The Spice is Right: Easy Indian Cooking for Today

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Summary: The spice is right: Easy Indian Cooking for today
Review: Monica has done a superb job in providing us with recipes which are certainly unique but also very simple to cook. I have tried quite a few on week days after a long day's work and they were really easy to put together. My husband just loved the Seafood Menu and asks for the "Shrimp in Cocunut Milk Curry" every week. This book is a "must buy" for all those with who like healthy cooking but are looking for simple and unique Indian recipes which can can be cooked with ease.

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Summary: Great work
Review: Monica's book is absolutely great. This book not only has great Indian receipes but also organized in a menu manner based on events...Love the "The Boss is coming" menu

Her writing style is superb..very easy to read with a lot of facts...Webites idea is great...

In the end, the book is a definite must for people who like Indian food or want to try Indian food but just don't know where to get started ...A great gift idea for the coming Holiday season...

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Summary: easy cooking easy reading
Review: Monica's book is as easy to read as her receipes are to make. I love the fact that she has arranged them into menus... so i dont have to think of starters or desserts. She also answers a question that alwasy puts me in a bind.... what do i do with leftovers. Check out her neat ideas on leftovers.
Another good aspect of the book is that it suggests substitutes for hard to find ingredients, with those easily available and names of web sites for ingredients or just for information.
Her anectodes and little stories are fun to read and promise to keep you entertained.

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Summary: Tradition & Memories
Review: Monica's new cookbook presents traditional Indian Soul Food with a personal touch. She presents her recipes in a Menu Format. Since a combination of dishes are normally served, this is quite helpful for anyone who is new to this exotic cuisine.

"I believe that everything you eat evokes a memory of something. Many of these dishes remind me of Sunday mornings with my mother, when I was learning to cook." pg. 9

Monica Bhide has a lifelong passion for cooking. She is a caterer and home chef who specializes in Indian Cuisine and has taken formal cooking courses in her native India. She also loves to collect cookbooks, although she became frustrated with the lack of straightforward Indian cookbooks.

These recipes do not require involved cooking techniques. Monica has also included delicious little tidbits of information about a particular ingredient or gives a serving suggestion and cooking tip.

What is so great are her "Web Bites" that lead you to wonderful informational sites on the Internet so you can purchase the Indian ingredients you can't find in the stores. What an angel! Then, she worked with Shilpa Thakur, a senior nutritionist in North Delhi to provide a nutritional analysis for each recipe. That was also very impressive! Normally Indian cuisine is very rich and contains clarified butter, coconut milk, etc. Monica has tried to modify some of the recipes and has tried to avoid deep-frying in many recipes. She has tried to marinate ingredients in herbs and spices to increase the flavor instead of adding more butter or oil.

Aromatic Indian Cuisine can be Mild, Medium or HOT. As Monica says: "Mild (Translation: what is this doing in a spicy cookbook?)" There is also a funny explanation of how to "fan" potatoes which I found very amusing.

So, when making Shimp in Coconut Milk on pg. 24, you will see one asterisk which means the recipe is mild. Chicken 65 and Yogurt and Red Chile Curry have three asterisks. You could make these recipes mild by simply taking out some of the red chiles, so all the recipes are technically adaptable unless you decide to put in the full amount of chile powder.

Introduction - a lovely introduction to her recipes. She explains how her recipes evolved and also gives you tips on how to refashion recipes with out exotic ingredients.
Indian cuisine - she explains the philosophy of "athithi devo bhava."
The spice sack - a cute chapter that describes the typical Indian Pantry. Here you can read about curry leaves, garam masala, paneer, saffron, toor dal and asafetida.
Indian cooking techniques - learn the most important secrets in Indian cooking.
Basic Recipes - learn to make your own garam masala, ginger garlic paste and besan bundi.

The rest of the chapters are all organized in the same way. First a traditional Indian drink, then appetizers, "the real food/main course," side dishes, desert and then what to do with the leftovers. It is such a unique approach for an Indian cookbook and it makes complete sense.

At the start of each chapter, Monica gives a lovely short introduction to the dishes with a bit of history and a few cooking tips. Within the chapters you will find recipes in a great format. All the ingredients are listed in the order they are used, with recipe divisions clearly indicated by headings for marinades and spice rubs, etc.

The ingredients for each part of the recipes are organized together under a heading. The instructions are in a paragraph format, with little stars inbetween the steps so you can easily find the next step. There seems to be a variation on each recipe which will inspire your own creativity.

Here are the chapters and some recipes included in each. I won't type out all the recipes, but a few that are especially tempting:

Seafood Sunday - Mango Juice, Mussels, Roasted Lentil Wafers, Baked Fish, Shrimp in Coconut Milk, Corn and Rice Pilaf, Onion Salad, Tapioca Clouds, Fish Sandwich (leftover idea), Onion Toast.
Let's try Indian - Honey Glazed chicken and Coriander Layered Potatoes.
An Indian Super Bowl Party - I'd suggest watching Lagaan with this meal after
reading the introduction. Imagine fresh fruit in a Mango Ginger Sauce for desert.
Happy Birthday to you - Finally a recipe for Mango Lassi and Trifle.
The boss is coming to dinner - Mushroom caps with Spinach Filling, Herb, Rice, and Chicken Bake (Biryani) and Tandoori Paratha (oven-baked Indian bread).
Hearty Sunday Brunch - Spinach and Corn Bake, Pumpkin with Whipped Yogurt Sauce and Rice Pudding.
A Picnic Basket - Watermelon Juice, Hummus with Pita Slices and Mango Cake for desert.
Delhi Fare for Four - Wines to serve with Indian Food, Tamarind Chutney (I have been looking for a recipe for this...forever!), Shallot Chicken with Coconut Curry, Saffron Fruit Custard.
An Intimate Dinner for Two - Red Lentil Curry and Sweet Bananas for desert.
Turkey Day - Kashmiri Cheese Kebabs, Tandoori Turkey, Cranberry Chutney, Pumpkin Halwa with Crepes.
Backyard Grilling - Lemonade, Lamb Kebabs, Chicken Tikka, Corn on the Cob with a Spicy Rub, Watermelon Drizzled with Honey, Kiwi Sorbet and for leftovers you can make a potato soup. (somehow we doubt there will be any leftovers!)
No-meat Fridays - Spice Chai Tea drink, Crab Curry, Chickpea Pancakes, Vermicelli in Sweet Cram Sauce.
Some like it HOT - Papaya Passion drink, Chile Cdorn, Yogurt and Red Chile Curry, Chicken Curry, Apricots and Cream.
Our Daily Bread - Learn to make Roti and Fenugreek Curry Bread.
The Chelsea Platter - Tandoori Naan, Indian Ice Cream (Kulfi) and Dal.

As you can see, this cookbook about covers everything you would ever feel adventurous enough to make. There are over 150 healthful versions of traditional Indian dishes as well as Western dishes with an Indian twist.

Shopping Sources - more websites and mail order catalogs. Most of the ingredients should be readily available. Some of the ingredients you will want to order include: mango powder (although she says you can substitute lemon juice), poppy seed paste, mango pulp, sambar powder, etc.

Index - Well organized and easy to find your favorite recipes.

This is a down-to-earth cookbook with non-intimidating recipes and a fun style. If you don't have a coffee grinder, you will need one to grind up the garam masala. Works like a charm.

Highly Recommended!

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Summary: Hits the Spot!.........
Review: My husband and I are really enjoying this marvelous cookbook that attempts to bring wonderful Indian cooking into the American kitchen. Monica Bhide even includes express menus, which minimize the time required to make sumptuous cuisine. It is precisely these two qualities that make this Indian cookbook stand out from all the rest.

Bhide shares her love of cooking through both original and traditional recipes.....about 150 of them in all. She organizes them into convenient menus for different occasions, and even includes nutritional info for each dish. Many recipes are followed by web links, for those who want additional info about certain ingredients or meals, as well as ideas for leftovers, and always alongside her personal stories and tips for her various dishes.

The recipes in this cookbook are very varied and, so far, quite delectable. We've tried, and really enjoyed: Garam Masala and Sour Cream Chicken Bake (phenomenal and quick!), Pork Vindaloo, Stir-Fried Chile Lamb, Chicken Tikka, Mashed Potato Salad, Chickpeas in Black Pepper Sauce, Hummus with Pita Slices, Mixed Nut Cooler, Mango Lassi, Sweet Buttermilk, Indian Lemonade, Indian Spice Tea and Kheer. So far, we've enjoyed each recipe we've tried. I also have about a dozen more recipes marked off that I am eager to prepare.

To make this cookbook complete, Bhide also includes a guide to Indian spices, an introduction to some basic Indian cooking techniques, and both Internet and mail order links to finding Indian cooking ingredients. Overall, I highly recommend this cookbook, having enjoyed both its recipes and unique approach.

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Summary: A Wonderful Book!
Review: My wife and I had never really attempted to prepare much in the way of Indian food at home. This cookbook has changed that! It is very easy to follow and the food is sensational. Great Job! Our neighbor loves to prepare spicy foods and we are definately going to purchase her a copy as well!

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Summary: Easy for Fast Paced Couple
Review: My wife and I love to cook together and always look for something new. The requirements are "different" and "Easy". We need "easy" due to our hectic schedule and need to cook up something fast. Indian was definetly something different for us and the Spice is Right provides delicious easy to cook recipes.

Recipes like the Shrimp Sachets and Whisky Fish were great meals that had a most distinctive taste...wishing we had made more. There is a great section titled "An Indian Super Bowl Party" that looks great for our annual Super Bowl guests...I'm sure our visitors will be asking for the recipes. I wish I could keep it a secret.

I highly recommend this cook book. You will find yourself saying.."What's next!?" Thanks!

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Summary: Indian Cooking Meets the Western Kitchen
Review: The Spice is Right: Easy Indian Cooking for Today is a perfect cookbook for home cooks that want to introduce elements of Indian cooking and cuisine into their established American fare. If you are looking for a cookbook that will recreate the traditional Indian dishes offered at an authentic Indian restaurant, you find that here. Instead, dishes like hummus and tandoori chicken get a treatment that makes them simple to make in a modern Western kitchen. In addition, traditional Western dishes like chex mix and coleslaw get Indian makeovers that are sure to become welcomed additions to your menus.

With a blend of time-tested cooking approaches and a light and friendly attitude, The Spice is Right is a great cookbook for anyone wishing to add a taste of India to their kitchen routine. It encourages creativity but gives you just enough guidance to make the experience refreshing and fun. It's a welcomed addition to any outgoing home chef's cookbook collection.

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Summary: Why would anyone buy this book ?
Review: This is one of the worst Indian cooking books I have read. Looks like the author is trying to make a quick buck. The recipes are hardly Indian in terms of names or even how they are cooked. Example is a recipe of turkey. Indians don't eat turkey and if you were to go to India and ask for the dish that the author mentions, the people will think you are crazy. This book kind of gives bad name to Indian cooking. If you want to really spend the money buying a cookbook check out something by Madhur Jafferey or Julie Sahni.