Customer Reviews

Classic Indian Vegetarian And Grain Cooking

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Great recipes,
Really classic, great explanation for the produces.
Vegeterian will enjoy it a lot because it is savory.
The only hic is the Naan bread recipe which I did try few times and didn't turn out well

My first reaction to many of these recipes has been "My god! Can you DO that with lentils/milk/yoghurt/vegetables?". But the answer is an unequivocal and delicious "YES!" There aren't tons of glossy colourful pictures smiling out at you (and pushing the price up), and this is a cookbook that has more recipes than you can shake a stick at, so it might be intimidating for some. But fear not. The recipes are well tested, the ingredients readily available, and the descriptions are well written and meaningful. This book has transformed my cooking and my kitchen, with recipes that are tasty, economical, and varied. If you are the least bit adventurous, try this book, I implore you.

My wife and I received this book a month ago, for Christmas 2002, and have been cooking our way through it ever since. We are both vegetarians and, while not Indian, have had authentic Indian cooked food.

The recipes are fairly well done, easy to follow, and obviously well tested. Unlike some cook books, the times are correct, the food tastes "right," and the descriptions are accurate. It is well worth having this book as a good introduction to Indian style cooking. Try the Eggplant and Potato side dish (as a main course) over rice, it's wonderful!

There are a few minor annoyances that cause me to only give four stars rather than five. First, the index is horrible. Looking up dishes by the Indian names is tedious as the book has been almost over Americanized. Second, with a title with the word "classic," I am disappointed in the number of items that tell me to "buy this at the store/nobody makes these from scratch anymore/this is too complex, here is a simplified version" in this book. I appreciate the information, but I don't want the variation, at least not without the true recipe too. Third, even most of the side dishes will feed an army. Not being Indian, I would like even more information on meal planning than is given. If I made all the things suggested, we would be eating the same meal for a week straight!
Finally, the book doesn't go into much detail about the different regions and I would prefer to have things divided into regions as well. Again, these are minor, and I recommend this book as a good first book, but the recipes are good, so give it a shot! Oh, there are some typos in the book too, and considering how long it has been in print, they should have been fixed long ago!

Julie Sahni has proven herself to be an ingenious cook. Her adaptations of classic Indian fare for western vegetable, corn, and bean varities was nothing short of inspired. No longer will you have to struggle to find an adequate replacement for an unknown variety which may be irreplabable.

She has also done a marvelous job of introducing me to a variety of Indian dishes. From the curry-laden legumes of the north to the delightfully fiery vegetables of the south, these recipes are both easy to reporduce and quite enjoyable to eat. her introduction to most of the ingredients and methods used were also remarkably helpful. This book is more of a method for Indian cuisine that a collection of recipes. I recommend it for anybody interested in the subject.

This is Julie Sahni's second long awaited book after Classic Indian Cooking. Recipedelights.com thinks this book is a must-have for Vegetarians since it explores the riches of India's vegetarian and grain cooking. It begins with a simple explanation of the ingredients and techniques characteristic of this cuisine. She goes on to describe every classical blend of curry in the Indian tradition, with accompanying recipes on how to use them. A masterful selection of India's vegetarian cuisine- from delicate curries to fiery hot dals- all healthful and delicious.

A friend recommended this book to me and I also read about it on one of the Indian websites. Just thought you might be also be interested to read this review from RecipeDelights.com-
This is Julie Sahni's second long awaited book after Classic Indian Cooking. A must-have for vegetarians, it explores the riches of India's vegetarian and grain cooking. It begins with a simple explanation of the ingredients and techniques characteristic of this cuisine. She goes on to describe every classical blend of curry in the Indian tradition, with accompanying recipes on how to use them. A masterful selection of India's vegetarian cuisine- from delicate curries to fiery hot dals- all healthful and delicious.

From Recipedelights.com (http://www.recipedelights.com/books.htm)

This is Julie Sahni's second long awaited book after Classic Indian Cooking. A must-have for vegetarians, it explores the riches of India's vegetarian and grain cooking. It begins with a simple explanation of the ingredients and techniques characteristic of this cuisine. She goes on to describe every classical blend of curry in the Indian tradition, with accompanying recipes on how to use them. A masterful selection of India's vegetarian cuisine- from delicate curries to fiery hot dals- all healthful and delicious.

Source: Recipedelights.com (http://www.recipedelights.com/books.htm)

i bought this book for two reasons: it's by julie sahni and the title implied a balance between vegetables and grains. i had been wondering whether indians used grains other than rice and wheat, and hoped this cookbook would answer the question with recipes. unfortunately for me, out of what, 200+ recipes, there is only one that uses a whole grain other than wheat or rice. and to add insult, in the introductory paragraph, ms. sahni writes that the jains frequently use grains other than rice and wheat--then she gives ONE recipe for millet. incredibly frustrating. however, the good part of this book is that it is by julie sahni. there are recipes i will try, especially those that use pumpkin as a savory dish and not pie. i just can't say that i would recommend this book to anyone who already has a selection on indian cooking.

just thinking about this cookbook makes my mouth water...if you are only going to buy one indian cookbook, you can feel secure making it this one. it is a great way to expand your repertoire and introduce some new flavors into your diet. some ingredients may be difficult to find if you are not in an area that had indian or pakistani groceries, but don't let that keep you from forging ahead - never be afraid to substitute!

This is a super reference. From the fascinating description of her sister's wedding that another reviewer mentioned, Sahni goes on for 120 pages giving the basics of Indian vegetarian cooking...then on to the extensive recipes. My favorite so far has been gobhi masallam (stuffed cauliflower with tart tomato-coriander sauce). Even my husband who is dubious about cauliflower loved it! A sign for me that I must purchase a book is contining to check it out of the library for long periods of time...which I have and must get my own copy soon.
This book plus her earlier volume "Classic Indian Cooking" make an excellent pair. Both have plenty of information but do not repeat each other much.