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Learn to COOK - Modern Indian Cooking
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List Price: $29.95
Our Price: $21.86
Your Save: $ 8.09 ( 27% )
Availability: In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served.
Manufacturer: Silverback Books
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Hardcover
Brand: Silverback Books
Dewey Decimal Number: 641
EAN: 9781596372399
Format: Illustrated
ISBN: 1596372397
Label: Silverback Books
Manufacturer: Silverback Books
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 191
Publication Date: 2007-01-01
Publisher: Silverback Books
Studio: Silverback Books
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Editorial Reviews:
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This book represents this author's take on modern Indian cuisine whether cooked for family or for guests, prepared using fresh ingredients and designed to accommodate the modern lifestyle. Indian cooking is often perceived as intimidating due to the use of a wide range of unusual ingredients and complex cooking procedures. "Modern Indian Cooking" is an attempt to recreate classic Indian dishes by using simplistic techniques along with juxtaposing non-Indian ingredients with traditional ingredients. Throughout the book, Nayak and Khanna strive to bring traditional Indian cuisine to simplified levels fit for modern living and entertaining, while keeping the flavours and authenticity intact."Modern Indian Cooking" celebrates the grandeur of the food of India while preserving the character of each region's distinctive style of cooking. While creating this book, Nayak and Khanna took into account the different ways we cook and eat food in modern life and the new kinds of ingredients that are now readily available. "Modern Indian Cooking" provides a wonderful insight into the richly diverse nation of Indian and the many flavours she brings to our tables.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating: 
Summary: My Kitchen My Table Cookbook Club Review
Comment: We gathered in my kitchen and around my table to share what we had learned while visiting our local spice markets and working through the pages of Modern Indian Cooking written by Hari Nayak and Vikas Khanna. A common sentiment was that this is a beautifully designed and photographed book full of so many recipes that it was difficult to choose which to make.
Once we began to peel the layers, we discovered that while the book is beautiful, there are some flaws. First was the lack of headnotes. The headnote is a vital part of a recipe - it can offer insight, additional information about an ingredient, a personal anecdote that makes the cook feel connected with the author, so many things that tie the book together and give it a soul. The headnotes were sadly missed. Second, with the abundance of unique spices it would have been helpful to have a glossary in the back or a section in the front that educated the reader about the spices that were widely found in the recipes. We found that the front matter about "Seasonings" wasn't as comprehensive or as detailed as we would have liked it to be. And finally, with sections of recipes for sides, rice, breads, and accompaniments, each recipe would have been well served to have some "serve with" ideas that cross-referenced other recipes.
As far as our cooking endeavors, recipes from most sections of the book were represented. We started with the Tangerine Carrot Cooler (p.167) then flowed into soup where two people made Curry Corn Chowder with Roasted Poblanos (p.40) with two different results - both tasty, one with a lot more heat from the poblanos than the other. Next was Ginger and Lemon Grilled Chicken (p.18) that won raves around the table. The salads we made included Carrot and Cucumber Salad with Spiced Mustard Dressing (p.33) - this recipe was given a complete overhaul and ended up a winner despite it self! And Radish Salad with Peanuts (p.32) - crunchy texture meets salty, nutty, bitter flavor resulting in a sensory treat.
In the Vegetable chapter, we tasted Aromatic Butternut Squash & Coconut (p.48) which was made by two people with different flavors, colors, and recipe challenges - very interesting.
The yield from the Beans and Legumes Chapter included Yellow Lentils with Baby Spinach (p.74) and Hot and Sour Chickpeas (p.67) where we learned about the quest for dried mango powder. No one cooked from the Rice chapter although we all commented that several of the recipes looked good and a few of us had tried them while we were working through the book. The Poultry chapter was also passed over. Coincidentally, the two recipes from the Meat section were both meatballs - different meatballs but meatballs nonetheless. Kashmiri Lamb Meatball Paprikash (p.113) made my mouth water when looking at the picture but ended up being the biggest disaster of the night. The meatballs didn't stick together, the broth had issues, needed more liquid, and wasn't as tomatoey as one would have expected from the photo, and when sampled, had a slimy lamb mush mouthfeel. It was really sad. On the flip side, the Cashew Coconut Meatballs (p.114) held their shape and had a good flavor and texture.
The Bread section was represented with Toasted Cumin Chapatis with Orange (p.140). We learned that the difference between chapatis and naan is that chipatis is made with out yeast and is a flat bread while naan has yeast and is puffy. Someone gave Rosemary Naan (p.138) two tries - both unsuccessful - and there was no naan at the table but an accounting of the experience.
After all of the above it was finally time for dessert - and with 3 professionally trained bakers, dessert at MKMT never disappoints. We started with two people making Chai Crème Brûlée (p.158), once again there were two different textures, flavors, and colors - one thick and the other more viscous, one tasted more like a chai latte and the other like smoky tea leaves, one a darker brown and the other like milky coffee. We decided that mixed together, they would be perfect although my preference leaned toward the lighter chai latte one. The Valrhona Chocolate Burfi with Toasted Coconut (p.156) received the big thumbs up and won the prize for the most expensive dish of the night between the 1 lb of almond paste and 1 cup of Valrhona chocolate there were big $$$$ spent on this recipe. We decided it was worth it but the next time, a different type of chocolate may be substituted. Pink Peppercorn Chocolate Truffles (p.162) were a hit and a sensation between the lips - most everyone ended up with a peppercorn in the middle of theirs which elicited a reaction of surprise followed by a small choke or gulp and finished with a "WOW". That chocolate/pepper combo is powerful!
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Our final dessert Spiced Almond Cookies (p.151) were an afterthought and looked as if they'd be a no-brainer to make. I am still not sure what happened but the little "teaspoon-size balls" that the recipe told me to make never flattened out like the picture, they remained little teaspoon-size balls and weren't very pretty. They tasted good and the group seemed to like them. In fact, the second batch were pressed flat to resemble the picture but they dried out and weren't as good as the balls.
In the end we were all glad that we had tried the book in spite of some of the recipes that didn't work very well and the lack of headnotes. We sampled 19 recipes, quite a variety, with something from most chapters. It is fair to say that we all found recipes that we'd try for ourselves and make again and even recommend to friends. I also think that some of us will dig deeper into the book and cook from it some more.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A Fresh Take on an Ancient Cuisine
Comment: As a world traveler, international culinary afficionada, and avid cookbook collector with some 2000 volumes in my collection, many of them devoted to Indian cooking, I heartily recommend Modern Indian Cooking by Hari Nayak and Vikas Khanna. In addition to the book being beautifully designed and accompanied by mouthwatering photos, it introduces a wide selection of modern healthy recipes guaranteed to please the palate of even those who regard traditional Indian fare as too heavy on the use of exotic spices. All of the recipes are good, but be sure to try the Oven-Roasted Spicy Eggplant and the Cumin Coriander Beef Patties, although I modify the latter by adding soft bread crumbs to the mixture to make them extra moist and tender, although this can be done to any recipe for burgers, including the traditional American variety. In short, the volume is a fresh take on an ancient cuisine that is sure to win new converts to Indian cooking.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Breathes new life into Indian cooking
Comment: Having tried many exquisite creations of Vikas Khanna's at Purnima in manhattan, I was already a fan of his and didnt hesitate for a second before ordering this cookbook. I can only say, I am already waiting for his next cookbook! This one has recipes full of spunk and sass, no doubt that these chefs are on top of their game. I have already gotten many compliments on the few that i have tried myself. It makes me want to quit my career to become a chef... amazing Indian food recipes with a twist! Two thumbs up!!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Indian Food Done Right Can Spice Up Your Low-Carb Diet
Comment: Personally, I wasn't holding out much hope for this book since I am not a fan of Indian cuisine. But Hari Nayak and Vikas Khanna make the mysteriousness of these recipes very mainstream by infusing common ingredients to formulate some really tasty dishes. In fact, many of these are quite suitable for people who are livin' la vida low-carb with very few substitutions required. For something a little different while still mouthwatering, the recipes in this book will do the trick.
Customer Rating:
Summary: AWESOME
Comment: This is by far the best and most innovative Indian recipe book ever. Its also very foolproof - all the recipes work out awesome. I love how they've combined Indian ingredients with mainstream American herbs and foods. Very well done. The book is a delight to look at as well - very clean, beautiful and lovely looking pages. If this recipe book were a hotel, it would get a 7-star deluxe rating.
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