Healthy South Indian Cooking (Hardcover)

by Alamelu Vairavan (Author), Patricia Marquardt (Author)
Key Phrases: tuna balls, potato masala, eggplant chutney, South Indian, Spinach Poriyal, Egg Masala (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Besides 100 feast-worthy vegetarian recipes. [Vairavan and Marquardt explain how the spices that make Indian cuisine so fragrant and flavorful also pack a wallop of nutrients and disease-fighting phytochemicals." -- Wisconsin State Journal

"Coconut-infused curries, brilliant vegetable dishes .... What could be complex becomes relatively simple in Vairavan's approach ..." -- Los Angeles Times

"Dals, chutneys and curries take their place along with fare that might be totally new to many ... the authors do a remarkably good job of keeping the recipes relatively simple and accessible." -- The Post-Crescent

"One important aspect of this excellent book is that most of the dishes are vegetarian. The authors rightfully take pride in the fact that most South Indian dishes are not only delicious but remarkably nutritious as well." -- Frontline India

"Thankfully, we have such new cookbooks as Healthy South Indian Cooking .... The recipes should intrigue anyone who is fond of vegetables, as they offer a new approach to seasoning .... Tested recipes yielded results that were as tasty as they were authentic." -- Winston-Salem Journal

Product Description
With the addition of fifty new easy-to-prepare dishes, "Healthy South Indian Cooking" is back, now totalling 250 recipes. In the famous Chettinad Healthy cooking tradition of Southern India, these foods evoke South Indian forgotten by Chicken Tikka Masala enthusiasts. Mostly vegetarian, these recipes allow home cooks to create such esoteric: dishes as Potato-flled Dosas with Coconut Chutney; Pearl Onion and Tomato Sambhar; Chickpea and Bell Pepper per Poriyal; and Eggplant Masala Curry. Rasams, breads, legumes and payasams are all featured here, as is the exceptional Chettinad Chicken Kolambu, South lndia's version of the popular vindaloo. Each of these low-fat, low-caloric recipes come with a complete nutritional analysis. Also included are sample menus and innovative suggestions for integrating South Indian dishes into traditioilal Western meals. A section on the varieties and methods of preparation for dals (a lentil dish that is a staple of this cuisine), a multilingual glossary of spices and ingredients, and 16 pages of colour photographs make this book a clear and concise introduction to the healthy, delicious cooking of South India.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 276 pages
• Publisher: Hippocrene Books; Expanded edition (September 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0781811899
• ISBN-13: 978-0781811897
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 8.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #215,560 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, Fun and Healthy, March 10, 2002

By	Leslye (Mechanicsburg, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Healthy South Indian Cooking (Hardcover)

I have several East Indian Cook books, but Healthy South Indian Cooking has fast become my favorite. The descriptions of the many spices, oils, herbs, and the multilingual glossary are a great help for this westerner when shopping for ingredients. The recipes are easy to follow and the instructions on when to add each spice ensure success and the utmost flavor. As one who loves to cook and make notes about recipes, it is a pleasure to finally have a book that allows space on the pages for just that without skimping on the type size or readability of the recipes. I took the book with me to my local international food store to show the owner, who was so pleased that she is ordering her own copy. Food should be beautiful to look at, fun to make and exciting and healthful to eat. Healthy South Indian Cooking does it all. Thank you to authors' Vairavan and Marquardt for this delightful addition to our joy of eating.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Innovative Cookbook!, February 1, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Healthy South Indian Cooking (Hardcover)

This book introduces the readers to the marvelous cuisine
and cooking of South India. Most people in the west are
not familiar with the exquisite array of vegetarian and
non-vegetarian dishes from Southern India. One reason for
this is that most of the Indian restaurants in the West
serve North Indian foods (which are also delicious, but
are different.) Another reason is that most of the Indian
cookbooks present North Indian foods. This new book by
the authors has the potential to change this.

The recipes are clearly presented with useful nutritional
analysis for each dish. Every dish I tried turned out very
well and was delicious. The authors have presented a great
deal of introductory material that readers unfamilar with
Indian cooking wil find very useful. I believe a main
strength of the book is that it is oriented towards modern
day cooks in a western kitchen while mostly maintaining the
authenticity of the cuisine. Another positive feature of
the book is its success in demonstrating the richness of
the variety of the vegetarian dishes in the South Indian
cuisine. I have found that even people who dislike certain
vegetables, such as broccoli, brussels sprouts or spinach,
may be in for a pleasant surprise when they try the recipes
discussed in this book!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vegetable magic!, September 18, 2004

By	Carol Arnosti (North Carolina) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Healthy South Indian Cooking (Hardcover)

I love to cook and have several shelves full of cookbooks, but this one is something very special: it transforms ordinary vegetables (green beans, spinach, cauliflower, etc.) into addictive, exotic, habit-forming dishes that will amaze you and your guests. One of the great frustrations of some types of `ethnic' cuisines is that it seems impossible to recapture the exotic flavors that can be enjoyed in a good restaurant. I used to think Indian food fit into this category; with Healthy South Indian Cooking, that's no longer the case. In fact, one dinner guest, expressing his surprise that my husband and I actually cooked the food we set before him, commented that we served far better food than any of the Indian restaurants in town! Not only is the food great, the recipes are easy to follow, and are straightforward to prepare. Once you have a few spices on hand, more or less any vegetable (or chicken or other meat) that catches your eye in the grocery store can be turned into something truly memorable with a minimum of fuss, bother, and time.