Customer Reviews

Chilis to Chutneys: American Home Cooking With The Flavors Of India

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

So far I have made the Chicken Curry with Biryani Rice -- excellent, and the cardamom biscotti -- out of this world fantastic. Probably the most tasty and exciting biscotti I have ever tasted. It is true that this cookbook likes to mix Indian flavors with other cuisines in some of the recipes, but the results are no accident. I have tried other Indian cookbooks, but only this one seems to turn out first rate results. The Chicken Curry with Biryani Rice seems Indian enough to me. I brought it to work and an Indian co-worker said it seemed authentically Indian to her. So I feel I can vouch that some of the recipes must be true to Indian cooking, while others (biscotti) are creative adventures with Indian flavors!

So far I have made the Chicken Curry with Biryani Rice -- excellent, and the cardamom biscotti -- out of this world fantastic. Probably the most tasty and exciting biscotti I have ever tasted. It is true that this cookbook likes to mix Indian flavors with other cuisines in some of the recipes, but the results are no accident. I have tried other Indian cookbooks, but only this one seems to turn out first rate results. The Chicken Curry with Biryani Rice seems Indian enough to me. I brought it to work and an Indian co-worker said it seemed authentically Indian to her. So I feel I can vouch that some of the recipes must be true to Indian cooking, while others (biscotti) are creative adventures with Indian flavors!

Neelam Batra has been made an attempt to substitute Indian ingredients in an american cuisine. A good book if you're trying to blend both.Photos would have been nice. But if you're looking for authentic Indian recipes, I suggest you look elsewhere.

I am an avid fan of Neelam Batra's cook books (along with Madhur Jaffrey's and Julie Sahni's). Her recipe instructions are clear and the results are good. I have a fairly decent knowledge of Indian cuisine and was looking to infuse some of the American dishes that my children favor with the zest of Indian spices. "Chilis to Chutneys" does not disappoint. I bought a used book through Amazon.com and got my money's worth.

I've had this cookbook for around 10 years and usually cook the more traditional food in the book, like chicken curry and sag paneer. I've found myself going back to her recipes again and again. I find that she tries to eliminate fatty ingredients so there is a lot of vegetable oil instead of ghee and nonfat yougurt.

One of the things I do differently than the author is using canned tomatoes instead of fresh. Also, I use frozen spinach for sag paneer. I love that it has a recipe for making your own paneer.

I think this probably the best cook books in the world, no offense to her or anything, but this is definitley better than her first book. the details in her book are excellent and they make your mouth water. when she cooks and serves her platters, they look as if she is a restaurant owner like her friend who has an extraordinary restaurant on Wilshire. By the way she is my aunt and I really love her and her food!!! YUM!!!