Product Description

Indian cookery is among the world’s most distinctive and enticing cuisines, one whose influence can be discerned in culinary traditions around the globe. In this groundbreaking book, bestselling author Madhur Jaffrey presents more than 100 of the best curries, many recorded for the very first time, plus all the savory accompaniments to serve with them.

In this fascinating volume, Madhur traces the origins of curry, explaining how Indian immigrants brought ingredients and techniques to new lands, creating an ever-growing cornucopia of delicious hybrids. To illustrate the evolution of curry, and its close relative, the kebab, she not only includes the finest recipes from India—like Hyderabadi Ground Lamb with Orange and Dry Masala Fish—but a wide variety of exotic curries from all over the world. Enticing recipes include Sumatran Lamb Curry from Indonesia, Red Beef Curry from Sri Lanka, Burmese Chicken-Coconut Soup from Myanmar, Lobster in Yellow Curry Sauce from Thailand, Vietnamese Pork with Lemongrass, Lamb Shanks Braised in a Yogurt Sauce from Pakistan, and even a beef curry from Japan, where, as in the United Kingdom, curry is one of the most popular meals, even among schoolchildren. To complement the curries, there are soups, noodles, breads, chutneys, beans, vegetables, and, best of all, twenty recipes for easy and deliciously spiced kebabs.

Beautifully illustrated and filled with the kind of comprehensive insight into the art of curry that only Madhur Jaffrey could provide, From Curries to Kebabs makes fascinating reading for cooks everywhere and will be an outstanding addition to any curry lover’s library.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #108820 in Books
• Published on: 2003-11-04
• Released on: 2003-11-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 352 pages

From the Inside Flap
Indian cookery is among the world?s most distinctive and enticing cuisines, one whose influence can be discerned in culinary traditions around the globe. In this groundbreaking book, bestselling author Madhur Jaffrey presents more than 100 of the best curries, many recorded for the very first time, plus all the savory accompaniments to serve with them.

In this fascinating volume, Madhur traces the origins of curry, explaining how Indian immigrants brought ingredients and techniques to new lands, creating an ever-growing cornucopia of delicious hybrids. To illustrate the evolution of curry, and its close relative, the kebab, she not only includes the finest recipes from India?like Hyderabadi Ground Lamb with Orange and Dry Masala Fish?but a wide variety of exotic curries from all over the world. Enticing recipes include Sumatran Lamb Curry from Indonesia, Red Beef Curry from Sri Lanka, Burmese Chicken-Coconut Soup from Myanmar, Lobster in Yellow Curry Sauce from Thailand, Vietnamese Pork with Lemongrass, Lamb Shanks Braised in a Yogurt Sauce from Pakistan, and even a beef curry from Japan, where, as in the United Kingdom, curry is one of the most popular meals, even among schoolchildren. To complement the curries, there are soups, noodles, breads, chutneys, beans, vegetables, and, best of all, twenty recipes for easy and deliciously spiced kebabs.

Beautifully illustrated and filled with the kind of comprehensive insight into the art of curry that only Madhur Jaffrey could provide, From Curries to Kebabs makes fascinating reading for cooks everywhere and will be an outstanding addition to any curry lover?s library.

About the Author
Described by the New York Times as “the Indian cuisine authority,” MADHUR JAFFREY was born in Delhi. A bestselling cookbook author, she has written more than fifteen books, including Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian, winner of the James Beard Award. Her articles on food have been published in numerous magazines, such as Gourmet, Food & Wine, Saveur, and The New Yorker. An accomplished actress, she has appeared in more than twenty films, including Merchant Ivory’s Shakespeare Wallah, Heat and Dust, and Cotton Mary.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
SHRIMP CURRY WITH ROASTED SPICES

Sri Lanka has south India to its north and South-East Asia to its east. Its food has aspects of both, as this recipe shows. The pandanus leaves and lemon grass hint at Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, while the cumin and coriander show the influence of India. The sauce for these shrimp is both rich and aromatic. It is best served with rice. Directions for peeling, deveining, and cleaning shrimp are on page 343.

Serves 4 to 5

4 hot dried red chilies
1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole fenugreek seeds
1 small stick cinnamon
2 cardamom pods
2 whole cloves
3 tablespoons corn or peanut oil
6 tablespoons finely slivered shallots
1 small fresh hot green chili, cut into slivers (including the seeds)
2 teaspoon peeled fresh ginger, grated to a pulp
3 cloves garlic, crushed to a pulp
3-inch piece pandanus leaf (bai toey, rampe, daun paandan)
1 stalk fresh lemongrass (use the lower 6 inches and lightly crush the bulbous bottom) or 1 teaspoon dried, ground lemongrass
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon bright red paprika
1 pound raw, headless, shell-on, medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3/4 cup coconut milk, from a well-shaken can

Put the red chilies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves in a small, cast-iiron frying pan and set over a medium heat. Stir until the spices turn a shade darker and emit a roasted aroma. Remove from the pan and allow to cool. Then grind them in a clean coffee or spice grinder.

Pour the oil into a wide, lidded pan and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, put in the shallots and green chili. Stir and fry for about 2 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic. Stir for about 15 seconds. Now pour in 1 1/2 cups of water and add the reserved roasted spices, pandanus leaf, lemongrass, salt, and paprika. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add the shrimp and coconut milk. Stir and bring to a simmer on a low heat. As soon as the shrimp are opaque all the way through, they are done. Check for salt, adding more if needed.

Customer Reviews

The Wide, Wonderful World of Curry
Curry certainly has become an international food, very historic and now spreading from its roots in India and the East all over, with its British, Asian and Polynisian influences and accents.

Madhur easily is recognized as an expert of this cuisine and in her travels around the world has sampled and here collected and modified some of the best curries and accompanying foods for us to cook and enjoy.

This is international in scope and wide in choice of ingredients, so their is something here for all of us. With is spiciness and heat there is wonderful cooling, smoothness of yogurts and coconut milk and fruits. There is wide techniques here represented as well, braising and bbq kabobs and baking, etc.

What I find especially intriguing and so informative is the 26 page introductions which gives a delightful introductive history with illustrations. This informative touch in continued throughout the book, and not just the occasional sidebar, but page intros on topics or techniques or how she cam to find and adapt a recipe. The Special Ingredients and Techniques is vital to any of us new to this cuisine, giving excellent pointers and advice in purchase and use. Only wish was that she included internet sources which is so easy to use and find the really good ones in this way.

I've developed a taste for the likes of: "Lamb Shanks Braised in a Yogurt Sauce"; "Japanese Style Curry Beef"; "Fish Curry with a Half-Ripe Mango"; "Baked Lamb Kabobs(Lagania Sheek) This is outrageously good!); and "Malaysian Shrimp Curry Soup with Noodles." The Basmati Rice with Cinnamon and Saffron is wonderful accompanyment for so many menus.

This is one to explore and venture out into new worlds of taste.

Excellent covering many influenced regions around the world
This in an excellent cookbook that traces Indian influences around the world. It has loads of interesting and exotic recipes and also has many of the much loved standard dishes found Indian influenced areas around the world, including surprising places such as Kenya. The initial history of the Indian influences is fascinating. There are even recipes for creating 19th century "British" style curries and different curry powder recipes. It's a great cookbook for both someone getting into cooking this style of food or for someone already with lots of different cookbooks seeking something new and interesting.

A history book as well as cookbook
I love Madjur J's cookbooks. Indian food made using ingredients you can find, and not spending all day in the kitchen, with consistently excellent results. There's not a bad recipe in any of her cookbooks. This very well-written history of curry is fascinating. Recipes come from Africa, Asia, and everywhere the Spice Trail was. She has a way of getting the best recipes wrangled from top chefs and even politiacal dignitaries. I highly recommend it for readers as well as cooks.