Julie Sahni

My copy of this book has a broken spine, pages falling out, and stains of myriad colors--all the signs of a beloved cookbook. I'm no chef, but even in my graduate school days I'd amaze *myself* that such delectable dishes came out of my own kitchen. The book discusses basic techniques, uses of spices, and (for lack of a better word) theory in addition to step-by-step recipes for a wide range of Indian food.

Faves:
Very Orange Tea p. 476
Tandoor Bread p. 402
Coorg-style hot & garlickly black beans with lotus root--this turned out AMAZING. Not only were the recipes interesting, but the author wrote so much about Indian culture and ways that it was a fun read, too. Again, who knew so much Indian food is fried?!

Awesome book with great recipes. It helped me understand a lot more about this type of cooking (and why my rice wasn't cooking properly). I really liked seeing the proper names of the dishes, not just the translated versions. I have learned sooo much from this book and it's one that I use often.

Julie Sahni is for the days when you want to spend hours and hours in the kitchen. Her recipes are good, but much more complicated than most other Indian Cookbooks.