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Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful and authentic cookbook
Review: As a person of western origin who learned to cook in India,by Indians, I feel I must say that this book is undeniably authentic. The methods of spice tempering and spice combination are fresh and sublime. Most of the Indian cooks I know respect Yamuna devi's cooking as first class. For those of you who appreciate Jaffrey or Sahni books you are not delving into true Indian cooking which is VEGETARIAN i.e. no meat, no fish, no eggs or mushrooms, onions or garlic! When we follow Devi's recipes correctly, without adulteration, and using correct indian spices and ingredients (hing, curry leaves, garam masala, fresh ghee,etc) the recipes are bursting with flavor and are richly textured. I must also point out that I appreciate the fact that throughout the book she remembers and thanks the person who taught her to cook, her spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, an important person on her culinary journey. Yamuna Devi is an inspiration to all of us who practice to perfect Lord KRSNA'S cuisine. By the way, I use the original cookbook more often and it is back in print again, check your local bookstores.
Rating: 
Summary: A better title would be how NOT to cook indian food
Review: I purchased this book with the hope of cooking vegetarian dishes similar to those I enjoy in good Indian restaurants. I gave it several tries with a variety of recipes, but only ended up with barely edible dishes at best. The flavors were not deep, rich and complex as one expects with proper Indian food, but rather harsh and uninspiring. Perhaps this is because the dishes are Vedic (no garlic, onions, mushrooms etc...)I don't know, but I've since purchased a book by Jaffrey and am so much happier.
Rating: 
Summary: Authentic? Depends on your perspective
Review: If you are more concerned with adhering to Vedic principles than in creating interesting Indian food, then by golly, this is the cookbook for you. Probably you don't consider other Indian food to be authentic (just the way Texans don't consider Kansas City or Carolina barbeque to be REAL barbeque), but let's face it: most Indians no longer adhere strictly to the Vedic principles when it comes to food preparation. No onions, no garlic? I don't think so.This is a cookbook more concerned with Vedic hair-splitting than with creating decent recipes. I found that most of the recipes I tried were unnecessarily complicated, if not downright unworkable, and the results, more often than not, were totally bland and uninteresting. After several unsatisfying attempts, I abandoned this cookbook as a hopeless case, and it has gathered dust on my bookshelf for the last 7-8 years. Keep in mind that the author (the former Joan Campanella) is a convert to what we commonly define as the Hare Krishnas, and that the followers of this movement comprise a tiny fraction of India's population. They are like Vegans, as compared to your average Vegetarian, and their food cannot by any definition be called the food of the average Indian. It amazes me that the recipes of a western convert are called more authentic than the recipes of native Indians, but then again, it is most likely only other converts to the Krishna Consciousness movement saying that. If this belief system appeals to you, then by all means, use this cookbook with great relish. There is plenty of Vaishnava musing to be found within this book's pages. The rest of us prefer not to die of boredom or frustation from unworkable recipes.
Rating:
Summary: Authentic? Depends on your perspective
Review: If you are more concerned with adhering to Vedic principles than in creating interesting Indian food, then by golly, this is the cookbook for you. Probably you don't consider other Indian food to be authentic (just the way Texans don't consider Kansas City or Carolina barbeque to be REAL barbeque), but let's face it: most Indians no longer adhere strictly to the Vedic principles when it comes to food preparation. No onions, no garlic? I don't think so. This is a cookbook more concerned with Vedic hair-splitting than with creating decent recipes. I found that most of the recipes I tried were unnecessarily complicated, if not downright unworkable, and the results, more often than not, were totally bland and uninteresting. After several unsatisfying attempts, I abandoned this cookbook as a hopeless case, and it has gathered dust on my bookshelf for the last 7-8 years. Keep in mind that the author (the former Joan Campanella) is a convert to what we commonly define as the Hare Krishnas, and that the followers of this movement comprise a tiny fraction of India's population. They are like Vegans, as compared to your average Vegetarian, and their food cannot by any definition be called the food of the average Indian. It amazes me that the recipes of a western convert are called more authentic than the recipes of native Indians, but then again, it is most likely only other converts to the Krishna Consciousness movement saying that. If this belief system appeals to you, then by all means, use this cookbook with great relish. There is plenty of Vaishnava musing to be found within this book's pages. The rest of us prefer not to die of boredom or frustation from unworkable recipes.
Rating:
Summary: The very best cookbook I own
Review: This is not just a collection of recipes, it is a full-fledged education in the ways and means of indian cooking, replete with cultural background. The ancient and authentic recipes she shares are carefully detailed and easy to follow. Many are easy to prepare. It is a fascination and delight to read.
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