Rating: Summary: Lovely Indian Cookbook.......... Review: ............Madhur Jaffrey brings us the cooking she grew up with in Delhi in this wonderful cookbook in which she offers us not only great recipes, but an introduction to Indian cooking and sample menus. She also proudly imparts her own story of why she became a cookbook writer. Her pride in her culture and in the food of Delhi really shine through and make us want to share in her joy of preparing marvelous recipes.A few recipes from this book that I truly recommend are: Lamb Korma (can't be beat), Pork Chops Cooked with Cabbage, Lamb do Pyaza, Koftas, Tandoori Chicken, Fried Eggplants, Potato Patties and Kheer (corrected version). I'm sure, too, that there are many others contained in this cookbook that I have yet to discover! A few notes on the downside: there are no pictures in this cookbook. I personally enjoy beautiful photos to guide me through a recipe to its finished product. Some cooks may not be bothered by their absence. I have also found an error in a recipe (and honestly don't know if there may be more). The Kheer recipe clearly should call for more than a tablespoon of rice! Jaffrey's tone could sometimes also use some adjusting at times. It grated on my nerves tremendously when she referred to American rice pudding as "stodgy" and insisted that accidentally referring to kheer as rice pudding was insulting. She does this in several places throughout the book. This may not bother many of you who will really love this cookbook. Between my husband and I, Jaffrey's arrogance has sort of become a joke - as we read her occasional imperatives while we follow a recipe, we laugh, imagining that we are kids again, being yelled at in the kitchen by our mothers! Anyway, Jaffrey's faults aside, I strongly recommend this cookbook.
Rating: Summary: Wonderful Review: After returning from a trip to India, I decided I must learn how to cook the delicious foods that I was able to sample in various regions of that diverse and fascinating country. "An Invitation to Indian Cooking" is the book I bought, and it was clearly a great choice. The book has been very carefully adapted by the author for American kitchens - this in no way "waters down" or "Americanizes" the recipes as some other reviewers falsely assume has been said. The book DOES, deliberately, modify recipes so that they will be authentic despite the differences in the American market (our meats are more tender and have more moisture, for instance, so the methods for browning meat must be different than a cook would use in Delhi). These changes and adaptations are absolutely necessary to assure the dishes will taste and appear as they would in India. Ms. Jaffrey has done a marvelous job and her instructions are not only easy to follow, but the explanations are easy to under- stand and appreciate. By all means, if you want to try cooking Indian, buy this book - and her others as well.
Rating: Summary: Wonderful Review: After returning from a trip to India, I decided I must learn how to cook the delicious foods that I was able to sample in various regions of that diverse and fascinating country. "An Invitation to Indian Cooking" is the book I bought, and it was clearly a great choice. The book has been very carefully adapted by the author for American kitchens - this in no way "waters down" or "Americanizes" the recipes as some other reviewers falsely assume has been said. The book DOES, deliberately, modify recipes so that they will be authentic despite the differences in the American market (our meats are more tender and have more moisture, for instance, so the methods for browning meat must be different than a cook would use in Delhi). These changes and adaptations are absolutely necessary to assure the dishes will taste and appear as they would in India. Ms. Jaffrey has done a marvelous job and her instructions are not only easy to follow, but the explanations are easy to under- stand and appreciate. By all means, if you want to try cooking Indian, buy this book - and her others as well.
Rating: Summary: A wonderful way to learn Indian Cooking Review: After spending some time in England, and falling in love with the Indian and Pakistan cuisine, I found myself wanting to make some of these dishes at home. My wife purchased An Invitation to Indian Cooking for me. I cannot begin to offer high enough praise for the book. Ms. Jaffrey makes the complex recipes of this part of the world not only reasonable for the average American cook, but gave my family and I the chance to try some fun and delightful recipes. All the recipes are translated to western measurements, and where possible into western ingredients (be prepared to track down a local Indian food store for some of the ingredients. Interestingly, some of the spices you might find at your local grocery store are usually cheaper at the Indian food stores).
Rating: Summary: A wonderful way to learn Indian Cooking Review: After spending some time in England, and falling in love with the Indian and Pakistan cuisine, I found myself wanting to make some of these dishes at home. My wife purchased An Invitation to Indian Cooking for me. I cannot begin to offer high enough praise for the book. Ms. Jaffrey makes the complex recipes of this part of the world not only reasonable for the average American cook, but gave my family and I the chance to try some fun and delightful recipes. All the recipes are translated to western measurements, and where possible into western ingredients (be prepared to track down a local Indian food store for some of the ingredients. Interestingly, some of the spices you might find at your local grocery store are usually cheaper at the Indian food stores).
Rating: Summary: Any cookbook by Jaffrey is great, but this one's the best Review: I bought this book when it came out in paperback for the first time. It cost all of $3.95, so that should give you an idea of how long ago that was. I have used it and loved it ever since. I've bought other Indian and Asian cookbooks, including some by Jaffrey, but this one remains my favorite.
So why is "An Invitation to Indian Cooking " so special? For one thing, the fact that it's written to be used by "American cooks in American kitchens" doesn't mean that the recipes have been modified to death. Jaffrey includes an extensive section on spices and a preliminary introduction on Indian cooking in general. If you read these, you come away with a basic understanding of Indian cooking techniques. That may not sound so unusual today, but it was, back in the early 1970s when this book first came out. There are no pretty pictures in this cookbook, but Jaffrey provides very detailed instructions in her recipes as to what the food is supposed to look like at each stage. This really helps if you're not familiar with Indian cooking. Her recipe headnotes and endnotes give helpful suggestions as to what to serve the dishes with and possible variations. As far as I'm concerned, "An Invitation to Indian Cooking" is a true classic.
Rating: Summary: Attractive Invite to World of Indian Cuisine Review: Jaffrey is surely one of Indian cuisine's true ambassadors. Finding the need initially in our country to receive Indian food, she had to prepare it herself and thus modified recipes to American appliances, measurements, etc.
Thus, we have a trusted intro into this fascinating, spicy world of major cuisine with a reliable source to guide. There is an excellent source listing by state with many mail and email order sites.
I am enchanted with the spices and yogurt sauces, e.g. Lamb korma with almonds, pecans, and sour cream; lamb chops with whole spices and yogurt; shrimp with brown sauce; sweet rice; yogurt with roasted eggplant.
This is great work to enter and explore this flavorful world. Color photos of finished work would help us that are unfamiliar with this.
Rating: Summary: Especially for us Review: Madhur Jaffrey is an international authority on Indian food and the host of several tandoori-driven TV shows. She walks you through each step of the process. Just follow her detailed directions and you will end up with mouth-watering dishes. Recipedelights.com recommends this illustrated book with more than 200 recipes, to non-Indians.
Rating: Summary: Not really Indian food Review: This book contains recipes for nothing but "watered-down" Indian food. Madhur has "Americanized" every dish, right down to the menu suggestions My question is why? Isn't this supposed to be an Indian cookbook? If you really want to eat REAL Indian food, I'd recommend buying a book by Shehzad Husain or Julie Sahni (author of Classical Indian Cooking, the best Indian cookbook out there!). Husain and Sahni don't water down their recipes, they add just as much spice as a cook in India would to their recipes, and the recipes are truly authentic. I must say, the recipes in Madhur's book are not atrocious, they all turn out quite tasty, and my "American" friends enjoy the food as well as my Indo-Pak friends. However, they don't taste "Indian", but rather like a hybrid of the two styles of cooking. I'm glad I only spent $... on this book. I saved the big bucks for Sahni and Husain's books.
Rating: Summary: The Best Indian Cookbook Out There Review: This was the first Indian cookbook I ever bought back in 1978. I've since bought over 100, but this is still my favorite, in fact I've had to replace it two times since then (the last time I got it in hardcover). Don't listen to the fool here who said this is "watered down" or "Americanized" Indian food. This fellow apparently thinks that Indian food must be blazingly hot to be "authentic." Nothing could be further from the truth. The recipes here are all authentically Indian although, yes, they reflect Ms Jaffrey's personal tastes. Of course, that's what makes this cookbook so charming. If you must buy one Indian cookbook, it should be this one. It is absolutely indespensible for any good kitchen.
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