Curries Without Worries

Rating:
Summary: Surprised at some of the negative reviews!
Review: I am surprised to hear some of the negative reviews posted here. I have tried a lot of recipes from this book (the Biryani being my favorite) and have loved all of them.

I will say this in response to the comments of "A reader from USA" below: I personally love spicy food, and cook a fair amount of Indian food at home. The mix of spices works extremely well for me and my family. However, if you like your food less spicy, you should probably just use less cayenne pepper. Similarly, if you're minimizing fat content in your diet, use less ghee. Books are a great guide and meant to be used as such. Come on, even fast food is adjusted to the individual palette (e.g.: hamburger no mayo).

I would rate this book 5 stars if there were photographs in it.

Rating:
Summary: Save your appetite for something else
Review: I borrowed (stole?) this book from a friend, and am slowly working my way through it. Everything so far has been delicious, and I am slowly gaining enough confidence to try substitutions when my spice cupboard is not up to the demands of the recipe (what are curry leaves, anyway?) The recipes are conveniently separated into chapters for dishes with and without meat, plus some side dishes and pickles. For those interested in getting a basic education in Indian cuisine, this is a good place to start. I hope Sudha Koul is planning another, more advanced, cookbook, which, if it has pictures, and recipes of the same reliability, I would give 5 stars...

Rating:
Summary: Clever title, wretched recipies
Review: I enjoy preparing (and eating) Indian food. Consequently, I have a goodly number of Indian cook books. Some of them I use frequently, some seldom. After several real disasters, I never use this book anymore.

Despite the clever title, the recipies in this book have proven to entirely unsatisfactory. For one thing, there is an excessive use of cayenne pepper in many of the recipies. I find that the amount of ghee called for is also excessive. This is not subtle, flavorful seasoning.

There are now a number of excellent Indian cookbooks out there, this certainly isn't one of them.

Rating:
Summary: Perfect blend of ease and authenticity
Review: I found the recipes to be the perfect blend of ease without sacrificing the authenciticy of the flavors. I also enjoy the variety in the book because it contains recipes from the diferent regions of India. Using the many ingredients easily available at the supermarket, adds to the ease of using this book. I use the book frequently and know that if followed correctly, the recipes turn out delicious.

Rating:
Summary: A good basic simple cook book.
Review: I think this book is a very simple down to earth text on Indian cuisine. Thanks to "curries without worries" I was able to produce my first well made chicken curry. ( being an Indian )

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful basic book.
Review: Most of the recipies are easy enough to prepair, and also contain variety. Written seemingly from a practical stance, even people living on their own with limited resources (like myself) can produce decent dishes. A great gift for college students who like Indian cooking.

Rating:
Summary: A Simple Introduction to Indian Cookery
Review: One thing is certain, Curries Without Worries is not a pretentious cookbook. The recipes are simple and straightforward, and the commentary dwells a lot on which family member loves which dish.

Koul does a good job of demystifying the spices, ingredients and cooking styles that might otherwise trip up Western cooks. And -- of course -- the food is wonderful.