Indian Home Cooking : A Fresh Introduction to Indian Food, with More Than 150 Recipes

Rating:
Summary: Best cookbook this year!
Review: After a terrific experience at Devi, Suvir Saran's restaurant in Manhattan, I purchased this book and have been cooking from it several times a week ever since. The results have been fabulous! It is truly one of the best cookbooks I have cooked from. I highly recommend it for anyone who likes to cook even if you have never cooked indian cuisine before. You will be amazed at how easily you create wonderful dishes. An absolute must-have. I have already have 5 copies in my Amazon cart for holiday gift-giving!

Rating:
Summary: What a treat!
Review: For people who love to cook and try new foods, this book is definitely for you. It really is not complicated and doesn't take hours to make any of these dishes in the book. The recipes are explained so well and the spice quantities don't have to be adjusted much at all for those used to spicier Indian food. I cook from this book often and my family loves it!

Rating:
Summary: World Class - A first introduction to real Indian cooking
Review: How can anyone not appreciate the way Suvir Saran and Stephanie Lyness simplify the wondrous flavors and tastes of India and its regional cuisines? Reading the book, enjoying the personal commentary that comes with each recipe, one understands quickly why Saran is heralded today as the superstar of Indian cooking in the world. The partnership brought to the pages by Stephanie Lyness is the gift of clarity, precision and simplicity. Together they have given us a first Indian cookbook that works and invites.

The writers and especially Saran have surpassed the talent one would ascribe to them individually or together. The pages of this book want you to catch a flight and immediately fly to India to sample these heretofore unknown but really simple dishes that celebrate the basic goodness of healthful and common place Indian cuisine.

The recipes are a gift for the amateur and a treat for the expert. The dishes you prepare will make your guests feel they have been transported into an Indian home. Or that you are recently back from travels to India.

Simple, rich, full of surprises and steeped in culture and authenticity, this book is a one you will cook from and have close to your stove. This cook book reads like a novel thanks to the generous sharing of lore and legend by the author.

A must buy for any cook. Incomparable for the Indian food aficionado. A fact celebrated across the many countries, India included where the recipe, the chef and the simple goodness of India's food is being reviewed and evangelized through the pages of this accessible cookbook.


Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: Indian Home Cooking finally brings Indian cuisine into the world of the greater culinary traditions of the world.
This book as also the latest book by Madhur Jaffrey, together set the stage for a Indian food revolution.

Indian Home Cooking and its author have made the food world in India and the US come alive in a new way. I was amazed as an Indian living here in the US to see this book and the author Suvir Saran find noteworthy mention in both India Toady and Newsweek Magazine in the same week. Forbes Magazine has listed him as one of the top ten cooking teachers of the world. Times of India has called him Gautam Buddha and then the writer speaks about the tasty recipes she created from this Indian cookbook from America.

What I was impressed as I opened my copy of the book was the honest, simple and homey list of recipes. They are not the usual fare found in Indian restaurants across the US. These are recipes that celebrate what is simple, tasty and special about our culture and country. The simple flavors that are at once earnest and also enticing and soothing.

The photographs in the book are superb. The food stylist must love India and food. Few cookbooks can have such brilliant images. Especially when dealing with food such as Indian, Italian or Thai. The recipes never seem to frustrate you, they always have every little detail that can make a busy person happy. No detail is kept hidden. The author has used time and effort to make Indian food accessible to the people of this generation and time.

Friends have cooked from this book and loved it. Another friend is seeing amazing food come to her table, even as it is prepared by an Eastern European nanny with no past knowledge of Indian cooking. I find myself enjoying making chapatis and parathas for the first time.

The vegetable recipes (peas, cauliflower and butternut squash) are amazing and easy. The party cauliflower was a winner at my table this last Sunday. The Indian Fruit Punch was loved by all. The rice pudding was just as good as that made by mom and our chefs back home.

The Lentil Soup from Lebanon and the mothers tomato soup are both very delicious and great for those with kids. Mine seem to love them. They are also both very easy to make.

The simple dal recipe and those that follow it are just like the dals you grew up with, or perhaps better, since the tarka is so delicious. Again, the recipes are always simple, it is the flavor that is complex and a celebration and revelation for a cookbook to have.

These are dishes that we ate in India and celebrated in India.

if you want to learn how to cook real Indian HOME cooking, then Buy this book. Or as the back cover of the book quotes Rozanne Gold as saying 'With warmth, charm, and formidable expertise, Suvir and Stephanie beckon you into their kitchen and teach your taste buds to dance".

As a busy working mother with craving for good Indian cooking, I highly recommend this book for one and all. It will be called the bible for the novice, encouragement for the one with desire and finishing for those that are already in the know. The recipes are fresh, simple, authentic, easy and more importantly pragmatic. The book is totally accessible and in fact, once you but it, if you are as curious as me, you will find yourself reading it into the night, as a novel. The chapter introductions and the recipe stories bring India alive into your mind and you will not rest till you have cooked from this book.

Rating:
Summary: Exceptional Indian Cooking - For Indians and the novices
Review: My husband and I got this book as we had heard far too many mentions of this book in different publications and also on radio and television. Then we had friends who had dined at Saran's restaurant in NYC and come back raving about the absolute best Indian meal of their lifetime. They bought the book soon after and encouraged us to do the same. The book arrived and immediately had us turning its pages. The dishes were those we had grown up with and never find in restaurants or cookbooks. It was exciting that finally we were going to be able to replicate the simple treasures that we miss from India.

We tried out the rice first. Even something as simple as cooking rice has been made into an experience that is simple, but practical and clear. We now cook rice like the version Saran's chef made for his father. We are happy having less starch in the rice and still keeping each grain separate. In fact the grains are so much happier for that. The Lamb Biryaani with orange is wonderful.

The chapatis and parathas were so well explained, that I made my first chapatis after reading the book and getting courage from seeing the photographs that accompanied the recipe. Mine came out puffy like moms. And I used a mix of whole wheat flour and regular flour bought at the local grocery. No atta.

The grape raita and the zucchini raita are terrific and actually outstanding. Raita which in many homes in India are treated as the step child, in this book become dishes that celebrate India's great way with spicing. I have to slowly cook my way through the other raitas. I am intrigued by all.

The Dal recipes in Indian Home Cooking bring India back into my kitchen as nothing is more satisfying to my family than good tasty dal and chaawal (rice). The flavors of each of the dal recipes, since I have already made them all, are fresh, bold and authentic. They also are perfectly seasoned and as in all recipes, the amount of water and lentil, is so well tested that the dals have the consistency my family has always loved. Sour Chickpeas (cholas) were like what mom and grandma made in India and what my in-laws serve in their home. Sour, spiced correctly and delicious with rice and pooris. The lobia (black eyed peas) recipe was divine. My husband grew up with the exact recipe. He was amazed at how the recipe was actually identical to his own mothers.


The sabzis (lentils), are delicious. A treasure trove that makes this book so unique. Whilst the recipes are known to us Indians, they are not the generic boring oily stuff that people outside of India have come to understand as Indian. In fact, these are the kind of vegetarian dishes that make Indian home cooking a cuisine leaps and bounds beyond any other. Suvir Saran has taken pains to include recipes from many varied regions of India and his headnotes are special, informative and good reading. They introduce the recipe, cultural subtleties and flavor variances that define the different dishes. The carrots, the saag paneer and matar paneer are so authentic and well tested, they will become the hallmark against which future recipes will be compared. I know cookbook authors will copy these recipes and use for their books in the future.

The Rassams and the lentil soup in the soups chapter make my winter here in the US seem so much more fun. The rassams have the same flavor, intensity and aroma that I miss from homes of friends and family in the South of India. What is even better is that they are explained so easily and with such clarity that the mystery behind them is gone. It is not a surprise then that Arthur Paes (venerated reporter for India Abroad, who is Southern Indian) marvels at their taste and simplicity of recipe.

The fish recipes make eating fish with Indian recipes become quick, easy and tasty. What I loved most about the two baked fish recipes from the book is the easy preparation and the fact that they are so light. The chutneys are tastier than I remember them from growing up in India, and the fish is even better because Whole Foods and other groceries I have near me give me fish of amazing quality. The Parsi Fish would be a wonderful recipe for anyone to try. It could have never seemed easy, but the authors of this book have done so.

Chaawal ke kheer (rice pudding) is addictive. This recipe for the first time, shares the importance of cooking for hours. The authors are honest in all recipes, and have not made the process seem one to be done within minutes. I cooked for hours and the result was just as amazing as the kheer made by my grandmother for only very few special occasions. The flan and the banana pudding are sensational. The desserts dispel fears that Indian cookery is not world class. I see that I am not alone in being a fan of this cookbook, Times of India (the editor of the food section gave a half page to this book and its review with special praise for the chickpeas, flan and corn curry), Indian Express raved about Saran and his clear and encouraging vision and how he has taken Indian food to its next logical step. India Today (listed the cookbook as one of the great achievements related to India for the year 2004), Today (called Saran the leader of Indian cuisine for the 21st century and extolled the clarity and precision of the recipes of this book not just for American kitchens, but also for those living back home in India), First City Magazine gave pages to the cookbook and recipes from it and I found out yesterday that it now has a column by Saran. The rave reviews I read in the Indian media in the US and that in national and local press across the nation seems well deserved and in praise of a book that for a first time, gives our India a clean, fresh and acceptable face without taking away the simple and soulful depth of our cuisine.


Rating:
Summary: Superb!
Review: Suvir Saran has created a gem in "Indian Home Cooking"! Each and every recipe is clear, concise and easily understandable, and the results are authentic and delicious. He strikes the perfect balance between traditional flavors and ingredients and the constraints of living in a modern, cosmopolitan, fast-paced world. This book provides a framework for the novice and the most experienced cook. For anyone with an interest in Indian cuisine, "Indian Home Cooking" represents a worthy investment.

Rating:
Summary: Suvir Saran is the julia child of indian cooking
Review: suvir saran is the julia child of indian cooking- he has made indian recipes accessible by combining ease and passion into the very household foods we indians
love to eat at home again and again;sophisticated flavors prepared pragmatically.
my american nanny makes these recipes with ease having never tasted
indian food before-and my 10 month old baby loves everything(minus the
chiles)she has made -like the simple lentil dal,califlower,peas,stir fried carrots,indian cheese in an herbed green sauce. The variety and freshness of the recipes is impressive;our book is already dog eared/stained! The equisite photographs and suvirs notes on each recipe add a depth that I have never seen in any other indian cookbook-and I grew up surrounded by indian food/recipes in my home.The book is very well organized as each chapter page lists all the recipes for easy access,and the index is written in both english and the hindi transliteration making cross referencing refreshingly straightforward.
If you crave delicious indian food at home then this is the indian cookbook to get-this is the very best!

Rating:
Summary: Practical Indian cooking with a soul
Review: The recipies in Suvir Saran's book on Indian Home Cooking are very practical so that the food turns out to be just perfect and delicious. I observed that he has not held back any secrets which are generally not revealed by many authors.

I also like the way in which he has shared his experiences as to when, where and from whom he learnt these recipies. These experiences left an indelible mark on his mind and palate which later culminated in this absolutely fascinating book. In fact, going through his book is like a journey through the length and breadth of the country via food cooked in Indian homes. Hence the name Indian Home Cooking is a very apt one!

Rating:
Summary: Does for Indian Food What 3 Guys From Miami did for Cuban!
Review: This is one my two favorites books this year! (The other being "Three Guys From Miami Cook Cuban.") Both books make an unusual cuisine accessible to the masses. I have eaten at Indian restaurants many times over the years, but I never had the knowledge to attempt this complex and highly flavored cuisine on my own. Suvir makes the entire process fun with recipes that are easy to follow. His fresh take on these Indian food classics is what makes these recipes sing!

Rating:
Summary: Sadly, disappointed
Review: When I initially heard about this book, I must admit I was quite excited about it. Primarily because of the "Home Cooking" title and the hopes that the recipes within would resemble those of my Mother-in-law in India, as her food is delicious.

Overall, I don't think this book does Indian food justice. I wanted to adore this book and it has been a disappointment. If I made food exclusively for a large group of my Indian friends, I'd be in fear of having plates of food thrown at me. In the cover of the book it says, "Filled with gorgeous photographs [agreed], fresh flavors and practical advice, Indian Home Cooking is an illuminating guide to real Indian food." This might be Suvir Saran's real Indian food, but not mine or the host of Indians I know, who live abroad and here in America. I believe this book is marketed towards the standard-issue American whose taste buds may not be ready for real, vibrant Indian cooking.


I've tried a number of recipes in the book; I'd like to discuss a few.

Stuffed Bell Peppers on page 72. The dish was lacking in flavor and texture. I've come to believe that second to gorgonzola cheese, there is nothing worse than a mix of dry, barely spiced potatoes shoved in the core of a capsicum. After some consideration I would probably boil the potatoes in some tamarind water, add some chopped pistachios as well as very small cubes of paneer lightly fried in oil seasoned with turmeric - at the minimum. The dipping of the top in egg and sealing, before baking, was really the only noteworthy procedure.

Sour Chickpeas with Garam Masala and Toasted Cumin, page 38. This dish certainly wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great. The text, "If you love sour foods, as we do in India, this recipe is a wonderful excuse for indulging that passion." The dish was a bit sour, but not an indulgence in sour flavors, that of which I am certain.

Simple Lentil Dal with Fresh Ginger, Green Chiles, and Cilantro, page 28. When I initially made this recipe, I was happy with the outcome. The first time I made the dish, I added a quick dash of asafoetida to the hot oil and added black mustard seeds, out of habit. I also increased the number of serranos. I found the dish to be pretty good; the amount of ginger really added a nice level of freshness to the dish. While it wasn't as spicy as I like, I thought perhaps it would be a nice dish to introduce to the Indian food novice. Last night, I made the dish exactly as was stated in the recipe and was disappointed. It lacked flavor and heat and even those who were not yet acquainted with Indian food noted the blandness of the dish. Stating that is was just, "blah".

Chicken Stir-Fry with Mixed Sweet Peppers, page 124. This recipe has given me some inspiration towards making more Indian-style stir-fries and I have suggested this recipe (with my own changes) to friends and family who may be very timid towards trying Indian food and do not wish to be overwhelmed. I not only wrapped the resulting dish in a tortilla but I sprinkled it with cilantro chutney and a nice raita (my own recipes). It was good, but I wouldn't automatically come to the conclusion that it was Indian food or inspiration on the first bite. I've made this dish twice, once following the recipes exactly and once making my own alterations.

I'd like to try additional recipes, but I don't wish to risk wasting the time nor the ingredients in order to do so.

To the established Indian cook, I don't think this book will be of great use. To the novice who only wants a spattering of the flavors and doesn't want to get into the meat of Indian cooking, it might be useful. While it is well written and the photography is certainly beautiful, I find the recipes lacking in real substance.