Customer Reviews

The Classic 1,000 Indian Recipes

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

this is not the usual indian cookbook. there is no history; there are no reminiscences; aside from the chapters for sambars and rasams, and a few 'gujerati-style' this, 'moghul-style' that and 'malabar' the other in recipe titles, there is no identificaiton of regional origins; there are few serving suggestions. the introduction and chapter headings perfectly demonstrate the meaning of 'terse.' but there are recipes! wonderful recipes.

the only reason i didn't give this book five stars is for the sake of the fearless novice. in many of the recipes, there are directions that call for blending ingredients into a paste, but no suggestion as to how (blender or food processor, of course, but maybe the fearless novice hasn't gotten to the point of buying these, and probably wouldn't have a mortar and pestle, either). the blending-to-a-paste isn't mentioned until after the cook is told to start roasting the whole spices. now, an experienced cook knows to read a recipe through, collect the ingredients, and have everything recipe-ready before cooking starts, but a novice could easily burn the first bit of the recipe. also, the f.n. might not be aware that the imperial pint is larger than the american pint and assume that the american measurements are misprints.

but these are fairly minor points which the majority of cooks wouldn't be bothered by. in any cookbook, the recipes are the important bits, and these are very good. and there are certainly enough of them to keep a cook (and diners) happy for years.

Not only is this book amazing in its scope and depth (there's over 80 recipes just for desserts, for crying out loud!), almost every recipe I've tried so far has been fantastic. This is not really a cookbook for the faint-of-heart; there's no pictures, and most recipes are simply a list of ingredients and a paragraph or two of cooking instructions. But, properly followed, these recipes yield dishes that are simple, tasty, and authentic (so says my Indian friend, who I had to pester for months to get my copy back from after I loaned it to him). And for under $10, it's hard to argue with the price - there's more good stuff in here than glossy cookbooks that cost 3 or 4 times as much.

I've used this book for a couple of years, and it has never failed me. It's the first and best idea-generator when I find myself faced with a hungry-right-now feeling/family, and a kitchen with not much in it. Got only three aging zuccinis and a potato? This book guarantees that you'll make something wonderful of it. One egg and a wilted broccoli stem? No problem. Guests coming in half an hour? Got it covered. Not only will they eat, but they'll eat well and be mighty impressed besides. The only investment required, besides the very modest price of the book itself, is a half-dozen basic spices - especially since most of the recipes don't require (or miss) meat. Cheap, fast, creative, delicious, healthy.... I could go on even further but will only add that this book is the one and only thing I actually missed when I left it behind in the process of leaving my husband! And I'm buying another copy today.

This book is a voyage into the wonders of the Indian culinary world. If ready carefully, the secrets of the unique flavors of India will be yours to command.

Ingrediants are the key here, but so is following the simple directions. You won't find any glossy pictures to inspire you, but just TASTE THE RESULTS!!! If you know how to prepare food well, you will be completely successful with this book, and thouroughly enjoy these dishes.

Bon Apetite

I was amazed by the detail with which a non Indian author has described the variety of Indian dishes.A must for all Indian cookery enthusiasts

Quite simply the best and most diverse book on Indian cuisine on the market. The variety in all areas is superb and yearns for the reader to try out even the seemingly most complex of recipes. If you are interested in Indian cooking and you haven't bought this book, then why not.

Quite a good book. I'm from the Indian subcontinent and I'm already an avid cook. I haven't made any recipes from the book (yet), but it has given me a few ideas to give some of my existing dishes a different edge. I do think that it is for an advanced cook rather than for beginners and even I find some of the ingredients list a bit daunting. However, I bought my book pre-owned for only $4.01 which was a great bargain.

Having lived in India this book was reccomended by an Indian friend. What better reccomendation do you need