- Hardcover: 320 pages
- Publisher: Harpercollinscanadaltd; 1 edition (July 12 2001)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0060935189
- ISBN-13: 978-0060935184
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 20.8 x 2.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 726 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #505,819 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon.com
To many North Americans, Indian food consists primarily of curries, kebabs, and chutneys. But Indian food cannot be contained to such a small sampling. In The Cuisines of India: The Art and Traditions of Regional Indian Cooking, author Smita Chandra takes us on a flavorful journey across India. "En route," she says, "we will sample the dishes that are unique to each region and relive the history that shaped its cuisine."
The Cuisines of India is divided into six chapters, each of which explores a distinctive region and its cuisine. While the recipes are presented in a clear and enticing manner, it is the history that accompanies each dish that really grabs you. Once you know that Emperor Shah Jahan (builder of the Taj Mahal) enjoyed a leisurely lunch of Paneer Makhai Masala how can you not try cottage cheese, cashews, and mushrooms in a creamy, buttery tomato sauce? You, however, will probably not be surrounded by an adoring harem as you eat.
Try Murgh Kabab (chicken marinated in minced herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, eggs, and cream, grilled on skewers) with a side of Takari Thayir Sadam (yogurt rice with mixed vegetables). Vegetarianism is prevalent in many Indian regions, primarily for religious reasons, and has inspired the creation of many a simple but savory dish: Bhutte ki Biryani (rice layered and baked with a spicy corn curry), Gobhi Mussallam (spicy baked cauliflower topped with cottage cheese, bread crumbs, and nuts), and Vendakai Thengai Mudri Poriyal (okra cooked with cashews and coconut). The Cuisines of India reminds us that behind every dish is a long and fascinating history of how it came to the table. --Dana Van Nest
From Publishers Weekly
Geography, custom and religion along with neighboring and invading cultures have shaped contemporary Indian cuisine; Chandra (Indian Grill), who teaches cooking in Toronto, carefully traces its myriad influences, and adds her own touch to this fresh reappraisal of Indian cooking. Chandra introduces each of six regional chapters with anecdotes about ingredients, people, legends and conventions, and then goes into depth, making the book almost as much a detailed history and travelogue of the subcontinent as it is a cookbook. More than 120 recipes (vegetarian and meat-based) offer an enticing diversity. Chandra is a traditionalist, but she's no purist. Saadey Naan, for instance, is made with store-bought pizza dough. Akhroat Murgh, a chicken-based dish, includes portobello mushrooms, yogurt, powdered walnuts, mint and spices and is served in tortillas. Plenty of Chandra's recipes are more conventional, like Dhaniwal Roghan Josh (lamb with onions, yogurt, almonds and coriander) and Saag Kofte (spicy meatballs in spinach and yogurt sauce). Most ingredients are easy to find these days exceptions include beaten rice and dried fenugreek leaves. Chandra's care with history will convince those skeptical of her improvisations (as will an author tour, the book's selection as a fall alternate of the Good Cook Book Club and former Taste host David Rosengarten's blurb), while those new to Indian cuisine will find this a good beginner's guide. B&w illus. 20,000 first printing. Agent, Madeleine Morel.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not a 'Must-Have', but still worthwhile,
By C. J. Thompson "Arctic John" (Pond Inlet, Nunavut Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: The Cuisines of India: The Art and Tradition of Regional Indian Cooking (Hardcover)
I collect cooking books and have a massive collection, with a fair emphasis on east Indian cuisine. This book rose above the herd because it has a decent discussion of history and tradition etc, and is well organized. The recipes are fairly pedestrian (ie: not that very different than you can find in other Indian cookbooks), but I wa not sorry I bought it.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Greatly disappointed,
By Georgina "tville" (san francisco, ca) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Cuisines of India: The Art and Tradition of Regional Indian Cooking (Hardcover)
INdian is perhaps my favorite cuisine & I've been to allot of Indian restaurants and own several books. This one though was mediocre at best. Allot flash in the pan, nothing spectacular though it was nice to see the book divided into 6 chapters for the 6 regions of the subcon.I think that the sisters tried to make the recipes harder & more complicated than they are in the name of authenicity. Most of these recipes were very elaborate with lots of steps. I would recommend Lord Krishna's book, Julie Sahni's or one Madhur Jaffrey's early books instead.
5.0 out of 5 stars
must own book,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Cuisines of India: The Art and Tradition of Regional Indian Cooking (Hardcover)
first off, although i think this is a must-own book, i would not recommend it as a first-buy indian cookbook. for someone completely new to indian cooking, one of the classics by sahni or jaffrey would be better as an introduction and basic resource. for instance, if you don't know what paneer is, the authors' unexplained use of the term "cottage cheese" when paneer is called for will be more than confusing. but, as a book to expand your repetoire of indian recipes, this is fabulous! anyone who has more than one or two indian cookbooks has probably noticed the surprising duplication, even between authors, of the same recipes, which is amazing, given the vastness of india and the incredible number of cultures in it. however, this book has more unduplicated recipes than any of my other indian cookbooks (and i have far too many), and i look forward to cooking all of them. but for me, the second, equally important reason to buy this book is the wonderful introductory paragraphs before each recipe. it seems that it is mandatory for indian cookbooks to inlude history as well as cooking instruction,which is no bad thing, given the ignorance of other cultures in this country. i have enjoyed and learned much from the texts of other indian cookbooks. however, the authors of this book write exceptionally well and amusingly, and the subjects not only include indian history, culinary and social, but even anecdotes about apicius, the roman credited with writing the first known european cookbook; a dishonest medieval english baker; elihu yale, for whom the college is named; and many other fascinating known and unknown people. there are quotes from the diaries and writings of european visitors to india from the 17th to the 19th centuries which are fascinating. (sample fascinating fact: poundicherry was a french colony for three centuries, and the cuisine reflects this.) there are stories of indian rajahs and the english raj. if fact, it might be difficult to keep your attention on the recipes while cooking, there is so much else that is interesting in this book. the line drawings are another plus. all in all, this is a superb book--tempting, wide-ranging recipes, entertaining reading and beatiful illustrations.
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