A Taste of India |
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Madhur Jaffrey
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Pages: 256 (Paperback)
ISBN: 1857936221
Pub: Pavilion Books
Pub date: 1995-02-23
Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 537458
Reader Reviews:
The definitive Indian cookbook (6/6 people found this helpful)
I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to make Indian food. The recipes are good--I've tried several and have never been disappointed.What makes it special for me is that the recipes are from various people across the country, which showcases the variety of cuisines in India. The book is arranged by state, and each chapter has an introductory piece about the food of the state. Bon apétit!
Mother of all Indian cookbooks (26/28 people found this helpful)
This book is an undisputed classic - so I was told. On my search for authentic Indian recipes, Julie Sahni's books were also recommended by culinary experts. While both have undoubted merits, this one is a personal favourite.
The major plus of this volume is to have the recipes sorted out by regions. Although Indian cuisine finds its common link in spices, it's amazing to see how differently they are used in various parts of India. Madhur Jaffrey delineates these subtle differences and if you know your spices, you could almost taste the dish right out of the book!
Her prose is engaging - most of her anecdotes were culled from her own culinary journey throughout the sub-continent. From enjoying bhelpuris in Chowpatty Beach in Mumbai to enjoying picnics at the Fort in Delhi, she draws the reader into her personal experiences effortlessly.
The recipes are notoriously foolproof - the success of one inevitably leads to another, and another. The ingredients are so carefully measured that every spice is allowed to make a subtle assault on your palate.
As if these weren't enough for the fullest recommendation, there are pictures to complement the prose - the amused expression of a komcha-wallah (snack man), a boat floating on Lake Dal in Srinagar - little vignettes of the country to rival the best travel guide to India.
In all, a splendid achievement and a book to have and keep for a lifetime- especially in it's present hardcover incarnation.
Excellent apart from the number of chillies in each recipe! (3/8 people found this helpful)
I have had this book for a few years now. My only problem with it is the number of chillies in each recipe (and I grew up on Indian food). I suggest you should use no more than half the amount of chillies used in each recipe, and possibly less if you're not used to Indian food. That aside, I have found this book very useful and mostly the recipes were excellent.
Readability: v.good. Photos: great. Recipes: Long winded (5/6 people found this helpful)
Glad to say that new edition seems identical to old one. Madhur Jafffrey's experiences in India are very evocative. The photos are excellent and the recipes look delicious, but they sometimes appeared a little too labour intensive to a Westerner like me. Very much recommended.
Categories
Amazon.co.uk places this book into the following categories:
Books -> Subjects -> Food & Drink -> Food Writers -> Madhur Jaffrey
Books -> Refinements -> Language (feature_browse-bin) -> English
Books -> Refinements -> Age (feature_two_browse-bin)
Books -> Refinements -> Format (binding_browse-bin) -> Paperback
Books -> Refinements -> Condition (condition-type)