Classic Indian Cooking

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Summary: My kids will even eat this stuff....that says a lot!
Review: THis is an excellent investment. Every recipe that I've tried, the entire family has enjoyed. When your kids will eat this stuff....that's a great recommendation.

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Summary: My whole family loves Indian food now!
Review: This is an outstanding book. I have used it for about two months now. Julie's recipes are made for the American kitchen, she explains why each ingredient is added, and the instructions are clear and easy to understand. For example, I have been cooking basmati rice totally wrong for years! But the ultimate test is: (1) do my kids like the food, and (2) do my very conservative in-laws like the food! The answer in both cases was yes! For instant gratification, try Murgh Biriyani (Chiecken Pilaf) and for dessert Saffron Almond pudding.

Rating:
Summary: excellent
Review: This is real Indian cooking, even for natives trying to learn how to cook the food they grew up with at home. I highly recommend this book! All the recipes are tasty and SPICY. I recommend you try the Chicken Tikka recipe at your next BBQ this summer. It's excellent!

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Summary: Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni
Review: This is the premier guide to Indian Cooking. Lots of helpful hints, information, and the recipes are flawless. If you want to learn Indian cooking, this is the book for you. Also, I recommend her other book, Introduction to Indian Cooking.

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Summary: Great book for novices!
Review: Though I've eaten a lot of Indian food in restaurants, I'd never cooked Indian food before I bought this book. Nor am I an especially enthusiastic cook. I found Ms. Sahni's book informative (but not overwhelming) and very easy to follow. I've now tried five or six of the recipes and also made usli ghee and paneer--all came out perfectly. The most amazing thing to me was that when Ms. Sahni says, "Let this cook for 15 minutes, then it will start to spatter a little...", that's exactly what happens, practically to the second.

From one novice to many others who may be reading this, be sure you get all your spices and other ingredients measured and ready to go before you start cooking, because often things go in quick sequence. In the ingredient lists, I've also drawn brackets around the spices and other ingredients that go in at the same time so I can measure the group into one bowl and also have a quick reference for the stages of cooking without having to reread the narrative in the steps.

The only thing that has tripped me--and this is slight--is that when hot water is required during cooking, it's stated in the steps but not in the ingredient list. I'm now in the habit of writing it in the ingredient list so I'll know I'll need it ahead of time.

I have a couple of other Indian cookbooks that are also very good, but I keep going back to this one. Great book!!

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic introduction as well as lasting resource
Review: To add to the avalanche of fantastic reviews for this book I should put my feelings as well. I love to eat Indian food and was always perplexed about how to make it. I found this book and have since made everything I ever wanted to learn. From the fantastic and easy to read recipe for Mughal Garam masala spice mix to the detailed chapati bread kneading techniques this book is top notch. My first Indian meal from this I made for Christmas of last year and it turned out spectacularly. Everything went off without a single issue. The instructions were clear and simple and the meal was delicious and amazing. I would recoomend this book to anyone who is at all interested in Indian cooking.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic introduction as well as lasting resource
Review: To add to the avalanche of fantastic reviews for this book I should put my feelings as well. I love to eat Indian food and was always perplexed about how to make it. I found this book and have since made everything I ever wanted to learn. From the fantastic and easy to read recipe for Mughal Garam masala spice mix to the detailed chapati bread kneading techniques this book is top notch. My first Indian meal from this I made for Christmas of last year and it turned out spectacularly. Everything went off without a single issue. The instructions were clear and simple and the meal was delicious and amazing. I would recoomend this book to anyone who is at all interested in Indian cooking.

Rating:
Summary: So Helpful!
Review: What can I say? This book is simply wonderful! Although it has no photos (hence the 4 out of 5 stars), it does have in-depth instructions, tips and background information on all its recipes. I don't own this book (yet), but I did check it out from my high school library years ago for a Sociology project. I had never even TASTED Indian cooking, let alone prepare it, but this book made it possible.