Rating: 
Summary: I adore Indian food
Review: If I want someone to guide me in learning the rudiments of producing fine and authentic Indian dishes, that I reckon I would have to work very hard to find someone better than Madhur Jaffrey! Madhur is actually an Actress predominantly and lives in England, but in her cookery writing she brings the knowledge of generations and delicious, exquisite food.
This book is very small and easy to use and certainly lives up to it's title, I think that was her aim because Indian food is so often seen as complicated and time consuming.
She dispells that myths here. Her Dhal with crispy fried onion and Nan bread is just to die for! And don't fret about wine lists for guests, you simply must get either Indian, Tiger or Cobra beer for this food; served ice cold.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Cookbook!
Review: "Quick and Easy Indian Cooking" is right! I was a little bit hesitant to try this cookbook because I thought Indian cooking could never be easy. But the recipes I've tried so far (silken chicken, meat cubes and smothered beef) were a snap to prepare and tasted great -- and I'm an average cook at best. To the person who said that a pressure cooker is needed for most recipes in this book, this isn't true. Out of over 100 recipes, there are only 8 that call for a pressure cooker. And if you don't have a pressure cooker, the author gives alternate cooking times. If you like Indian cooking, and whether you have a lot of experience in the kitchen or not, then this is the cookbook for you!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Cookbook!
Review: "Quick and Easy Indian Cooking" is right! I was a little bit hesitant to try this cookbook because I thought Indian cooking could never be easy. But the recipes I've tried so far (silken chicken, meat cubes and smothered beef) were a snap to prepare and tasted great -- and I'm an average cook at best. To the person who said that a pressure cooker is needed for most recipes in this book, this isn't true. Out of over 100 recipes, there are only 8 that call for a pressure cooker. And if you don't have a pressure cooker, the author gives alternate cooking times. If you like Indian cooking, and whether you have a lot of experience in the kitchen or not, then this is the cookbook for you!
Rating:
Summary: Madhur Jaffrey - the Savior of expat Indian students!
Review: I am a graduate student in the United States, by definition
of which, I have to economize on both, the time and the
money I spend on cooking. Besides, an important factor in keeping
a cheerful countenance is tasty (!) food. This is where
Ms. Jaffrey steps in.
Before I started using "Madhur Jaffrey's Quick & Easy Indian
Cooking," I relied on a few recipes handed down from my Mom
and my sister. Some of Ms. Jaffrey's recipes are
refreshing renditions of old favorites (e.g. red lentil `tarka',
whole green lentils with cilantro and mint, hard boiled eggs
masala,...), and some creative delicacies, like fish in green sauce, and
stir fried shrimp in an aromatic tomato cream sauce, simply
grilled tomatoes,... ah, the list is seemingly endless!
To give a sampling of Ms. Jaffrey's creative prowess in whipping up culinary delights, it is instructive to discuss a recipe that I recently used. `Fish in Green Sauce' (p.69)
is a recipe that calls for cooking a green sauce made of onion,
garlic, cilantro (the "green"), tomato, ginger, and lemon
juice, and then simmering the fish steaks in the sauce.
I admit I was skeptical at first. I am a cilantro devotee,
and the thought of mixing cilantro and fish never ever
occured to me (I guess this is where her creativity comes in).
I have just one thing to say about the end result--wow!
I think deep down Ms. Jaffrey is a sentimentalist. Her
recipes are peppered with such homey, down-earth musings
about her childhood memories as, "... I remembered how much I had loved it [fresh green mango chutney] as a child. Memories of breakfasts and lunches with fresh pooris, vegetables, and
this chutney came flooding back." This book evokes similar
feeings in me, as I flip through it now, wondering what to cook
for dinner tonight, of course, not worrying at all that I have
my study group meeting in about one hour.
Rating:
Summary: every recipe is great
Review: According to one of the reviews above, the recipes are not authentic and asks the reader to use canned food. While I can't comment on authenticity, not being Indian, I have yet to encounter a situation where the author asks the reader to use canned vegetables (unless you count tomatoe paste). Every recipe we've tried has been very good with our favorite being the fish in coconut milk which we fry rather than broil in order to have more sauce. I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: delicious and easy
Review: i am just learning to cook, and jaffrey's book was perfect for me. i made the silken chicken last night for my aunt, and she thought i had bought it at the indian restaurant. everything that i have made tastes wonderful, and you really don't have to be a master chef to follow along.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent food - excellent book!
Review: I discovered Indian food on a trip to England years ago - this is the first book I bought on Indian food and still my top favorite! The meals are great, easy to prepare, one pot wonders, and the food is wonderful! One week during grad school finals I announced to my non-cooking husband that he'd have to make dinner for the next week - he used this book and the food was perfect. A great buy and a must for every kitchen where good food is appreciated. If you have never tried Indian food before - Oh! What you are missing is a shame.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent food - excellent book!
Review: I discovered Indian food on a trip to England years ago - this is the first book I bought on Indian food and still my top favorite! The meals are great, easy to prepare, one pot wonders, and the food is wonderful! One week during grad school finals I announced to my non-cooking husband that he'd have to make dinner for the next week - he used this book and the food was perfect. A great buy and a must for every kitchen where good food is appreciated. If you have never tried Indian food before - Oh! What you are missing is a shame.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful & Easy Indian Food
Review: I finally decided to buy this cookbook after renewing it from the library several times. The recipes that I've used have all been simple and fairly quick to make. If you don't have a pressure cooker (I don't) or have time to cook lentils on the stove (which, honestly, don't take too long), there are many other recipes from which to choose.
I recommend the "Chickpeas Cooked in Tea" and the recipe for Turmeric Rice is awesome and simple. Also, most ingredients can be found in your local grocery store or natural food store. Alternatives are given for some ingredients as well.
I give the book a 4-star rating, however, because I've had to adjust the oil content on all the recipes. Most require mass amounts of unnecessary oil for my taste, but that's subjective. Also, I wish there were more vegetable recipes.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book On Indian Cooking
Review: I have been using this book weekly for about 4 years. It is an excellent book on Indian cooking, once you get all the ingredients and a pressure cooker !! I'd say that there are a few dishes in the book that I don't like but that's only my personal preference and would be true for most cookbooks. I like the recipes on the red lentils, the smothered pork, ground beef & chicken, steamed shrimp, mashed potatoes, new potatoes with cumin, turmeric rice, rice with peas & dill, beef stew ... In all, a high percentage of recipes that I like and cook repeatedly. Be sure to get a pressure cooker. The one recommended in the book (Kuhn-Rikon) is excellent.
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