Reference material on Indian cuisine

[Ron Johnson]

Although I like Indian food very much, I have not yet participated on this board because of my admitted abject ignorance regarding Indian cuisine. In order to learn more I was hoping that Suvir or others could recommend some books that will explain the fundamentals of Indian cooking styles, methods, and technique. Also, perhaps a cookbook or two to begin practice in making some of the food myself. Generally, I am loathe to follow a recipe, but it may be a good way to grasp the intricacies of this cuisine.

Specifically, I would like to know of some books that will give me an overview of the food, its regional differences, ingredients, and history, and then a seminal cookbook that contains recipes for the most important elemental dishes.

Thank you.

[Steve Klc]

For background and history, one book that I used was "Indian Food--A Historical Companion" by K. T. Achaya, which is in paperback. (Oxford University Press, 1998) It isn't the most lively writing--but I found it very interesting. Did you Suvir?

[Suvir Saran]

Steven has mentioned a great book. But it may not inspire you about cooking Indian food. It is dry but acutely laden with facts and history and cultural details. It is a must read, but not a first read.

To enjoy it or even simply grasp any of it, you may need to first accept Indian food and culture as a part of your realm. Just as on the other threads on this site, there are books being discussed that would intimidate the novice, but captivate the old hand.

I usually reccomend Julie Sahnis Classic Indian Cooking and Cooking With Grains and Vegetables as the Bibles to Indian Cooking. These are full of detail and a lot of cultural anecdotes. The recipes are good and work well in a western kitchen. They are rather oily though and you can correct that by using just a little over half the fat she asks to be used in a recipe.

Madhur Jaffreys books are wonderful in their sensual approach to Indian cooking. Her recipes leave a little to be desired. The Indian cookbooks that is. I guess they were written some decades ago, and were tested for another generation maybe and with a standard different from today. But I see myself read her books with more love and care than Julie Sahnis. But that is why one is the Bible and the other the Gita. One is epic (Bible) in ways and the other more fluid and of the time (Gita). I say this with no disrespect for one over the other. They are simply two very different animals.

Each of these books and authors have given us much to be thankful for and much to be inspired by.

Dakshin is a great book on Southern Indian cooking. If you can find it, buy it. It will bring to you the world of Southern Indian cooking. If not by its recipes, at least in the pictures and some of the text. It is a great book.

50 Great Curries by Camelia Panjabi is another good book. It has some of the famous Indian dishes in a pretty book. The recipes work if you know the cuisine. They are not as easy to replicate as those of Madhur or Julie.

Mrs. Balbir Singhs books are great ones to have. They are also somewhat tedious in their style of writing. Especially recipe structure. But she covers the base adequately with large number of recipes.

Cook Books To Read

The above link will take you to some cook books I have mentioned on my site. It will tell you a little more about each book.

I am sure the other members have their own list of favorites. What are they???

[Suzanne F]

My introduction was The Cooking of India, by Santha Ramu Rau, in the Time-Life Foods of the World series. Very informative, although I wonder how much of the text is still valid (it was released in 1969). Very workable recipes, in any case.

Under the influence of Laurie Colwin, I got The Raj at Table by David Burton, and Curries and Bugles by Jennifer Brennan. Both very much Anglo-Indian, as one can tell from the titles. Quite interesting for their take on history.

Also have 4 books, A Taste of ... Goa, Baltistan, Punjab, and Kashmir (each by a different author); have not yet tried to make anything from them. Wanted to learn more about regional cuisines.

Finally: The Indian Spice Kitchen by Monisha Bharadwaj. Organized by ingredient within type of ingredient. More a reference, with only 2 examples each of dishes using any particular ingredient, but lots of pictures.

I'd be interested to hear Suvir's opinions of these.

[John Whiting]

Knowing nothing about who the authorities might be, I happened upon _Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking_ by Yamuna Devi. I have found it a fertile source of simple recipes which have in turn suggested variations on Western methods of preparing vegetables. Apparently she cooked for the Beetles, but I forgive her.

[Suvir Saran]

Rau's cooking of India is great. Not sure how easy it is to find anymore.

Raj at the Table and Curries and Bugles can be found at Kitchen Arts and Letters in NYC. They are fun to scan through. The recipes are not always functional or correct. But great fun. And absolute must if you want to get a small glimpse of the Anglo-Indian lifestyle.

But I much prefer Simon Majumdar for that. His memories, posts and recipes are far more interesting to me. For they are current.

A Taste of ...... These are good books. But the recipes give little help to those that are not familiar with the dishes. But make for fun books to have if you just want to read several Indian cooking books.

The Indian Spice Kitchen had great promise when I first found it in a catalog. When it was delivered, I found it not as fun. But thanks Suzanne for mentioning it. It is a great reference book to have for ingredients. It actually may be one of the best books out there with so many hard to find ingredients explained and identified. It is a good book to have in the library.

[Suvir Saran]

Yamuna Devis book is actually quite nice.

I personally have not tried even a single recipe, but have friends that have enjoyed using it.

It also has some fun stories in it.

[Sandra Levine]

The Time-Life Cooking of India can often be found in used book stores or through an internet search for used books. It was my earliest introduction to Indian cooking. I dearly wish that the whole series sould be re-released in some form. I know I would appreciate a large volume of just the collected recipes, although I treasure the slipcased volumes I had the vision to buy at the time.

Suvir, can you be more specific about the differences between Sahni and Jaffrey? Which one tends to help the Western cook produce food that is similar to what one might have in India? (A roundabout way of asking which is more authentic.)

[Suvir Saran]

Sandra they are both authentic. I wish the answer were as easy as to say which was authentic and which not.

But yes they are both authentic and both accurate with the stories that they share.

Julie Sahni has given recipes that work for the most part better than Madhurs. But these are recipes that speak of an India that ceased to exist a long time ago. The recipes are way too laden in fat. Some steps are rather tedious and do not reflect the Indian home cooking of even 20 years ago.

Madhur does a great jon to take the reader to an India that is both ancient and contemporary, but the recipes often do not test accurately. They are geared more for a chef that knows what they are cooking. But I tend to enjoy her books far more and have greater respect for the writer. To me Madhur is the Mother Indian cooking in America. We owe most of what we know of Indian food in the west to her charm and poise and clever wit.

I think it is good to have each of their books in ones library. I wish I knew how to be pedantic and harsh in my assessments, maybe then I could give you one better option. I enjoy living with multiple options and choices and a grand variety of things. That makes me live and enjoy life. I have never been trapped in a narrow corner. I always find a way to see more than what most would find easy, what others find too much or confusing, most always has me charmed. Thus, at home, I have every book by each of these two Divas of Indian cooking.

Each of these authors and their books has unique merits. And I feel any Western or Indian cook, will stand to gain a lot by reading both of their works.

I know that many of the New York Public Library branches have Madhur's Books. I am sure some must also have Julie Sahnis books. It would be a good thing to borrow them and try some recipes from each and see which you prefer or rather which works better for your own understanding and then decide to buy that one.

[Sandra Levine]

Thanks, Suvir.

I have a couple of Jaffrey's books and I use them a lot, or used to use them when I cooked more than I do now. I've never had any trouble with them, but I rarely follow any recipe exactly. Mrs. Singh's style is more difficult to follow, but I loved the way my rabri turned out.

[Toby]

I'm always amazed that there are so few Indian cookbooks in the U.S. in comparison to other cuisines. An Invitation to Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey was the first Indian cookbook I owned (my copy cost $3.95 back in 1975). I loved that book and found the recipes worked. But I had less luck with A Taste of India, although the book is beautiful and the writing about regional Indian food and traditions is beguiling. I recently got her World Vegetarian book; there are many Indian recipes in it. Jaffrey's writing is more inspiring to me than Sahni's. And I'm grateful to Suvir for his writing on the philosophy, multiplicity and social customs of Indian food and cooking -- he gives a dimension to Indian food that I previously didn't know about.

I recently bought Curried Favors -- Family Recipes from South India, by Maya Kaimal MacMillan, but haven't cooked from it yet. Has anyone used it?

Also, The Indian Inspired Cookbook, by Bharti Kirchner is an attempt at Indian fusion; I get a muddled impression from reading the recipes and have never been galvanized to get up and cook from it, although I keep on thinking I might.

[Suvir Saran]

I have the Curried Flavors book by Maya. It is a pretty book. I have never cooked from it.

I have a book on Bengali Cooking I think from Bharti Kirchner. It is with Simon Majumdar as I write this, or I would have been able to check the name of the writer.

Toby, care to tell us more about this book? It sounds nice.

Also thanks for your generous and kind words. They certainly are very flattering.

Madhur is as eloquent a writer as any I have ever read. And even in her person, she is eloquent and charming. Her person is even more inspiring than her written work. But her written work is wonderful and certainly some of the best writing you will find on Indian cooking.

She is able to open the door into the Indian world and then give recipes for the reader to play with. She is able to bring people far more deeply into the Indian realm than most any other writer I have encountered yet.

[Miss J]

I have Jaffrey's "Invitation to Indian Cookery," but I also rely on another book that I haven't seen anyone else mention yet: "Fresh Flavours of India" by Das Sreedharan. It's a Kerlan cookbook. Has anyone else heard of it or used it?

Miss J

[vivin]

Suvir,

I have been searching for "Dakshin" for a while. Have not found it. Keep looking I guess..

[Suvir Saran]

Vivin,

If I search my home well, I may have a copy for you. I have two copies. So hold off... I will find it and send it your way. I know it is here... just the effort to find it is needed. Will start looking.

[Suvir Saran]

Miss J,

I have never heard of Fresh Flavors of India. It sounds wonderful. What recipes do you like most from it? Who is the publisher? Thanks for sharing this with us.

[Miss J]

Fresh Flavours of India is published by Conran Octopus (www.conran-octopus.co.uk). It has some great recipes in it. Some of my favs are:

Garlic pickle

Coconut chutney

Tamarind rice

Green mango & shallot salad

Moru kachiathu with green banana and mango (bright yellow and tangy)

...and finally the Pal Payasam, a stunningly good rice pudding with cardamon, ghee, cashews and raisins that brings people to their knees when they try it.

The book was written by the owner of the Rasa restaurants in London, which I'm very fond of. However, I know that Simon doesn't share my enthusiasm...

[Suvir Saran]

What makes Simon less enthusiastic?

I will have to try and find this book. SOunds nice.

[Spoonful]

I am also a Madhur Jaffrey follower. She also wrote Foolproof Indian Cooking: Step by Step to Everyone's Favorite Indian Recipes.

[Suvir Saran]

I am also a Madhur Jaffrey follower.  She also wrote Foolproof Indian Cooking: Step by Step to Everyone's Favorite Indian Recipes.

What are your favorite recipes from it?

[persiflage]

Bharti Kirchner's Healthy Cuisine of India is my favourite everyday cookbook. Her Bengali recipes are simple to prepare in under an hour and she often suggests complementary side dishes.

Maya Kaimal's second book, Savoring the Spice Coast of India, is a pretty book but also a useful one. Every recipe I've made from this book has been a hit.

Yamuna Devi's book has a lot of useful information on technique and ingredients. While some recipes are time consuming, others are really quick once you have picked up basic technique. My favourite recipe for sauteed cauliflower and green peas. Come home with whatever's freshest and use the index to find a good recipe.

Dakshin is available from Amazon or Barnes & Noble. The pictures are helpful, but some vegetables are referred to by curious names and never pictured whole or explained. Living in NYC, I am sure I can buy ash gourd or silk squash or drumstick somewhere, but I have no idea what these vegetables look like whole. (There's a whole perplexing genre of gourds and squashes... Ridged gourd, bottle gourd, snake gourd, etc)

Healthy South Indian Cooking (Vairavan/Marquardt) is not a pretty book, but it has a surprising number of good, quick South Indian recipes. I often use the pachadi/poriyal/kulambu recipes with various vegetables and dals to turn out quick, tasty dishes. This is not a palaver type book where you will end up with six carefully arranged bowls of spices to deploy at various stages of preparation.

I found a very tasty recipe for spinach and yogurt curry (cheera thayir) from Das Sreedharan posted on the web. But I think his book The New Tastes of India is only in the UK. Has anyone tried it?

And of course I will add Suvir's book when it comes out....

[Spoonful]

I am also a Madhur Jaffrey follower.  She also wrote Foolproof Indian Cooking: Step by Step to Everyone's Favorite Indian Recipes.

What are your favorite recipes from it?

I didn't read thoroughly or cook anything from it yet but the Mulligatawny is appealing. I need a holiday to catch-up with her

[Anna N]

Has anyone seen Meena Pathak's FLAVOURS OF INDIA ? Published 2002 by Whitecap ISBN 1-55285-374-8.

Would you care to comment on it?

It is the only cookbook on Indian food that I own though I fully intend to rectify that in the New Year. For now, I make Suvir's posted recipes and find them excellent.

Thank you.

[Suvir Saran]

Our very own Monica Bhide's, Spice Is Right.

Click here for more information about this book.

Books by Julie Sahni and Madhur Jaffrey are of course a great addition to most any cookbook collection.

[RossyW]

Has anyone here bought Monica's book? I'm about one recommendation away from ordering it.