Veg out in India

EVERY now and then I come across an exciting food writer. I have just come across an Indian cook called Monisha Bharadwaj. I should have known about her sooner as she has written several award-winning books.

By sheer coincidence, on my return from India, there was a review copy of her new book, India’s Vegetarian Cooking on my desk. I flicked through the pages and was immediately gripped.

The majority of people in India are vegetarians and so the country is blessed with the most imaginative and tasty vegetarian cuisine in the world, which varies vastly from region to region.

Travelling around India as a child, Monisha was introduced to the staggering variety of Indian dishes. Aged six, she had sampled Gujarati thali in Rajkot; by eight she was familiar with the tandoori dishes of Amritsar and by 12 her family had covered most of south India with its hot Kanjeevaram idlis and chutneys. Growing up in cosmopolitan Mumbai, she had the opportunity to sample (and cook) food from all over India.

In her new book, Monisha lovingly guides us through the subtleties of regional Indian cuisine using simple but delectable vegetarian recipes. She illustrates the differences between the regions of India and links cultural, religious and horticultural detail to the recipes. There are, for example, notes on choosing chillies for heat or for flavour, on different varieties of rice and lentils, and on the spices in quintessential Indian vegetarian cooking.

The Bookseller magazine has this to say about the book: “Indian cuisine is one of the most popular forms of cooking in the world today but, as Monisha shows, the myriad regional varieties of healthy and exotic recipes have yet to be discovered by many western kitchens.” The history, tradition and ritual associated with food - all so essential a part of Indian life - come alive in the comprehensive celebration of India’s vegetarian fare.

The recipes range from the choicest tandoori-cooked foods of the north and the steaming hot idlis and chutneys of the south to a stunning array of fresh vegetables from the west and delicious sweets from the east.

Again, The Bookseller, states: “Encompassing the entire range of Indian cooking, from dal bukhura (black beans cooked in butter and cream) in the north, to kirla ghassi (bamboo shoots in coconut milk) in the south, via everything from chapatis to chutneys, this is an inexhaustible guide. Whether you want a snack, a quick lunch or a lavish meal this book will bring a sense of adventure to your diet and your kitchen.”

India’s Vegetarian Cooking by Monisha Bharadwaj, is published by Kyle Cathie.