The Great Curries of India [Hardcover]

Camellia Panjabi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1995

Fifty authentic, traditional recipes from all the regions of India include Chicken and Cashew Curry from Bombay and Rogan Josh from Kashmir, and come with information on the basics of curry-making. 15,000 first printing.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Indian food is becoming more popular in this country, and several good recent cookbooks have revealed just how diverse this cuisine is. Panjabi, who lives in Bombay and has traveled extensively throughout India, has written a remarkable book. She is obviously knowledgeable about food, and her excellent introduction blends history, geography, and the philosophy of Indian cuisine with a lovingly detailed, illustrated guide to ingredients and techniques. The curries themselves, each accompanied by a full-page color photograph, show how different these dishes can be, and the author's headnotes provide excellent background on the various regional cuisines. The one serious drawback of this beautiful book is that it was originally published in England; although it has been Americanized, a three-line note on the acknowledgments page indicates that all cup measures refer to a seven-ounce cup?cooks beware! [HomeStyle Bks. alternate.]
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Indian cuisine is more popular than ever in major urban areas, albeit less familiar in towns of the heartland. Panjabi's guide is as beautiful to look at as it is a delight to read, from illuminating explanations of the philosophy behind the food to descriptions of exotic spices and the intricacies of cooking a curry. Just how ingredients are combined to achieve the complex, savory tastes associated with fine curries is explained here in detail, with dishes from many regions given equal attention. Highlighted are recipes for dishes not found on most restaurant menus. This superior introduction for cooks unfamiliar with Indian food is also a definitive guide for connoisseurs on a quest to produce flavorful curries in their own kitchens. Alice Joyce

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; First Edition edition (October 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684803836
• ISBN-13: 978-0684803838
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #740,159 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great recipies, July 9, 2002

By 

Andrew Miller (Dublin Ireland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Great Curries of India (Hardcover)

Why Camellia Panjabi's book is so far down the list of best selling books in it's category (102 at the moment) is beyond me!

I am the owner of several Indian cookbooks, including some by Madhur Jaffrey's and make it a point to try a new indian dish every weekend. However this book stands out.

I have to say that this book has given me the most inspiration to try new dishes and the most delightful results than any other.

Why? for starters, a full page photograph for every recipe gives the inspiration and urge to try out a new dish - most cooks like myself need something visual to get the mouth watering before we step into the kitchen!
There is also a brief introduction to the recipe detailing what part of the country the recipe came from and usually the direct source from which the recipe was obtained, be it an old lady in a village that Camellia was visiting or a local cook renowned in the region for his speciality.
Secondly, I have to say that the recipe's I have tried have not disappointed. Be it the Lamb Rogan Josh or the Goa Pork vindaloo, these recipes are delicious every time.
There is also a comprehensive guide to spices and ingredients at the beginning of the book going into such detail such as how to prepare fresh coconut.

A word of caution to those new to cooking, this book does not hold your hand throughout, specific cooking times are not always stated, instead the author instructs to "simmer until tender" etc. However the more "mission critical" timings such as adding spices, sauteing onions etc are given, so there is no need to be overly put off by this.

This book deserves to be in more kitchens. 5 stars all the way.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent background and explanations, September 23, 1999

By 

Darby - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Great Curries of India (Hardcover)

Successes: This book really helps novice cooks understand how typical curry recipes are constructed, from the ground up. Too many authors on the subject are lazily content to simply fob off long lists of exotic ingredients on the reader without explaining the purpose, technique, and timing of each component. This author goes to reasonable lengths to help a typical reader understand not only how to use a particular ingredient, but WHY it's used. Also, there are plenty of pictures which not only help the reader 'window shop' for recipes to try, but also help the reader to understand what the dish is supposed to look like when prepared properly.

Minor Nits: (1) The biggest weakness is this - the author only discusses only one classic Masala blend (Garam), yet there are NUMEROUS other Masala blends (ex: Sambar) that can & should have been covered in a book specializing in curry. The reader is left to scavenge other Indian books for recipes that use such masalas. (2) I wish the book were longer - it focuses heavily on lamb, whereas chicken, pork, fish and vegetable/dhal curries are covered in increasingly less detail ... and curried soups are barely covered at all. (3) There are minor errors and omissions scattered throughout (a few examples: the English names {colors} of the various Indian Dhals, and lack of the wine-pairing information hinted at in the acknowledgements), indicating some less-than exemplary editing, but most casual cooks won't notice.

Bottom Line: An excellent book, despite the minor flaws and omissions.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars powerful cookbook!, November 21, 2002

By 

sarah (vancouver island, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Great Curries of India (Hardcover)

this book has all the main superpowers: beauty, variety, indexing, cultural notes, explanation of ingredients, accessibility of ingredients, deliciousness, serving suggestions, flexibility, practical hints. including a recipe for watermelon curry is regarded as an additional special power.

my only complaint, which hasn't ever ruined a meal, is that many key ingredient amounts are given by weight. i am not a person who considers potatoes or tomatoes in ounces.