Indian Home Cooking: A Fresh Introduction to Indian Food, with More Than 150 Recipes
May 11, 2011 by admin
Filed under Indian food cookbooks
Indian Home Cooking: A Fresh Introduction tο Indian Food, wіth More Thаn 150 Recipes
- ISBN13: 9780609611012
- Condition: Nеw
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare ουr books, prices аnd service tο thе competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
Wіth іtѕ exotic aromas аnd complex flavors, Indian cuisine іѕ one οf thе world’s best. It’s nο wonder thаt ѕο many people adore іt–аnd аlѕο nο surprise thаt іt сουld seem daunting tο cook Indian food аt home. Now, acclaimed chef аnd cooking teacher Suvir Saran cuts out thе fuss, sharing casual, home-style Indian dishes thаt аrе perfect fοr everyday cooking.
Indian Home Cooking іѕ a celebration οf thе food Indians cook іn American kitchens today, using ingredients found іn mοѕt supermarke
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Easy Book; Great Results,
I have been using this cookbook for over a year now and, like most reviewers, I can’t recommend it enough. You’ll have to pardon me if I write a long review…I think I enjoy writing about this food as much as I do cooking and eating it…
I’ll comment on some of the specific dishes below but, first, I’ll say that the recipes and techniques in this book are simple (for Indian food, anyway) but they produce dishes with very deep flavors. That said, even the meatier curries are lighter and fresher than what I have eaten in most Indian restaurants. In fact, for the most part, I now prefer to cook and eat my own Indian food. At the risk of sounding corny, these recipes have given me a lot of pleasure.
Two other quick points: Since I’ve been using this cookbook I’ve tried others, as well as some recipes that I’ve found online but hands down this book beats all. I find that other recipes produce dishes are either too heavy, aren’t flavorful enough, take too much time or the recipes themselves just don’t feel inviting to me. I use other cookbooks for other types of food, of course, but for Indian food I’d have to say this is the cookbook. Also, I’ve been to India a couple times, as well as other places with substantial Indian populations–Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia–so even though I’ve only been cooking Indian for a year I’ve known quite a range of Indian food over the years.
And now, the food:
The dals: There are several dal recipes in this book and I’ve cooked them all. They range from very simple with just a few ingredients to more complex, with multiple layers of flavoring. My favorites are the `simple lentil dal with fresh ginger, green chiles and cilantro’, which smells especially fresh and bright when on the stove, and the `simple lentil dal with whole cinnamon, cardamom and cloves’. Both of these have pretty complex flavors but, as a dal should be, they’re light.
The vegetables: I haven’t made all the recipes in this section but have yet to hit a dud. I’m a real fan of these dishes because the ingredients are inexpensive and the dishes themselves are very healthy and, as an unabashed carnivore, they I’m pleased with their surprisingly huge flavors. A few favorites are `stir fried carrots with cumin and lime’, `smoked spiced eggplant’ and `Indian cheese in an herbed green sauce’. These dishes are all pretty easy to make, although some take a bit more time than others.
Chicken dishes: I’ve cooked all the chicken curries and while I have my favorites I’d say they are all outstanding. In my old job I used to bring these in for my lunch and people would literally freak out when they smelled them from across the office. You could say that some of the curries produce a bit too much sauce but I don’t mind eating this with rice or bread, especially since it makes the dish go a bit further. There are also recipes for ground poultry dishes and Cornish game hens, but I haven’t made these yet. I’d agree with another reviewer who noted that you’ll probably need to double the cooking time for the chicken curries. This also applies to the meat curries, below.
Meat dishes: I’ve made almost all these and have yet to hit one that was anything less than delicious. One thing I’ve learned is that if I’m cooking meat it’s better to pay a little extra for high quality cuts. It makes a big difference. My favorite recipe in this section is the `lamb stew with tomato and southern Indian spices’. I make this with beef or lamb and either way it is one of the deepest, most mysterious dishes I’ve ever smelled or eaten. I also cook the Vindaloo dish quite a bit, with either pork, lamb or beef.
Fish & shellfish: As is the case with the meats, using the best fish you can afford is worth the extra money. If I can’t spend it, then I hold off on cooking fish until I can. Fortunately, these recipes are versatile–I’ve cooked the `halibut in a hot-and-sour sauce’ with either halibut, other sorts of cheaper white fish, scallops or shrimp. All were delicious (except my experiment with haddock, which was just so-so) and pretty much left the diners speechless. The `salmon curry’ was something so spectacular that I couldn’t believe I’d made by myself, while the `Mangalore fried shrimp’ took virtually no time at all. I find that these dishes are at their best if you leave the fish a bit on the rare side. If that sounds a bit strange, just try it once and decide for yourself.
Raita, pickles & chutneys, drinks: I’ve made a couple of each and have been happy with them all. I’ve been particularly happy with the raitas (especially the pineapple raita) since they’re easy, taste great and for some reason guests are amazed to find them on the table.
Rice dishes: The cookbook notes that it’s impossible to overestimate the importance of rice to Indian culture and spiritual traditions. Well, then it’s no surprise that the rice…
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|My New Favorite Indian Cookbook,
I probably have 10 Indian cookbooks in my cookbook library. I keep buying them because I haven’t been satisfied with what I’ve gotten so far.
Fortunately, I think Saran’s Indian Home Cooking might have slowed down my buying binge of Indian cookbooks (my mate will leap for joy!)
I really like this cookbook. Why? The recipes are great. Even more, I like the extra comments the author offers on the recipe and why he included it. Best of all, the recipes have the feeling of being both tasty and authentic while also being accessible to an everyday American home kitchen.
I’ve looked through the whole book and every recipe looks so interesting I want to try it. The instructions are so clear that the intimidation factor of cooking an unknown cuisine is removed. Also, when the author uses a hard to find ingredient, he always suggests an available subsitute.
Finally, I like the presentation and layout of the book. It’s quite attractive. The pages are glossy, the photos top rate. For me, there really is nothing I do not like about this book. And that’s the first Indian cookbook I’ve been able to say that about.
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|Fulfills its promise. But it shouldn’t be your first Indian cookbook.,
After visiting Suvir Saran’s New York restaurant, Devi, where I had what was possibly the best Indian meal of my life, I was delighted to get my hands on his cookbook. Breathlessly, I turned to the recipes for the dishes I had most enjoyed. YES! They were all here. And now they’re in my kitchen.
The premise for this book is Indian home cooking, and it definitely succeeds. Some of the recipes have a long list of ingredients, but even in those cases, half the list is spices (4 cardamom pods, 4 cloves, etc.). It’s definitely not fussy, and the author is cognizant that not everyone can get unusual ingredients. Most recipes identify which items are optional (such as curry leaves and nigella seeds), and, as long as your grocery and health food store covers such essentials as unsweetened grated coconut, you’ll be able to make everything listed. Suvir Saran is also kind enough to give “serve this with… “menu suggestions, as most of us aren’t sure enough of Indian accompaniments.
So far, I’ve made three of his recipes: a simple chicken curry that was undemanding enough to make for a Tuesday afternoon lunch (well received), and a meal of Cauliflower Hyderabad Style (with coconut, mint, and cardamom) with Simple Gujarati Dal with Three Chiles. It was great, although my cauliflower came out much wetter than I’d had in the restaurant.
There is a high proportion of vegetarian recipes in this book, though you’ll also find plenty of meat, poultry, and fish. The meat recipes seem to be more in the “usual suspects” range, such as chicken tikka masala; it’s the veggie stuff that makes me say Yum when I look at the photos. (Crisp whole okra with fennel and coriander, smoked spiced eggplant, stir-fried green beans with cumin).
The instructions aren’t quite perfect, however. The cauliflower recipe called for one head, about 3 pounds; but the ordinary size cauliflower in my market were only about 1.5 pounds. I could and did make adjustments, which wasn’t a problem — though it might have been, if I were new to this cuisine. Also, some recipes require you to add an item, stir constantly for 30 seconds before you add the next… then 30 seconds later add another. That might be overwhelming to a new cook, at least one who doesn’t have a recipe-reader standing nearby. (For new Indian cooks, I’d recommend Julie Sahni’s book, which spends a lot more time explaining cooking techniques.)
Overall, however, this is a great cookbook. Recommended.
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