Life saver for the Indian food lover who works full ...
594802
Life saver for the Indian food lover who works full time! Not to mention, mostly very healthy recipes (the lentils especially)
3305884
I checked this out of the library, and after one read went out and bought a copy.  I have enjoyed this cookbook immensely.  I like Indian food but have found that many Indian cookbooks are sticklers for authenticity to the point of hours of work, or all the recipes begin to taste the same.  These recipes are full of flavor, and many can be prepared with ingredients available at the local supermarket. Many of the recipes are quick - Ms. Bhide has even added recipes for using leftovers. These are a boon when I come home at the end of the day and want to throw something together.
The recipes in this book are organized into menus, so a novice can try one or two from a section, and perhaps add more later on.  I have mixed and matched from different menus as well with success.
Some recommended recipes; Chicken with Fenugreek, Whisky Fish, Turnip Treats, and Coriander Layered Potatoes.
62525
I admit I've only made 1 recipe from this book so 5 stars might seem high but that 1 recipe was worth a lot more than what I paid for this book. The Butter Chicken recipe is so simple and yet so good, even my daughter loved it. I got this when it was on sale for $1.99 which is why I got it but having tried just the 1 recipe I'd gladly pay full price for it. I've always wanted to try my hand at Indian cooking but was always overwhelmed by the number of ingredients, especially the spices. If that has been your struggle then welcome to your new favorite Indian cookbook because that isn't an issue with these recipes. Urvashi does a great job breaking down the spices and what you need up front and makes you feel like you can definitely be successful making Indian food and based on 1 recipe at least she's right. I will try many more of these but expect good results based on my results and other reviews.
1745722
I am a huge fan of Indian cuisine, and in a bid to reduce my expanding waistline, moved to a more sensible diet plan that focused my lunches around Indian food. I found these in my local grocery and gave them a shot and was quite pleased. Nutritionally much better for you than lots of stuff out there and incredibly better in both nutrition AND taste than anything the fast food palces want to shove down your throat. This particular entree takes only 90 seconds to heat, has a great armoa and flavor, and goes great with the Tasty Bites Rice sides ( I like the Tandoori Rice ), or the Jasmine Rice I make at home. For something quick, delicious, healthy, and not overly expensive, I would recommend this all day. This one is a great flavor base, using the tomatoe sauce and chickpeas, you can add all sorts of stuff to this to grow the meal. I add zucchini, thai chili, onion, and lentils.
1418429
This book is FABULOUS.  Most ingredients are easy to come by.  The cooking methods are appealing to me, and nothing is very complicated.  I have tried several recipes from it and have not found one that is not top notch!  I cannot recommend it enough to anyone who likes to eat Indian food.  Alamelu knows her stuff!
3760472
Finally, fairly authentic Indian cooking that is manageable at home.  I love Indian food, but normally don't make it at home b/c it is involved and time consuming.  These recipes are do-able and lend themselves to adjusting.  I first tried "Preeti's Brown Onion Chicken".  I was looking for a little more in the way of vegetables and heat, so added some celery and a chili when sauteeing the onion.  When it was nearly browned, I added some spinach, then pureed it.
When cooking the chicken, I added some chopped carrots, chard, and diced potatoes.  I know my additions would make a purist faint, but it was fantastic, healthy, and family-friendly.  Cheers!
2246228
Spices and Seasons cook book contains over 150 recipes.  The author found a way to simplify traditional recipes to make them accessible to anyone who loves Indian food even if they are strapped for time.  Rinku Bhattacharya recipes were easy to follow and I found all ingredients I needed in a local Indian grocery store.

The recipes cover a full range of dishes, chapter one starts with appetizers, chapter two goes over salads and chutneys, chapter three is dedicated to soups.  Eggs, Paneer and Tofu get their own chapter 4.  There are chapters dedicated to vegetables, seafood, meat, grains, breads and deserts.

I love the organization of the book.  Each recipe is on its own page and has a photo of the cooked dish. I like that I don't have to flip pages when my fingers are covered with food stuff and I love seeing the final result I am striving for in a photo.

My favorite dish so far has been Pasta with Spice-Infused Ground Lamb with Green Peas.  This dish combines Indian flavors and Italian influences for a unique dish that I really liked.

I received a review copy of this cookbook. I love Indian food and I have been very pleased that this book help me prepare it at home.

Ali Julia review
1022327
I have to confess that I purchased this cookbook about 15 years ago, thinking it was a new one. Maybe it wasn't but I have gotten SO much use out of almost every recipe and instruction (especially the ingredient and instruction). Such a wealth to knowledge and inspiring dishes. I am writing this review in case someone is looking to explore great Indian cooking for yourself and your family. Please do yourself a favor and get this one, even if you have other such cookbooks. This is the best I have seen and certainly the best I have used.
- Wishing you many satisfied meals ahead!
1341793
I use it almost everyday. I have cooked everything from rice,meat to whole wheat in it. Works well as a yogurt maker too. Very well suited for Indian food,cooking beans and lentils is a breeze even if you forget to soak your beans.
3532348
This cookbook is just fabulous. There is a very nice variety of recipes, so I can easily find something to make with what I already have in the fridge. Shubhra has a very conversational style to the book which makes it easy to follow and feels like there is a friend in the kitchen with me. She also does a super job recommending pairings with other dishes in the book. Another great thing about the recipe is the portions are very reasonable, so we don't have a lot of leftovers. And they are easy to make so as the title says, busy people can easily put together a great meal from this book.  My husband who adamantly says he "doesn't like Indian food" has loved everything I have made and asks for more. I love the layered complexity of flavors and that the cuisine is light on the meat and heavier on veggies. I just placed an order for her new vegetarian book and can't wait to get it.
1742027
I have been cooking Indian food for years.  However, Pure and Simple recipes make the same dishes taste better.  There is something about the proportion of the ingredients that gives dishes distinct flavors.  The book guides me through cooking new, simple and fun dishes with the ingredients already in the house.

I find myself using the book  a lot because for a working mom like me step by step direction are easy to follow and most of the dishes require minimum preparation time.
1357280
100+ Indian Vegetarian Dishes is one of the most helpful Indian cookbooks I've read. The different spices that are traditional in Indian cuisine were made easy to understand by beginners and those who may never have even heard of these ingredients before, such as ghee or jeera or currypatta, and what really impressed me was the fact that there were replacements listed. In most cases, authors of Indian cookbooks are so intent on making sure things are as traditional and authentic as possible that they forget that there are beginners reading their cookbook who intend to learn about Indian cuisine, and so they are not very helpful. The different pictures as well, are extremely helpful to anyone reading this book, whether it be someone new to Indian cuisine or someone who is as familiar with it as the back of their hand. Pictures speak volumes to those who may not want to spend the time reading the paragraph, but is instead interested in simply knowing what the product is so that they can go out and buy it or see if they have it in their cupboards. The time Gayatri Tulshyan takes to describe the most important ingredients to Indian cooking at the start of the book helps loads because some peaople may not be familiar with some ingredients, or they may have heard them but do not know specifically what they are or how you can use them to influence your cooking. Finally, not only does Tulshyan take the time to go over the ingredients, but she also goes over cooking/baking methods that are specific to the Indian culture and also to the various dishes found in this delicious cookbook. All in all, I think that this is one of the best Indian cuisine cookbooks I've read, and I will definitely be recommending this to both those who are familiar with traditional Indian cooking and those who are not.

Please contact me at beeharilaldharma@gmail.com if you are further interested in my work.
2364639
The Indian Family Kitchen is such a beautiful book it will probably take an intermittent home on the coffee table when it is not in use in the kitchen. The pages of the book are so colorful and comforting and the food styling is drool-worthy. I love the sections between recipes that make me feel transported to India.  This book is perfect for everyone.  Really. If you want something light or hearty, quick to prepare or simmers for hours, something traditionally Indian or a delicious burger this book is for you.  Pathak has such an encouraging voice in her writing of the recipes that this book could be used by novices but will satisfy the adept home cook, too.

I have a handful of purely authentic Indian cookbooks and after researching The Indian Family Kitchen by Anjali Pathak I decided to give it a try because I love Indian flavors and was looking for more of an Indian-fusion cookbook.  The author has some serious street cred with Indian cuisine being the granddaughter of the founder of a huge line of Indian grocery products.  These recipes are fresh, creative, healthful and most importantly they are incredibly delicious.

I have to disagree with another review of this book that questioned the use of the word family in the title of the book. As a mom of three young kids and a husband with a discerning palate I viewed the recipes through a family lens and with every page I turned I found another recipe that we would be able to gather around the table to enjoy. My husband says, "if your kids are picky little snots that is not this book's fault."  I would go one further and say even if your kids are picky they would still like these recipes with just a tweak on the spicy ingredients.

Here is my take on the recipes we tried:

Sizzling steak and cumin paprika wedges (page 50) with mixed herb salad with honey pecan dressing (page 78).  The flavors in these recipes were amazing!  The timing listed in the recipes were accurate, both for prep and cook times. We loved pairing flavors that we typically have on chicken with steak. The aromatics really gave the steak and potatoes great flavor. The kids thought some of the bites of the potatoes were spicy so next time we may add a little less paprika. The salad was so refreshing and light. We used a combo of mint, cilantro and basil for the herbs and it was delicious!

Mini tortillas with chickpea salsa (page 24 and 25). We omitted the chipotles in the pork and used the tip to reduce the sauce and add it back in with the pork. The pork has a subtle sweetness from the orange and lots of savory yumminess from roasting with all of the spices. The salsa has a mild flavor that is so unexpected with tortillas but the lime, herbs and chickpeas just work so well together.  This recipe is absolutely family friendly, but you may want to double it.

We are going to have the crispy sumac okra (page 18, Light Bites chapter) today and the coconut shrimp later this week and I can't wait!  This book is one I know we will love and use for many years to come.  I highly recommend it!

I was provided a copy of this book by Blogging For Books in exchange for an honest review.  To see what my family and I think of the rest of the recipes we are trying visit my website: [...]
1485765
I love Indian foods.  Working in a small town with no Indian restaurant in sight.  Products from Kitchens of India are the next best things for me when I crave for Indian foods.  Definitely would buy it again.  Not too spicy, just perfect for me.
904740
When your craving Indian food but do not want to pay an arm and a leg really hits the spot
4571055
I have used this cookbook every week since I purchased it.....I have had it for close to 8 months! I was doing a candida cleanse, which meant no sugar in my diet. Well food has no flavor when you take all the sugar out.  This book gave me access to tons of delicious recipes that are bursting with flavor!  I would highly recommend for anyone who loves indian food!
4790170
Excellent book - Being an Indian, and having enjoyed all recipes in their original form, I can say that his recipes are delicious !!! Indian cooking in general is very elaborate and time consuming and his recipes try to simplify and organize the same.
This one book has a wide variety of recipes from different cuisines of India - Punjabi, Maharashtrian, South Indian, Gujarati, Bengali and so on...

Go on and buy this book - you wouldn't regret it one bit !