The Art of Indian Cuisine Hardcover – Unabridged, 1974

Purchased this book for myself in 1981 and have continued using it all these years. It was my very first excursion into Indian cooking, and the clear instructions and explanations were extremely helpful to a beginner. Now I have many more Indian cookbooks, but the foundational techniques and principles I learned through this one are still part of my food preparation. When my niece became interested in cooking Indian food but lives in an isolated area of the central U.S., I purchased a copy for her as an introduction and a guide. She has been off and running ever since, and loves this book as much as I always have.

I bought this book first in 1974 when it was first released. I wanted to learn to cook for my English husband. I knew very little about Indian cooking. From this book I learned all about the spices, how to prepare them as well as make many fine recipes for non-vegetarians. I continue to use this book 33+ years later. Mine is all stained up and I have just purchased a clean copy for my daughter.

This book covers a lot of West Bengal cuisine. The recipes are authentic. I use this book a lot. My family loves the recipes.

If you've ever been to an Indian restaurant and been inspired to create some of the dishes at home, this is the cookbook for you. I've had this cookbook for years and never once been disappointed. The spices and flavoring are authentic, and when the dishes are served they actually taste like they came from a restaurant.As an example, for a rich curry, they require an ingredient called"spiced onion" which is made with two large yellow onions, an inch of fresh ginger, 4 or 5 cloves of garlic,1 large peeled tomato, and two green chilies all blended in a blender. After blending, add 1/4 cup tomato juice, and 1 tablespoon white vinegar if necessary. Add several tablespoons of this to your curries (along with the Indian spices) and the curries will have a delicious depth of flavor. Some of my favorite recipes are Murgh Jhal Frezi (spicy chicken), Sabzi Kofta Kalia (vegetable potato balls with a sauce), and Moong Dal (lentil curry with chilies and coconut). Yum.