April 21, 2008
Iyer (The Turmeric Trail
) makes the enormous spectrum of Indian curry dishes enticing and accessible in this hefty tome, bound to be a must-have for lovers of Indian cuisine. Cooks already familiar with this food will be inspired as they cook through its pages. The term “curry” encompasses a vast range of dishes, and Iyer has uncovered the best from the subcontinent’s many regions and cultures, working his way from Goa (chicken in coconut milk sauce) to Kashmir (hearty braised lamb shanks in broth), Calcutta (tilapia in yogurt sauce), Kerala (spinach in pigeon pea-coconut sauce), and everywhere between. The largest chapter features an extraordinary selection of curries using India’s rainbow of legumes, but Iyer includes meat, cheese, fish and vegetable curries, plus appetizers and snacks, biryanis and elegant rice variations and breads. Access to a well-stocked Indian grocery is vital, but past that hurdle Iyer makes the recipes quite approachable thanks to his chatty introductions, many thoughtful preparation tips and helpful ingredient glossary.
Starred review from May 15, 2008
Iyer grew up in Mumbai (Bombay), but he has lived in the United States for most of his adult life. He's an acclaimed cooking teacher and the author of several other cookbooks, and his impressive new title is a wide-ranging guide to the curries of the Indian subcontinent, including Pakistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Iyer explains that Indian curries are not based on a can of curry powder and that the term "curry" refers to any dish simmered in or covered with a fragrant, spicy (though not necessarily hot) sauce or gravy. The hundreds of recipes include appetizer curries such as Skewered Chicken with Creamy Fenugreek Sauce, main-course curries like Yogurt-Marinated Lamb with Ginger and Garlic, and "contemporary curries" such as Wild Salmon with Chiles, Scallions, and Tomato; there are also recipes for "curry cohorts"rice, bread, and other accompaniments. Highly recommended.
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