple dishes for quick suppers, intriguing recipes for serving guests, and hearty main courses for satisfying meals. There's even a chapter devoted entirely to other seafood besides fish, including scallops, shrimp, and lobster, rounding out the delicious array of choices. Full-color photographs of each recipe make it easy to decide which to prepare, and each dish is accompanied by a photographic side note that highlights a key ingredient or cooking technique, making Fish much more than just a simple collection of recipes. An informative basics section and extensive glossary fill in everything you need to know to add delicious fish to your cooking repertoire. Lean, healthful, and quick to cook, fish plays an important role in the modern kitchen. Whether you are in the mood for salmon on the grill, traditional trout amandine, or a rustic bouillabaisse, there is always a distinctive and delicious way to prepare any type of fish. Williams-Sonoma Collection Fish offers more than 40 easy-to-follow recipes, including both familiar classics and tempting new ideas. In these pages, you'll find appealing fish dishes for any occasion -- from a casual weeknight supper to a more formal affair. This beautifully photographed, full-color recipe collection will quickly become an essential addition to your kitchen bookshelf.

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Guy Food: Rachael Ray's Top 30 30-Minute Meals Review

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(More customer reviews)This title and three others like it by Rachael Ray in the 'Top 30 30 minute meals' series are, for the content, relatively expensive and inconveniently sized volumes of recipes reprinted from Rachael's previous books. Looking through two of the titles I recognize every recipe I see from earlier books. While Rachael is the nominal author of these books, I fully believe they were assembled by her publisher and a copy editor with maybe a day's input from Miss Rachael for all four books together.
This is becoming a common practice among major cookbook authors, with Mark Bittman's re-releasing his 'How to Cook Everything' in three volumes, cumulatively more expensive than the original book.
One may for a moment equate these books with the music world's 'Best of' releases, but the experience is simply not the same. A 'Best of' album's tracks are based on a genuine audience vote with their purchases and air play. These recipes are simply Rachael's opinion and that of a few of her colleagues. The parallel also breaks down in the sense that listening to, for example, 'The Who's top twelve hits introduces you to a whole new experience of listening to 'My Generation', 'I'm Free', and 'I Can See for Miles' on the same album.
My 3 star rating is not based on the quality of the recipes. It is a warning that these volumes are, in fact, reprints and not new recipes. So, if you already own many or most of Rachael's books already, you may be disappointed if you buy these books.
One other consideration if you do NOT own any of Rachael's books is that for not too much more money, you can get 10 times as many recipes in her 'No Repeats' book of almost all new recipes.
In every way, this is a better purchase than one or all of these minibook samplers.

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Rachael says, Guys who cook are hot! Step into the kitchen with these Top 30 meals with guy appeal. This collection of greatest hits features simple recipes with big flavors, perfect for date nights, game nights, or just hangin' out.

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Sweet Hands: Island Cooking From Trinidad And Tobago (Hippocrene Cookbook Library) Review

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(More customer reviews)Growing up in trinidad and tobago is a unique experience and the foods there are definitely #1 compared to a lot of other islands. When I first moved to the USA, I was not all that concerned with trying to find the foods since there was a place for roti near our house, and you can find most of those ingredients in Miami. It was not until after college when i moved to the Northwest States that I felt "homesick" for dahlpuri and callaloo and other such things. I have purchased and tested several books that are a generalized Caribbean cookbook, as well as hunted down the Naparima Girls Guide to Cooking. It was not until I found Sweet Hands and read through it that I found what I needed.
The pictures of Trinidad and the stories bring that element of history and home and passion to the recipes. And I LOVE that she offers substitutions for some of the ingredients. I made a callaloo stew with swiss chard and spinach as suggested, and while the taste was slightly less sweet, it carried such a good flavour that I felt I was home again. Those other cookbooks maybe going to the second hand store.

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Callalloo and Buss Up Shut, Mother-in-Law and Kuchela, Chip Chip and Doubles. The verbiage of Trinidad's cuisine is both lyrical and mysterious.The variety of foods from this Caribbean nation and their fanciful names tell the story of a rich and eclectic cultural heritage.A British colony from 1779 until 1962, during those years Trinidad & Tobago's population grew to include East Indian and Chinese indentured servants who worked in the sugar plantations alongside former slaves.Trinidadian food is marked by the blending of these cultures.As such, curry, Indian breads, callalloo (a soup of West African origin), and fried rice are all among the national dishes.Recipes for these dishes can be found within these pages, along with many others, such as Shrimp Creole, Beef Stew with Dumplings, and Ginger Beer.Join author Ramin Ganeshram on a culinary journey through her ancestral home as she introduces you to street foods such as Shrimp Patties and Shark and Bake, teatime favorites like Lemon Crunch Teacakes or Coconut Shortbread, and elegant dinner fare ranging from Avocado Soup to Spicy Stuffed Red Snapper and Curried Crab and Dumplings.These little-known delicacies, along with fascinating histories and anecdotes on such topics as Trinidadian rum, Buccaneer Cooking, and Black Cake bring the islands of Trinidad & Tobago into your kitchen.

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Koshur Saal: Traditional, Quick and Easy Kashmiri Cuisine Review

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(More customer reviews)If Kashmiri cuisine were a subject, this book deserves to be the required text ! It arrived yesterday and I am speechless after reading it. To call it a book is an understatement. Going through the first few pages itself shows the pains that the author has gone through, to make the reader well versed with everything associated with Kashmiri cuisine. From the Kashmiri, Hindi and English names of vegetables, utensils, spices to the detailed description on peeling and washing certain items( with pictures!) this book is a dummy's guide to Kashmiri cooking. While one may find many books with Kashmiri cuisine this book's USP lies in the way it connects you to the Kashmiri culture. There are details of the occasions on which particular dishes are prepared and even recommendations on where to buy certain vegetables (outside India). I didn't know I could actually find sotchal at a korean store! My cousin is getting married this year and is going to move to UK. Needless to say this book goes with her. I am sure she would thank me more than her own mother!
Thankyou Mrs Ganju for this wonderful book. Although I feel that the exteriors of the book (cover, pictures, paper/font etc) could have been much better...I am sure its unmatchable when it comes to the content!!

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Living as we do in a multi-cultural world, nowhere are the pleasures that it brings more obvious than at the table, when we enjoy a feast of complex flavors and simple preparations.The book in your hands exactly does that. It tells you about the tasty and aromatic cuisines of Kashmir, the northern-most State of India, famous for its incredible range of culinary delights, guaranteeing a veritable experience to the gourmet. It also gives alternatives to deep frying of some of the recipes.The preparation of Kashmiri food in an efficient, healthy way can be just fun. It would hardly take you 10 to 25 minutes to cook a delicious meal, whose tempting, hot, spicy taste lends it a peculiar quality of its own and distinguishes it from the culinary arts of rest of India and the world at large.In addition, the book delineates not only the health benefits of foods we eat everyday but also provides the religious and cultural significance associated with the traditional Kashmiri food.

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The Cook's Book Review

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(More customer reviews)"Techniques are the key to good cooking. The Cook's Book provides the most comprehensive guide to all you may ever need in the kitchen." ~Jill Norman
Jill Norman, editor of the Elizabeth David classic cookbooks, has created a celebration of cooking that is bursting with knowledge and techniques. There are over 1800 full-color photographs and the recipes cover all major cooking styles, including Thai, Mexican, French, Indian and Chinese. Top Chefs from around the world present cooking methods you can master at home. They also include many of their signature dishes. Each Chef has their own chapter:
Sauces & Dressings - Paul Gayler, UK
All the basic saucemaking techniques are covered from deglazing to using a paste of butter and flour to thicken a sauce. Classics are covered in step-by-step beauty as mayonnaise, Hollandaise and Béarnaise are created and then varied to suit all occasions.
Foams - Ferran Adrià
We all know the types of foams we don't want, like when making food and a pot boils over or when making strawberry jam, but how do you make foams on purpose and with a sense of perfection. Here they take the form of Pistachio foam, frozen chocolate mousse and cappuccino almond foam with truffle juice.
Stocks & Soups - Shaun Hill, UK (All the basics for soups and heartwarming meals)
Flavorings - Peter Gordon
An especially exciting chapter filled with freshly crushed spices and herb mixtures. How do you dry-roast spices or grind them in a mortar and pestle? The recipes include sexy offerings like Saffron-Poached Peaches or Coconut & Palm sugar sauce.
Latin American Cooking - Norman Van Aken (Classics like caramelized plantains served with Mojo marinated chicken.)
Eggs & Dairy Products - Michael Romano
Fish & Shellfish - Charlie Trotter (He goes to great lengths in this chapter to show you how to prepare every type of seafood imaginable. This is Seafood 101.)
Japanese Cooking - Hisayuki Takeuchi from Paris (Sushi fans will adore this chapter.)
Poultry & Game Birds - Shaun Hill (A special section on how to cut up poultry into eight pieces - useful for all sorts of recipes.)
Indian Cooking - Atul Kochhar
Meat - Marcus Wareing, UK (Techniques that will take roasting meats to unexplored levels.)

Chinese Cooking - Ken Hom
Vegetables - Charlie Trotter
Charlie Trotter's chapters are highly detailed, showing you ever way to slice and dice vegetables or prepare tomatoes and peppers. He even shows you how to pickle cucumbers and create gourmet Asparacus & Goat Cheese Terrines.
Pasta & Dumplings - Michael Romano (Pasta from scratch!)
Asian Noodles & Dumplings - Christine Manfield from Australia
Thai Cooking - David Thompson
Grains & Beans - Paul Gayler (Secrets for cooking rice or turning lentils into smooth perfection in a Dal.)
Breads & Batters - Dan Lepard (The first recipe I've ever found for Crisp Rye Bread.)
Mexican Cooking - Rick Bayless from Chicago
Pastry & Sweet Doughs - Pierre Hermé (Unique crisp Arlettes and even a recipe for Croissants.)
Middle Eastern Cooking - Greg Malouf (Turkish Coffee)
Desserts - Pierre Hermé (The basics of sugar syrups, candied fruits and nuts, Crème Pâtissière, Rose Ice Cream and unimaginably beautiful Italian Meringue.)
Cakes - Stephan Franz (Essential information on how to cut and fill cakes.)
Fruits & Nuts - Shaun Hill (Figs in cinnamon and lemon, baked apples, steamed orange puddings and even Nougat with almonds, pistachios and candied cherries. Perfect for Christmas.
"Cooking is like a language in which I can communicate my emotions and the love I feel for life and nature." ~Hisayuki Takeuchi
Each chef is featured in the contributing chef's section which gives background information and current projects. This is followed by a section on the equipment you will need to prepare the recipes. There is a focus on accurate measuring and finding high-quality ingredients.
As you read this book from cover to cover you may feel a great sense of accomplishment as you see how many techniques you have already mastered just from cooking for years and years.
I can't think of a more perfect book to give a new cook and if you are just starting to delve into this magical world of flavors and experience, this book will take you into the world of step-by-step instruction. This will make following just about any recipe much easier because you will have seen the techniques and you can also refer back to this book through the index to find just about anything you need to know.
I had barely made it to page 45 when the need to cook up a steak dinner complete with garlic sauces, broccoli in a plum wine sauce and crisp herbed potatoes fried in olive oil overtook me. You may find yourself creating new recipes just because you learn a new technique or it could be an infusion of inspiration born of the pure celebration of cooking itself. Either way, this book will not be only for reading in bed, this is a cookbook you won't be leaving on the counter for long because of the inspirational recipes, excellent glossary and complete index.
Have you ever imagined recipes like this?
Streusel Tart with Pistachios & Cherries - Beautiful simplicity
Tarte Au Citron (Lemon Tart) - So smooth and creamy you may faint with pleasure.
Milk Chocolate Truffles with Passion Fruit
Lime Ice Cream with Cajeta
Some of the classic recipes include:
Sachertorte - The chocolate cake topped with a chocolate glaze
Dresden Stollen - Perfect for Christmas gifts.
Pears swim in syrup poaching to perfection. Lamb is infused with rosemary and orange juice. Sliced carambola drowns in zabaglione. Chocolate marries pumpkin pie and settles into a cheesecake with a splash of country cream.
Such perfection! This is the type of cookbook you can fall in love with, instantly. Looking through this book all at once might leave you a little heady.
~The Rebecca Review

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Six Spices: A Simple Concept of Indian Cooking Review

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(More customer reviews)I own a couple of hundred cookbooks. So I no longer judge cookbooks by the recipes I do not make, I look at what I do make (either for a special occasion or what is on the menu for a weeknight). And since we are now vegetarians, we look for vegetarian (preferably vegan) options. This cookbook scores on all three counts (although it is not a vegetarian cookbook much less vegan).
Six spices is slightly misleading. Mustard seed, cumin, asafetida, chili, coriander and turmeric are the official six. But dried ingredients like green mango powder and fresh ones like ginger and garlic are often lumped with the spices. No matter, many of the recipes are simple enough for a weeknight, yet the quality is good enough for company.
There are two bonuses to this book over other Indian cookbooks we have: first, it includes some South Indian classics not often found in the US (e.g., Lemon Rice which is very practical as it can be made ahead -- and is enjoyed by all). Second, this is an instructional book: it doesn't just give you recipes, it teaches you how to cook. And if you need to have a balanced meal for a weeknight, you can always improvise on one of the many fine vegetable dishes like carrot and pea curry and throw in tofu or paneer (plus bread or a simple rice like cumin rice) and give the family a delicious balanced meal with two pans.
We have several other Indian cookbooks we love. But this one gets the most use.

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Selected for the cookbook section of The New York Times Book Review Summer Reading issueFeaturing authentic recipes andintroducing the use of fundamental spices, this recipe collection guidescooks of alllevels of expertisein the preparation of healthy, delicious Indian meals. The recipes selected use no more than six spices to create tasty, satisfying, and authentic dishes and introduce a simpler way to prepare Indian food.Each chapter focuses on adifferent cooking technique, offeringinsight into foods that at times canseem daunting forthe novice cook.This recipe collectionhas been tasted and testedthrough more than 20years of the author's teaching experience and Indian cooking expertise.

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Indian Essence: The Fresh Tastes of India's New Cuisine Review

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(More customer reviews)For years, I only cooked to survive: fried eggs, pizza, pasta, or at most stir something my wife was making.
After visiting the Benares restaurant in London, [...], I immediately bought this book...with hopes someone else more skilled would take over. After helping cook 6 of the recipes for guests, I discovered once you have the ingredients (not expensive in an Indian or Asian grocery store) on hand, many of the recipes are quite easy and always worth it. These are fresh, multi-faceted flavors that make cooking fun and worth the effort. Since Nov 2005, I've been making at least one recipe a week, sticking exactly to the book, and the five-star Benares restaurant has a branch in my home now. I take no credit. These recipes are the only ones worth making. I look at others in other books and see the difference upfront: they are either fatty, bland, colorless or canned, all of which are incentives not to cook. My wife has stepped aside; (well, most work nights she's a life saver, and she'll greatly appreciate a break on Saturday.) In fact she's calling from the kitchen right now asking for one of the khajoor ka khaja (date & orange pastries) in the fridge.
Cooking these recipes is one of the few things that actually takes my mind completely off work. The sequence of adding exotic spices to a hot pan makes me feel like a sorcerer. So far, most recipes do not use the oven, which is good because with an oven you do not get the joy of watching the concoction evolve before your eyes and nose.
I could easily list 30 recipes in this book to die for, but if you're wondering where to start, something that is simple, try the Doi Maach (spiced fish with yogurt), which only takes about 30 minutes to reach the dinner table. The sweet tomato chutney is a staple around here now, and I cook double portions once a month and give jars away as gifts. Finally, I recommend growing coriander yourself, since it is used in everything. We use an extra coffee bean grinder to grind dry spices. A mini-processor is also a must-have. Enjoy!

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Indian food has undergone big changes in the past few years. A new generation of chefs trained at India's major hotels are reviving classic dishes and creating a new haute cuisine. Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar aims to break the perception that Indian food is difficult to cook at home with Indian Essence, a hands-on guide to exploring India's rich and varied cuisine in your own kitchen.This book contains more than 140 recipes drawn from the restaurants, street stalls, and homes of every region of India. There are rich, meaty dishes from the Moghul region, vegetarian delights from Tamil Nadu, coconut-based curries from Goa and Kerala, and seafood dishes from Calcutta. Atul provides insight into India's diverse food cultures and traditions and explains how to put together authentic menus, from a Kashmiri wazwan-a traditional Northern feast-to a Gujerati thali-a selection of Southern dishes served on a banana leaf. Thoroughly researched and illustrated with color photographs, Indian Essence shares Atul's passion for a great cuisine.Atul Kochhar is one of the only Indian chefs in the world to be awarded a Michelin star. Originally from India, Atul trained as a chef in New Delhi before moving to London to become head chef at Tamarind. His recipes now appear in national magazines and newspapers, and he recently opened his own restaurant, Benares. He is currently a consultant to the Almond Board of California.

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Classic Indian Cooking Review

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(More customer reviews)Some eight years ago or so, I decided to try to impress both my vegetarian and non-vegetarian friends by making them some authentic Indian dishes. The only thing was, I had no real idea of what I was getting into, as almost all of the Indian food I had eaten had been in restaurants in London and the East Village in Manhattan.
Somehow I found my way to purchasing "Classic Indian Cooking." Slowly and methodically, I then made my way through the very helpful discussions about such things as roasting and crushing spices and herbs and techniques for preparing onions, garlic and ginger root as bases for various curry dishes.
I've since learned that this cookbook was ranked last year as one of six all-time cooking "bibles" by the New York Times. I can see why. It's not a picture text (although there are some helpful illustrations); it's a text for teaching yourself a wholly different cuisine whose fundamental cooking techniques may be completely foreign to many home chefs in the United States, although that seems to be changing.
There are some simply astonishing recipes in this book. You will need to take your time though, because they can be complex and may require preparation of recipe components a day ahead of the time you plan to serve your meal. You should take Julie Sahni's words to heart that cooking should be a "relaxing" enterprise.
If pressed to choose a favorite recipe, it would have to be "Keema Bhare Bandh Gobhi" (meat-stuffed cabbage rolls with ginger lemon sauce), which has a vegetarian counterpart in "Aloo Bhare Bandh Gobhi" (same cabbage rolls, but a vegetarian version stuffed with a spicy potato filling). The extraordinary taste of this meal cannot be found in any Indian restaurant of which I am aware (they tend to stick to a small repertoire of established recipes that in no way define the range of cuisine actually available in India). I have seen these cabbage rolls almost voraciously consumed. That--in my book--is the mark of a great meal.
So, my friends over time have been duly impressed and I must say that I've become a much better cook because of "happening" across this true classic of varied Indian cuisines. Hope you have as much fun with it as I have had over the last eight years!

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This extraordinary cookbook, Classic Indian Cooking, amounts to a complete course in Indian cuisine. Elucidated by over 100 line drawings, it systematically introduces the properties of all the basic spices and special ingredients of Indian food, then explains the techniques employed in using them, always with the help of comparisons to familiar Western methods.
It is immediately obvious that Indian food is rich and varied, yet not difficult to prepare. The cooking principles are basic and wellknown. The utensils needed are few and simple. As Julie Sahni says, "If you know how to fry, there are few tricks to Indian food." Every recipe has been especially designed for the American kitchen -- practically all the ingredients can be found in any American supermarket and there are scores of time-saving shortcuts with the food processor and handy directions for ahead-of-time preparation.
Following a lively and absorbing introduction to the history of India's classic Moghul cuisine, Julie guides the cook through the individual components that make up an Indian meal. She begins with delicious appetizers like Crab Malabar and Hyderabad lime soup; continues through main courses, both nonvegetarian and vegetarian (this book is a treasure trove for the non-meat eater); goes on to all the side dishes and traditional accompaniments, from spinach raita and lentils with garlic butter to saffron pilaf and whole wheat flaky bread; and ends with the glorious desserts, like Ras Malai, sweetmeats, and beverages. Clear, illustrated, step-by-step instructions accompany the cook through every stage, even for making the many wondrous Indian breads, both by hand and with the food processor. And at the end of each recipe are balanced serving suggestions for every kind of meal, Among the many special features are ideas for appropriate wines, a useful spice chart, a complete glossary (which might also come in handy when ordering in Indian restaurants), and a mailorder shopping guide that will make Indian spices accessible anywhere.
Most important, Julie Sahni imparts the secrets to mastering the art of Indian cooking. Even the beginner will quickly learn to move within the classic tradition and improvise with sureness and ease.
Julie Sahni has written a masterpiece of culinary instruction, as readable as it is usable, a joy to cook from, a fascination to read.

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