Product Description

Festivals in India are an important aspect of the social religious and cultural life of its people. Samayal or cooking is rooted in family traditions. Food was always offered untasted to the Divine first. This energised the meal with sustenance and healing properties.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #585332 in Books
• Published on: 2007-06-19
• Binding: Paperback
• 98 pages

Review
Good Food The Traditional Way Viji's fervent desire to record and retain traditional food is palpable. The pictures shot by VK beautifully combine the element of the divine with appropiate icons and tastefully presented food --The Eve's Touch Magazine

Tamil Cuisine Comes Alive - In Festival Samayal the dishes are linked to a healthy lifestyle that is the modern day holy grail. --The Economic Times of India

Viji's fervent desire to record and retain traditional food is palpable. The pictures shot by VK beautifully combine the element of the divine with appropiate icons and tastefully presented food --The Economic Times of India

About the Author
Viji was trained to cook by her mother and mother-in-law. The dishes studied from both nutrition and health values, presents recipes that are perfectly balanced - low in fats and cholesterol and high in proteins and vitamins. She is passionately fond of languages, a dedicated fitness enthusiast, practices yoga, does aerobics, and knows swimming and classical dancing. Visit vijisamayal.org

Customer Reviews

Want to know about Festivals - This is the book!!
Have you ever wondered living so far away from your home town, that you miss out on the slurpy foods you get to eat during festivals. I did and I always missed them. While searching on the net I landed on this wonderful book on Festivals. I had to have it. The descriptions of the festivals, the food you make, and the recipes are so authentic. I made the Ven Pongal and Shakkarai Pongal for the Pongal Festival and followed the recipe to the TEE. It was perfect. The book is a keeper, so we distant Indians dont loose our palates to the festival food.

Excellent, Unique, Authentic
Festivals and food are core ingredients of culture. And this book is worth its weight in <> and is arguably one of a kind.

My wife recently got this book (with the other book by the same author.. do not buy the more expensive and outdated hardcover editions) and finds it to be very helpful. The cooking (and I am one of the prime beneficiaries) had improved perceptibly and has a lot of added variety. The author is very approachable by email, clarifies doubts (e.g., "cup" is equivalent to American teacup, types of onions, tomatoes to use) and offers suggestions for new recipes. It doesnt get better than that.

My wife also *highly* recommends the book on South Indian Veg Cuisine by the same author.

Ahh...nothing like good south Indian food...machan!
Personally, I have never had the patience to look at a cook book and attempt to follow the recipes step-by-step. I review the first few pages and I'm totally intimated by the sheer lenght of each formula. However Vijji Varadarajan's book makes every recipe not only simple to follow but also very exciting to create. Each recipe is so quick and elegant that one is inspired to study and create more.
Worried about the quality of the food? Don't be. Follow the guidelines laid out by this maestro and you simply cannot go wrong. Bon Appetite!!!