Indian Home Cooking: A Fresh Introduction to Indian Food, with More Than 150 Recipes [Hardcover]

Suvir Saran (Author), Stephanie Lyness (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 31, 2004

With its exotic aromas and complex flavors, Indian cuisine is one of the world's best. It's no wonder that so many people adore it--and also no surprise that it could seem daunting to cook Indian food at home. Now, acclaimed chef and cooking teacher Suvir Saran cuts out the fuss, sharing casual, home-style Indian dishes that are perfect for everyday cooking.

Indian Home Cooking is a celebration of the food Indians cook in American kitchens today, using ingredients found in most supermarkets. With streamlined techniques and intense, authentic flavors, Indian Home Cooking heralds a new generation of Indian cookbooks. From slow-simmered curries with layered flavors to quickly sautéed dishes, these approachable recipes explore the wide world of Indian cuisine, including:

*Irresistible snacks and appetizers, such as Puff Pastry Samosas with Green Peas, and Spinach-Potato Patties
*Seductively spiced lentil dals, from the North Indian classic flavored with whole cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves to a Southern Indian version with dried red chilies, mustard seeds, and curry leaves
*Aromatic meat and seafood curries, like Coconut Chicken with Cashews and spicy Goan Shrimp Balchao
*An incredible range of vegetable dishes, including Stir-Fried Green Beans with Cumin, and Cauliflower with Sautéed Green Peppers, Tomato, and Yogurt
*Easy, colorful chutneys and pickles to fill your pantry

Filled with gorgeous photographs, fresh flavors, and practical advice, Indian Home Cooking is an illuminating guide to real Indian food.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

There's much to like in this informative cookbook, which offers an accessible take (if, inevitably, not a comprehensive one) on one of the world's most vast and complex regional cuisines. It's a natural development for Saran, who teaches Indian cooking classes and opened the New York restaurant Amma last year. Such expertise is welcome in a book that cherry-picks freely from Moghul meat dishes, Gujerati dals, Hyderabadi greens and Punjabi tandoor dishes. That said, many of the curries are familiar, like Chicken Tikka Masala and Simple Lamb Curry with Coriander and Garam Masala. Surprisingly straightforward vegetable dishes include Smoked Spiced Eggplant, and Crisp Whole Okra with Fennel and Coriander. Rice dishes range from simple (Cumin-Scented Rice Pilaf) to elaborate (Sweet Saffron Pilaf with Nuts and Currants). Lassis, raitas, breads and some unexpectedly Western-sounding desserts (e.g., Blueberry-Lemon Pie and Gingersnap Pudding) complete the volume. Unfortunately, the book's minuscule print poses a nuisance for home cooks, who may be called upon to dash back and forth, adding spices to the pan every 30 seconds. Just taking the time to find one's place on the page can result in smoke and burnt seasonings. Still, Saran and Lyness fill a crucial niche in the cookbook market; their work should be avidly welcomed. 75 color photos.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From the Author

"This is my generation of Indian cuisine, While many of the recipes in this book are traditional, my approach to Indian food is eclectic and, perhaps more important, pragmatic. I devise recipes on the basis of what tastes good to me - using accessible American ingredients in place of some Indian ones - and I simplify wherever possible." from the Introduction

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter (August 31, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609611011
• ISBN-13: 978-0609611012
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 0.8 x 10.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (82 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #179,477 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #60 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > Asian > Indian
  • #78 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > International

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

123 of 124 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy Book; Great Results February 27, 2007

By T. Bojko

Format:Hardcover

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 dishes in this book are suitably rich and creative. For me, plain basmati rice is profound enough, but dishes such as ` lemon rice' or `coconut-mint rice' put me on the verge of hallucinating.

Appetizers, snacks, flatbreads, sweets: I haven't made any of these. A couple friends have and, like pretty much everything in this book, the reports are all very positive.

A couple final suggestions: Not everyone wants to blow a lot of cash on a pot but especially for the curries, which simmer for a long time, a high-quality pot makes a world of difference. I use enamel-coated cast iron and it radiates the heat in such as way that the sauce becomes very hearty and I think this also helps open up the magic of the spices. On the other hand, when visiting a friend I cooked in a lighter pot and the curries wouldn't thicken properly. Also, don't be put off if you realize you have to buy some new spices to cook these dishes. Really, you don't need many, they aren't expensive, they're very good for your health and they'll open an entire new universe of flavor. If you can't find everything in your grocery store, go online. Finally, once you get comfortable with the recipes, you'll find that you get faster at putting together the spice mixes. Relax, set aside some time and you will be very happy with the food you'll be able to create. Read more ›

63 of 63 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fulfills its promise. But it shouldn't be your first Indian cookbook. September 18, 2006

By Esther Schindler TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

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. Read more ›

95 of 99 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars My New Favorite Indian Cookbook November 6, 2005

By Kat Bakhu

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

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.

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Have for Your Cookbook Collection September 24, 2004

By Matthew Christensen

Format:Hardcover

Anyone who has been fortunate enough to experience Suvir Saran's cooking - either at Amma, or at his new Manhattan restaurant, Devi - will tell you that this book is an absolute must. Saran's approach to contemporary Indian cuisine, while refreshingly unconventional, maintains an absolute fidelity to traditional Indian flavors. The book is not your run of the mill Indian cookbook: a quick glance through its pages at the inticing photographs, clear recipes, as well as Saran's endearing commentary bears this out. One can easily see why USAToday chose this title as one of the six best cookbooks of the season (...) Try the party cauliflower (gobhi masalam) or the stir-fried okra with tomatoes, onions and northern spices; the only thing more enjoyable than making these dishes is the experience and warm satisfaction of eating them! Saran's masterful ability to layer flavors is evident when you taste these recipes; you'll recognize the flavors, but you'll never have experienced them in quite this way before. While there are several meat dishes, there are also a large number of vegetarian and vegan recipes as well.