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Madhur Jaffrey is a legend. Her books have helped cooks in the UK recreate the taste of Indian cookery for around 30 years now.
This book starts off with a comprehensive and very interesting discussion on the history of curries and how Indian cookery spread across the globe through the spice trade and emmigration.
In fact it covers more than just curries. The sections are split into:
1. Lamb, Pork, beef, veal and goat
2. Poultry and eggs
3. Fish and seafood
4. Vegetables
5. Dals, beans and split peas
6. Kebabs and soup
7. Rice, noodles and breads
8. Relishes and Accompaniments
9. Special ingredients and techniques
Each chapter is prefaced with a page or two of introductory notes on the topic. Also, what I really like about the book is that interspersed throughout, are notes on topics such as "The Anglo Indian Influence", "The British 19th century curry", "In search of the perfect kebab" "The origins of the Bhuna", "The Japanese love of curry", "The origins of the Korma" and "The story of the goat curry". This stuff is great to read if you are a curry enthusiast like I am!
Recipies are represented from India, Pakistan, Trinidad, Hong Kong, USA, South Africa, Japan, Guyana, UK, Kenya, Bangladesh, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia - so it's truely an eclectic mix. Yet this strength in diversity is also the weakness of the book, as Madhur Jaffrey is an expert in Indian cookery. In her quest to write a "Curry Bible" she steps out of her comfort zone and into more unfamiliar territory - international cookery.
It doesn't quite meet the heights of her earlier works such as "An invitation to Indian cooking" where she is really cooking from the heart, and teaching something she knows and loves. On the whole, the recipies in that book are probably better. All the same, if you are a curry lover like I am, and want to step out of your own "curry comfort zone" and want to try a few non Indian curries, then this book is worth the money. 4 stars.
This book starts off with a comprehensive and very interesting discussion on the history of curries and how Indian cookery spread across the globe through the spice trade and emmigration.
In fact it covers more than just curries. The sections are split into:
1. Lamb, Pork, beef, veal and goat
2. Poultry and eggs
3. Fish and seafood
4. Vegetables
5. Dals, beans and split peas
6. Kebabs and soup
7. Rice, noodles and breads
8. Relishes and Accompaniments
9. Special ingredients and techniques
Each chapter is prefaced with a page or two of introductory notes on the topic. Also, what I really like about the book is that interspersed throughout, are notes on topics such as "The Anglo Indian Influence", "The British 19th century curry", "In search of the perfect kebab" "The origins of the Bhuna", "The Japanese love of curry", "The origins of the Korma" and "The story of the goat curry". This stuff is great to read if you are a curry enthusiast like I am!
Recipies are represented from India, Pakistan, Trinidad, Hong Kong, USA, South Africa, Japan, Guyana, UK, Kenya, Bangladesh, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia - so it's truely an eclectic mix. Yet this strength in diversity is also the weakness of the book, as Madhur Jaffrey is an expert in Indian cookery. In her quest to write a "Curry Bible" she steps out of her comfort zone and into more unfamiliar territory - international cookery.
It doesn't quite meet the heights of her earlier works such as "An invitation to Indian cooking" where she is really cooking from the heart, and teaching something she knows and loves. On the whole, the recipies in that book are probably better. All the same, if you are a curry lover like I am, and want to step out of your own "curry comfort zone" and want to try a few non Indian curries, then this book is worth the money. 4 stars.
reviewed by waltersmith on November 16, 2006 7:30 AM