Here is a book you will definitely want on your Christmas list if you love Indian food and beautiful photography and all things Indian. I know I do and was very excited to be sent this book to review. It's a very large coffee table book, covered in a sumptuous silky fabric, looking very eastern indeed.
Looking inside is indeed a feast for the eyes. The photographs taken throughout India by photographer Anson Smart are stunning. The colours are amazing and each section of the book is of a different region of India. Then comes the recipes ! there are 250 and they look and sound delicious. I have to admit that some I wouldn't try as they seem a bit elaborate and need a lot of ingredients, but there are plenty that anyone with a longing to learn different kinds of spicy Indian recipes would care to try. I think most people think only of Curry when it comes to Indian cooking, but actually lots of regions of India don't actually have curry as we know it but they do have lovely spicy food that would be easy to try for ourselves.
The author is Christine Mansfield and she is one of Australia's most celebrated chefs. She has eaten her way around India for more than two decades, and has collected family recipes as well as from prominent Indian chefs for this book. Looking through and reading the book (there is plenty to read for the traveller) she clearly loves India and it's colourful people and quite obviously loves it's food and culture. So we can use this book as a way to get to know more about India as well as an insight into it's regional food (which is so varied) and of course there is all 250 of delicious recipes to drool over and perhaps try our hand at cooking.
If you consider buying it as a present or for yourself, do look around as the price varies from book supplier to shop.
Here is a selection of pages from the book just to give you an idea of how gorgeous it is.
If you get a chance to look through this book anywhere please do as I think you will fall in love with it. I know I have.
10 comments:
It looks very intersting. Beautiful photos.
Hi Cookie Jar, it is a fabulous book, but not one to prop up in the kitchen to cook from, unless you have lot's of counter space. I just love it though.
Maureen- you are absolutely the Queen of "beautiful books"! This one is no exception!! Such gorgeous photography. I'm so happy I found your blog!
Happy Thanksgiving-
Vicki
Ahh thanks Vicki I hope you get a chance to look at it somewhere as it really is stunning.
M x
Dear Maureen, It is interesting to me that since I left England 30+ years ago, the English have embraced Indian food. In the USA there is an enormous variety of ethnic foods and I serve dishes my mother wouldn't attempt to try. I am not a fan of Indian food, but looks like this book might change that. P. x
What a beautiful book to be sent, Maureen! The vibrant colours would be just the thing to cheer up a winter's day in the kitchen.
Hi Maureen. I have tagged you for Food Bloggers Unplugged. I hope you don't mind.
sounds like a great book, with gret photos
Hi Cookie Jar, thanks for that and I dont mind but I really haven't got the time to do it at the moment, but pleased you thought of me.
M x
What a shame that I do not do hot and spicy. Photos look brilliant!
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