Average customer rating:
- Standard Indian vegetarian recipes !
- excellent
- Top quality reference for Ayurvedic diets
- Wonderful ayurveda book but just average cookbook.
- Sometimes the recipes need modification
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Ayurvedic Cooking for Self Healing (2nd Edition)
Usha Lad , and
Vasant Lad
Manufacturer: Ayurvedic Press
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Accessories:
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RESPeRATE Blood Pressure Lowering Device
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Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Original Orange, 10 Tablets (Pack of 3)
ASIN: 1883725054 |
Book Description
Ayurveda, the ancient healing art of India, teaches that food plays an essential part in one's health and sense of well-being. Here is an authentic guide of the Ayurvedic approach to food and tasty vegetarian cooking. The recipes are formulated using herbs and spices to help balance the constitution of each person. The effects of the foods on individual constitution are included with every recipe together with the medicinal properties of many of the foods. This is a cookbook and much more. Included in this book are chapters on:
The principles of Ayurveda and individual constitution
Maintaining one's health, digestion and constitutional balance
The importance of proper food combining for optimal well-being
Setting up an Ayurvedic kitchen and planning menus inclusive of every member of your family
More than 100 recipes of delicious Ayurvedic cuisine
and these important sections for even more benefits from Ayurveda:
Nearly 300 simple remedies for everything from the common cold and skin problems to stabilizing blood sugar in diabetics, all using familiar household herbs, fruits and vegetables!
A chart for determining your individual constitution
Comprehensive food guidelines for basic constitutional types
A listing of the qualities of foods and their affects on the doshas
Customer Reviews:
Standard Indian vegetarian recipes !.......2007-10-03
I was so impressed by Vasant Lad's "Complete Ayurvedic Home Remedies" book, I wanted to check out this book to incorporate Ayurvedic cooking. I was disappointed after I received and reviewed the book. This is a standard south Indian vegetarian cook book with an introduction to Ayurveda. So, if you are an Indian you might know most if not all of the recipes already. Even if you are not from India and want to learn ayurvedic style Indian vegetarian cooking, there are a dozen other cooking books which might be better than this. The recipes are not in detail, they are all very short. You have to go through some trial and error to perfect these recipes in my opinion.
excellent.......2007-08-23
Another great book from Dr. Lad. His books are so informative and helpful and really produce dramatic results. Although mostly foods that are not usual, the recipes are simple and the soups and the rice dishes are tasty.
Top quality reference for Ayurvedic diets.......2007-08-11
I found this book to be well written and clear. As someone who is new to Ayurveda with a healing need, I have been looking for several books dealing with the same topics...in this case, how to modify one's diet to reach better balance physically, emotionally and spiritually. The content expanded and re-inforced principles I found in other Ayurvedic cookbooks. I felt I have gotten a better sense of how to use various types of foods and seasonings through this book. Highly recommended!
Wonderful ayurveda book but just average cookbook........2006-09-29
I was excited to get this book. Read it attentively and tried two of the recipies. Kitchari for Vata and Spicy Vegetable Fried Rice. The explaination by Vasant Lad was good and detail. I like it very much. As for the recipies, they smells superb but are tasteless. I still recomend this book for those who like to learn to cook a ayurvedic balanced food. But if you are looking into cooking a delicious mouth watering meal. This is not the book. Still an excellent ayurvedic book.
Sometimes the recipes need modification.......2006-07-31
My main complaint is that some of the recipes create absolute mush. I found that it helped if I reduced the water in some of the recipes (for example for Kitchari, I used 5 cups of water instead of the recommended 6 cups) and/or washing/soaking the rice or beans only briefly instead of overnight. This may be because I live at sea level (?) but some of the recipes seemed to err in favor of cooking too long in too much water.
A more minor complaint is that I like the recipes I've tried and want more- and more variety. An even more minor complaint is that since I find the fried foods irrelevant to me, I would have preferred if they had substituted other recipes that didn't include lots of oil.
Book Description
Finally back in print--the definitive volume on Indian vegetarian cooking. Created by a noted author and lecturer, Lord Krishna's Cuisine features more than 500 recipes, filled with fresh produce and herbs, delicate spices, hot curries, and homemade dairy products. All recipes are based on readily available ingredients and have been scrupulously adapted for American kitchens. The recipes are enlivened by the author's anecdotes and personal reminiscences of her years in India, including stories of gathering recipes from royal families and temple cooks, which had been jealously guarded for centuries. Hailed by Gourmet as "definitive," and as "a marvelous source for vegetarians" by Bon Appetit, Devi has created the landmark work on the world's most sophisticated vegetarian cuisine. Repackaged and evocatively illustrated, Lord Krishna's Cuisine unlocks the mysteries of the most healthful and delicious recipes of the world.
* Winner of the International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook of the Year Award
"Big and beautiful."--Julia Child
"The Taj Mahal of cookbooks." --Chicago Tribune
"Monumental." --Vogue
"The food on Yamuna's table looks great! It's full of life, full of flavor, vibrant and healthy besides." --Deborah Madison, author of Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
Customer Reviews:
i love this book.......2007-10-06
my parents are indian and i was brought up in the US. i've had some luck cooking my own food, but it ended up always tasting the same. i've loved this book because it has combinations of spices that i would not have though of before, and a lot of vegetable and daal recipes dont require you to have any skill to make them! i've been pretty happy with most of the dishes i've made from this book over the past month or so.
The definitive source for Indian vegetarian cooking.......2007-09-05
I just purchased this volume for my 21-year-old son at his request. This cookbook has been a standby in our household since he was born. My copy is well worn and full of notes like "fantastic," "quick to fix," "just the right degree of spiciness."
You'll need to stock up on three dozen spices, as there are often more spices in the ingredients list than main ingredients. I'm always surprised at the delicious results. I've never been disappointed in any of the recipes in this 800-page treasury of Indian delights.
Excellent Indian Cookbook!.......2007-08-30
`The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking' by Yamuna Devi is an awesome Indian cookbook. Yamuna gives you the history behind the recipe, and her style of writing is extremely interesting, it makes you feel you were there while she tasted the meal for the first time, and decided that the recipe should be in her book! She's extremely knowledgable in Indian cooking although Yamuna Devi is by no means Indian. You would never know that from her knowledge of Indian cookery, and certainly not from her name (she has an Indian name because she changed her name).
Most of her recipes are of North Indian cuisine - which for those who don't know it, is totally different from South Indian cuisine. If you like the spicy curries and other dishes like that, you're a fan on South Indian cuisine. That doesn't mean that you won't like these recipes though, as there's an abundance of South Indian cooking and spicy meals in this cookbook too!
For those who prefer a milder version of Indian cooking, I have good news for you too! This book contains mild recipes too. In fact, in Indian cooking you can change the "hotness" or spiciness of a recipe to suit your tastes.
A word of caution : Traditional Indian cooks (my grandmother included) didn't use oil to excess like many recipes in this book. Grandma used more oil back in the day when it was ok to do so, but as time went by, and my mom told her about the dangers of using too much oil in her food, she cut down on her use of oil. But by no means did she EVER use as much oil and ghee (clarified butter) as some of the recipes in this book call for. It's absolutely ridiculous to use huge amounts of oil when cooking, and I wish Yamuna Devi had improved on that aspect of Indian cooking. Deep frying - if it's done ocassionally, would probably be ok, but even Grandma learned to use alternative methods of cooking, and her food was as delicious as ever!
So, my advice is cut down on the amount of oil these recipes call for, bake or grill whenever possible, and deep fry ocassionally if you want to enjoy a recipe that requires deep frying. Apart from that, enjoy this cookbook because I certainly do!
One of the best and most exhaustive books on vegetarian cuisine .......2007-08-21
[Review written Jan 2005]
To put this book in it's proper context within the much larger world of culinary tomes ... Yamuna Devi is to Indian Cuisine what Marcella Hazan is it Classic Italian, and Julia Child is to Americanized classic French.
If you want to own only one book on either Indian or Vegetarian cuisine, this is one of the very best choices available anywhere. It's magnificent.
STRENGTHS:
a) Devi covers her material confidently and expertly, in both breadth and depth, and has won her share of prestigous awards in the process.
b) Devi also includes helpful chapters in the back on things like "A-Z General Info on Ingredients" {no photos, granted, but they're well written}, and a "Glossary of Hindi Culinary Terms" {which include definitions and pronunciation guides}. Good stuff.
c) Plenty of excellent instructional detail - including exhaustive and highly educational headnotes. She goes out of her way to mentor the reader, and I appreciate that beyond words.
NITS:
1) Most importantly, this is a VEGETARIAN tome. Indian cuisine is perhaps the most wonderful, varied, robust, and culinarily sensual of all the cuisines in the world when it comes to vegetarianism ... but meat & seafood curries are also culinary joys not to be overlooked, and omitting them leaves an echoing void that partially undermines the ability of this book to serve as a 'all-in-one' source on Indian Cuisine in general. If you're an omnivore like me, you'll need to supplement this book with at least 2 other books on Indian Cuisine - Northern (for sultry slow-simmered meat curries) and Southern (for hot and spicy fruit, coconut & yogurt themed seafood curries). I should clarify, for the benefit of vegeterian readers, that the authoress's particular brand of vegetarianism is "Vedic" ... grossly oversimplified, that means no meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, onions, shallots, garlic, leeks, mushrooms or vinegar, which is a step further than most vegetarians are used to. Not a complaint - just a factoid for the reader's consideration. Personally, I love onions, and I'd be hard pressed to give them up in a good curry base.
2) No photos, and illustrations are somewhat sparse and are all hand drawn. Such things are an optional luxury anyway, so that's not really a major nit.
3) {deleted}
4) If I recall correctly (and I admit it's been a while since I last read it heavily rather than merely raiding it for the occasional recipe or three), the authoress roams freely between northern and southern indian, without really making an attempt to clearly segregate them by style (which makes it a little harder to search for dishes based on region). Minor nit.
5) I dont mind mixing a little philosophy and religion into discussions about food, but the authoress (who's a Krishna devotee) tends to ramble a bit at times. Anyway, that's a minor nit, and does not detract too much from the culinary majesty of this offering - it's just an observation.
CONCLUSION: This is a magnificent tome, and even though I listed a plethora of relatively minor nits, they're not enough to prevent me from giving this a an enthusiastic endorsement. It's one of the best, and most exhaustive, books on vegetarian cuisine to be found anywhere in the English language.
Indian Food Galore! Indian Culinary Arts & Secrets - Revealed!.......2007-05-19
The author is amazing! She has spent much of her life mastering the art and science of the Indian Culinary Arts and now is sharing it with the world - her work, passion, and determination is simply admirable! Her inventions and adaptations are strictly vegetarian and Saathwic. The recipes are well laid out and detailed information is given about each of the 500+ recipes. Of course you'll have to thumb through and narrow down on your most favorite recipes to experiment with.. having done that you will find your taste buds mesmerized and your guests impressed with a mild streak of envy :-) "People pleasers", this is your book! The only requisite is that you must really enjoy Indian food and have the time and patience with experimenting. The reward is simply a lifetime of reliable recipes to reference without having to think about them again or hunting for them in mediocre cook books, and online. ...
The recipes in themselves inspires and tickles the chef in us all..
Another good investment! I'm grinning!
Average customer rating:
- Grrains, Greens, and Grated Coconuts:Recipes and Remembrances of a Vegetarian legacy
- First person history lesson
- A NEW HOBBY AWAITS, EXCITING FOOD COMBOS
- Lovely reading, and excellent recipes
- Simple and delicious dishes from the South of India
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Grains, Greens, and Grated Coconuts: Recipes and Remembrances of a Vegetarian Legacy
Ammini Ramachandran
Manufacturer: iUniverse, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0595409768 |
Book Description
"Grains, Greens, and Grated Coconuts is more than a cookbook-it is a collection of treasured memories and delicious family recipes presented against a backdrop of Indian culinary and cultural history. Augmented with an extensive bibliography, the book is also a wonderful guide to cooking with herbs and spices. A comprehensive glossary provides the origins and history of each grain and spice. Familiar with Western cooking methods, Ramachandran shows how to integrate these recipes into a Western-style menu and suggests ways for home cooks to expand their repertoire without having to create an entire menu of dishes. Culinary historians and home cooks alike will enjoy Ramachandran's treasured stories and recipes in Grains, Greens, and Grated Coconuts."
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Monica Bhide, Writer and Author of The Spice is Right & Everything Indian Cookbook
"Grains, Greens, and Grated Coconuts is a labor of love . offering both mouth-watering recipes and a personal account of an ancient matrilineal culture. Highly educational yet approachable, this is a must-have for anyone interested in the food and customs of the Indian subcontinent."
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Suneeta Vaswani, Cooking School Teacher and Author of Easy Indian Cooking
Customer Reviews:
Grrains, Greens, and Grated Coconuts:Recipes and Remembrances of a Vegetarian legacy.......2007-08-26
Very nicely written, lots of historical data connected to the food of the region which was entirely new to me. Enjoyable reading and interesting recipes. Since I do like Indian Food, my hope is to try some of the recipes when time allows.
First person history lesson.......2007-07-09
This book is worth its price for the introduction alone. The author recounts political history of India's Kerala state through the many waves of European trade and reveals a larger historical context for European history that is invariably missing from all so-called World History classes taught at U.S. universities. The auther is herself a descendant of the players in the history she recounts.
A worthwhile investment for any Indian American under the age of 45.
A NEW HOBBY AWAITS, EXCITING FOOD COMBOS.......2007-06-27
6/27/2007
Grains, Greens and
Grated Coconuts:
Recipes and Remembrances of a
Vegetarian Legacy
By Ammini Ramachandran
Foreward by Suvir Saran
Reviewed by Marty Martindale
It seems, the best cuisine in India is never found in restaurants, but in private homes where treasured recipes are used along with priceless experience and wisdom.
This book is based on the household cooking of Kerala in India and its many vegetarian marvels. The country of India is vast and complex, and Kerala is home to several key spices including the practically universal black pepper. The ancient spice trade caused
Kerala to became a very sought-after destination for millions. With each visitor came new plants and trees in exchange for their treasured spices. In the book, Ramachandran devotes forty pages to the vast number of visiting groups and their contributions the region over many years.
Next is carefully detailed information on their spices, herbs and vegetables, also the importance of rices in their diet. Following these, she explains cooking procedures and unique utensils.
Here are short descriptions of recipes in the book you might wish to try first:
* Varutha Erisseri -- Green Plantains in Toasted Coconut and Cumin Sauce: Basically this is a dish of stewed plantains, chili powder, turmeric powder, freshly grated coconut, vegetable oil and cumin seeds. The sauce is made from oil, mustard seeds, more chili and curry leaves. Served over rice.
* Tomato Pachadi - Tomatoes in a Fresh Coconut and Yogurt Sauce: Tomatoes, turmeric powder, grated coconut, green chilies and yogurt. For a garnish, combine vegetable oil, mustard seed, a fried chili, curry leaves and brown sugar.
* Vishu Kanji - Rice Soup with Coconut Milk: This simple dish is made from two kinds of rice, frozen lima beans and coconut milk.
* Maanga Chammanthi - Fresh Mango Chutney: Combine mangoes, grated coconut and green chilies in a blender.
Grains, Greens and Grated Coconuts is not a book about a cuisine you will cook quickly, for it demands study and practice. However if you are willing to spend time and feel at home with new combinations, you will get closer each time you work with it. Possibilities for some new taste combinations are definitely reachable and offer an exciting prospect!
For supplemental information, the author recommends these sites:
PEPPERTRAIL
INDIAN HOME COOKING
AMERICAN MASALA
You can reach Marty Martindale at: FOOD SITE OF THE DAY
Lovely reading, and excellent recipes.......2007-05-29
This is a book you can either settle into an armchair with, or prop on the kitchen counter ... but either way, you'll be enthralled both by the very evocative writing and the very well explained recipes.
In the armchair this brought forth pictures of an idyllic time in Kerala, while following the recipes produced yummy food that had my friend from Kerala go "Mmm, mmm, mmm..." from the very first mouthful.
The writing is lyrical without being pretentious or flowery, and I suggest the reader start in the armchair and move on to the kitchen!
Simple and delicious dishes from the South of India.......2007-04-17
This book is a great introduction to the myraid flavors of Southern Indian cuisine - which are simple and sublime.
The book focusses on Kerala and the author provides a fascinating background into the culture and customs of that state, immensely helpful to anyone new to its cuisine. I am from the South of India myself and can vouch for the authenticity and reliability of the recipes.
Ammini's voice is reassuring - introducing vegetables like telinga potatoes, ripe and unripe plaintains and breadfruit or teaching the basics of pillowy appams.
I have tried many of the recipes from the book and they are all keepers.
If you are interested in the culinary history of food of kerala, treat yourself to this book!!
Book Description
Learn the secrets of authentic Indian cuisine from native-born cook Sunetra Humbad. With the collaboration of Amy Schafer, most of the cooking methods, techniques and ingredients in these recipes are basic and familiar. Each recipe has a separate listing of ingredients needed to make shopping and planning easier. Menu plans help put it all together.
Customer Reviews:
It is very easy and good.......2007-05-14
I found the book very easy to follow.
The Receipts are simple but very testy.
Easy to Follow.......2007-02-18
This is the first Indian cookbook I've used that was so easy to follow. The layout is simple and the results are always phenominal!
Rather disappointed.......2007-02-02
I purchased this based on 6 great reviews. I love to cook and am a long-time vegetarian, but I've not found a good Indian cookbook and have little to no experience cooking Indian foods.
Unfortunately, I just haven't had a good experience with the recipes in this book. Most of them seem to use the same set of spices (hence, very similar tastes no matter what you make). I guess the recipes turned out OK, but not a winner. I thought this would allow me to make restaurant-quality Indian food (as it did for another reviewer), but it didn't. Just more fair-quality food. I liked one recipe with spinach and lentils but couldn't find a recipe for Naan, my chipatis didn't poof up like the recipe said they should, another lentil dish was rejected by my kids. You might be more experienced with Indian food and have better luck, but this cookbook was a disappointment for me.
Light, tasty and doable vegetarian Indian food for the masses!.......2006-12-19
I am a vegetarian cookbook junkie, and the more exotic the better. I hesitated before ordering this one, since I already had so many similar books. But I think I have yuan2 (Chinese for "affinity") with this book. Today I was puzzling over what to do with a bunch of long green beans and four Asian eggplants. Sure enough, there's a recipe called "eggplant and green beans" in this book! I never would have thought of putting these two together myself, certainly not Chinese style, but this dish really worked. I guess lots of disparate ingredients meld harmoniously when stewed with tomatoes in the right spices.
Two of the old reliables from this book I make again and again are mung bean curry, which is especially nice here, since mung beans are available everywhere in Taiwan; and carrot salad, with cilantro and peanuts. I plan to include it in this year's Christmas dinner - it is refreshing, delightful - and *simple*! The various halvas in the dessert section look mouthwatering as well.
The success rate of dishes made from this book is 100% so far, so I will certainly continue to try new ones. We're lucky to have an Indian grocery in Taipei, but the ingredients for most recipes are quite simple and straightforward, once you have a stock of the basic spices. One little thing - you may need to get used to new terms for certain ingredients, e.g. "hing" for asafoetida.
The cover is very pretty and perky, and the page design is clean and comfortable, though I feel the redundant listing of ingredients in the outer margin isn't really necessary.
Another thing that endears me to this book is knowing it is the product of American-Indian cooperation, between two friends. No glamour shots of the authors for the book - they look like colleagues you'd like to have coffee with often! (Or maybe masala tea!)
So, those of you who don't eat meat (or even if you do) and like healthy, easy-to-make exotic food on the light side: get this one. (It's really inexpensive besides! What more could you ask for?)
HOORAY!!!.......2005-07-23
Very practical recipes, very thoughtfully-done book. A user-friendly experience all around. Would not hesitate to give as a gift, even to those who are cooking challenged.
Book Description
Julie Sahni's remarkable ability to make authentic Indian cooking accessible to American cooks continues to make her first book, Classic Indian Cooking, the definitive work of its kind.
This is her long-awaited second book. To prepare it, Julie Sahni traveled extensively throughout the regions of her native India, to assemble a splendid second volume of Indian culinary delights. Whereas her first book explored the riches of Moghul cuisine, this totally new collection systematically reveals the never-before-described treasures of India's vegetarian and grain cooking.
The book begins with a simple explanation of the ingredients and techniques characteristic of this cuisine. For the first time anywhere, Julie describes every classical blend of curry in the Indian tradition, with accompanying recipes on how to use them. From this book alone you will become master both of India's wonderful curries and of the many new varieties you will now know how to create for yourself.
In addition to a thorough going mastery of cooking with curry, this book provides a complete experience of India's incredibly varied vegetarian and grain dishes. Try the heavenly spread of yogurt cheese flavored, with fresh herbs, a favorite of the Gujarati Jains. Be adventurous: make Steamed Rice and Bean Dumplings in Spicy Lentil and Radish Sauce, traditionally served as tiffin one of the great classics of Indian vegetarian cooking.Vegetarians, the super health-conscious, and meat eaters who want to vary their menu with exciting new dishes, all will want to sample the vegetarian masterpiecesvirtual one-dish feasts-that are the very heart of this book: Malabar Coconut and Yogurt-Braised Vegetables; Hearty Blue Mountain Cabbage and Tomato Stew; Baked Zucchini Stuffed with Vegetarian Keema and BuIgur; Madras Fiery Eggplant, Lentil, and Chili Stew; and so many many others. To accompany these dishes, Julie provides an abundance of chutneys, pickles, breads, rice dishes, dals, vegetable side dishes, yogurt salads, and volcanically hot condiments.
Any time of the day you can snack or nibble on tasty foods that will contribute to your health but not your waistline: refreshing chats (salads without oil), a succulent array of fritters, kaftas, and kababs all ingeniously created from fresh vegetables, and a wide selection of crunchy savories from plantain chips to the irresistible giant papad (lentil wafer).
Your sweet tooth is not neglected by India's vegetarian and grain cooking. Lotus Seed Pudding, kulfi (India's delicious ice cream), coconut dumplings, and Quick Glazed Carrot Halwa are only the beginning of the unbelievable assortment of desserts and sweets Julie Sahni's Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking makes available to you. Plus divine recipes for lassi (yogurt drink), refreshing teas, and classic South Indian coffee.This invaluable and instructive book places India's ancient tradition of delicious vegetarian and grain dishes directly into your hands.
Customer Reviews:
publishers, please correct the errors! .......2006-01-06
This book has been in print since 1985 - proof enough that it's not just another vegetarian book or indian cookbook, but a particularly good one. The recipes are excellent - some of them intriguing; the introduction is thorough; the index is good; recipes sometimes include ingredients that can't be found outside India, for authenticity's sake, but alternatives are also suggested in most cases; and the writing style is clear.
But I won't give it 5 stars. To me, a book is the responsibility not only of the author, but also the publisher. It's just not acceptable to leave errors in a 20-year-old book, such as the dish from Mysore that turns out to be from Bangalore, or a reference to Tanjore as the site of the Meenakshi temple (that left me wondering - did they get the temple wrong, or is the recipe from Madurai?). Also, if I'm going to pay for a hardcover edition, I expect it to be durable, not start falling apart at the (glued-together) seams the minute I start using it.
Also, I agree with another reviewer that this book should have had a lot more on other grains, especially millet and sorghum which are very popular in India but almost never available in restaurants.
And I might as well mention my pet peeve with both Sahni's books: why the distinction between side dishes and main dishes? I find it meaningless - it would have made more sense to put veg with veg, dal with dal, etc.
Still, if you like Indian cooking and don't want to limit yourself to what your corner curry house can offer, and if you want to learn about a vegetarian tradition which is far and away the richest in the world, you will find this book very enjoyable.
great indian technique source.......2006-01-01
I'll preface by saying that my personal experience with Indian cuisine is limited to the great restaurants around the U.S. that I've dined in. I haven't had the pleasure of going to India, or of enjoying home-cooked Indian food here.
On the other hand, I am an avid cook and have cooked professionally. One thing that all of my favorite cookbooks have in common is that they emphasize technique; another is that they link a cuisine to its culture. Using these books broadens my understanding of the technique of certain cuisines. Getting a feel for different cuisines' techniques and methods helps my overall ability to cook without recipes, and with confidence.
Ms. Sahni's book here has been an excellent primer for me on Indian cooking techniques. The patterns of the recipes emerge. The bases, braises, masalas, and finishing perfumed butters and oils. Just as Italian cuisine has its 'hand' and approach, but also its regional variations, so does Julie Sahni introduce us to the same in Indian cuisine with this book.
My only critique is that the book completely lacks photos, and drawings are nearly non-existent. While the recipes are thorough, sometimes desired texture is hard to gauge without some photos, especially with dishes that are unfamiliar from personal experience.
Otherwise, it is one of my 'primer' cookbooks, and an educational and entertaining glimpse into regional Indian cultures -- through food.
Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking.......2005-07-05
Lots of ideas and quality information on ingredients and styles
An Unequivocal and Delicious "Yes!".......2003-10-22
My first reaction to many of these recipes has been "My god! Can you DO that with lentils/milk/yoghurt/vegetables?". But the answer is an unequivocal and delicious "YES!" There aren't tons of glossy colourful pictures smiling out at you (and pushing the price up), and this is a cookbook that has more recipes than you can shake a stick at, so it might be intimidating for some. But fear not. The recipes are well tested, the ingredients readily available, and the descriptions are well written and meaningful. This book has transformed my cooking and my kitchen, with recipes that are tasty, economical, and varied. If you are the least bit adventurous, try this book, I implore you.
A great start toward Indian cooking.......2003-01-19
My wife and I received this book a month ago, for Christmas 2002, and have been cooking our way through it ever since. We are both vegetarians and, while not Indian, have had authentic Indian cooked food.
The recipes are fairly well done, easy to follow, and obviously well tested. Unlike some cook books, the times are correct, the food tastes "right," and the descriptions are accurate. It is well worth having this book as a good introduction to Indian style cooking. Try the Eggplant and Potato side dish (as a main course) over rice, it's wonderful!
There are a few minor annoyances that cause me to only give four stars rather than five. First, the index is horrible. Looking up dishes by the Indian names is tedious as the book has been almost over Americanized. Second, with a title with the word "classic," I am disappointed in the number of items that tell me to "buy this at the store/nobody makes these from scratch anymore/this is too complex, here is a simplified version" in this book. I appreciate the information, but I don't want the variation, at least not without the true recipe too. Third, even most of the side dishes will feed an army. Not being Indian, I would like even more information on meal planning than is given. If I made all the things suggested, we would be eating the same meal for a week straight!
Finally, the book doesn't go into much detail about the different regions and I would prefer to have things divided into regions as well. Again, these are minor, and I recommend this book as a good first book, but the recipes are good, so give it a shot! Oh, there are some typos in the book too, and considering how long it has been in print, they should have been fixed long ago!
Book Description
Vegitarian Cuisine, Eaten with the salt of the earth
Customer Reviews:
Ital eating.........2007-06-26
This book is vey informative and right on point with true Ital eating.. my only wish is that there were MORE recipes.. :-)
fantastic banana porridge, easy recipes.......2007-01-10
I'm a little disappointed that this is the only Rasta cookbook out there, however I really enjoyed this one. Recipes did lack a little flavor but with a little tweaking these recipes help to create new and healthy alternatives to everyday food. Overall this cookbook was well worth the money.
EASY RECIPES!.......2006-07-12
This book delivered on so many levels. It provided me with quick and easy recipes, Best of all it is comletely vegetarian! This book will definately add to my favorite recipes.
great casava .......2006-02-17
Its a ital cook book, just what i been looking for :) thankyou
Comming from a rasta...........2002-04-27
Comming from a Rasta I must admit that it is hard to find books that teach u to cook vegeterian and "ital" all at the same time. All though I already knew how to do both BEFORE I bought the book, It was still a nice gesture to see the recipes ranging from all over the carribean and African Decent. Some of these recepies include but are not limited to peas and rice (made with brown rice), herb dumpling, plenty of different soups, stews, tofu patties, derserts including Ital ice creams (mango, coconut, pawpaw...etc ), Breads made with no added perservaties or dairy products (fully vegeterian), and plenty of fresh fruit drinks as well. Including carrot juice (zion juice), pawpaw, freshly homemade punches, etc....Being a cook myself I must say that i was impressed by the context. These receipies are more or less like Cousines rather then just ordinary Vegeterian food. One can make good use from it. A meal that I have often found most deseriable in the book is the vegeterian stuffed bell peppers taken from the entree catagory, peas and rice/ sweet corn and rice taken from the side dish category, and steamed callaloo taken from the vegetable and side dish category. Having it washed down with some sweet coconut water or some other kind of NATURAL fruit (taken from the juice senction ) or vegetable juice makes a deserible meal that vegeterians, non vegeterians, Rastas, and non Rastas will feel priveledged to have enjoyed.
Book Description
Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine explains the healing qualities of various foods and spices and recommends combinations appropriate for specific conditions of body and mind.
• Provides a complete introduction to the Ayurvedic science of healthy eating.
• Includes 200 vegetarian recipes to improve health and longevity.
• By Harish Johari, the bestselling author of Chakras, Tools for Tantra, and Numerology.
One of the oldest systems of medicine in the world, the Indian science of Ayurveda views the human being as intimately connected with the environment and all other life forms. It prescribes various methods of synchronizing ourselves with the world around us, placing great emphasis on diet and the specific attributes of different foods. Following these ancient guidelines, Harish Johari offers a clear and concise introduction to the principles of Ayurvedic eating and explains the healing qualities that foods and spices impart according to their subtle energies. He suggests special combinations to heal and balance both body and mind and includes 200 vegetarian recipes.
Customer Reviews:
Round out your vegetarian cooking with some knowledge of the Ayurvedas.......2007-07-19
I am a vegetarian for ethical reasons and I enjoy cooking. There are a few cookbooks that I turn to from time to time for concepts and ideas. Recipes are how you learn to cook but as you get cooking, you learn what it is that makes your food taste good or feel good (we have all had meals, hopefully not at home, which left us feeling sick afterwards). I wanted to get some understanding of Ayurvedic principles underlying traditional Indian vegetarian cooking. I am not at all religious and some small parts of the book strike me as a bit unscientific in explaining why something might work or not. However, other parts of Ayurvedic theory of medicine make sense to me. What do I expect this book to do for me? I am already an experienced and good cook so I don't expect to learn new recipes. I bought this book because I wanted to know about Ayurvedic ingredient combinations that are optimal as well as to gain some knowledge of cooking for particular conditions (say stomach problems, chills...) which we are faced with in our daily lives with our families. And this I think is a unique contribution. The fantastic North Indian vegetarian recipes are just icing on the cake. I think any cook (vegetarian or otherwise) and those interested in holistic living should have this book in their collection.
Here are the contents of the book:
Editor's Note
Introduction
Part 1 An Introduction to Ayurveda
Ch 1 Principles of Ayurveda
Ch 2 Balanced Nutrition
Ch 3 Foods and Their Healing Properties
Ch 4 Guidelines for Preparing and Eating Foods
Ch 5 Food and the Cycles of Nature
Ch 6 Food and Consciousness
Part 2 The Recipes
Ch 1 Introduction to the Recipes
Ch 2 Snacks
Ch 3 Dals
Ch 4 Savory Rice Dishes
Ch 5 Vegetable Dishes
Ch 6 Paneer Dishes
Ch 7 Yogurt Dishes
Ch 8 Salads
Ch 9 Condiments
Ch 10 Breads
Ch 11 Desserts and Sweet Fruit Creams
Ch 12 Beverages
Appendices
App A Menu Combinations
App B Recipes for Children and the Elderly
App C About Milk
Glossary
Sources of Supply
Index
A must-have whether you're a vegetarian or not........2004-08-22
I have been cooking for myself since I was very young, and this book almost entirely changed the way I think about food. Ayurvedic cooking may sound complicated with all the terms like "sattvic", "rajasic", "tamasic", the six tastes, etc, but it is not difficult to get used to, and gives you a great sense of satisfaction. I used to be intimidated by Indian recipes that had 100 ingredients I never heard of, but this book is not like that at all. He uses relatively few spices and I can easily find all the ingredients at an International grocery store that has a small Indian section. I've made something from this book every day since I got it, and it amazes me how quick and easy it is to produce a very nutritious and satisfying meal. It is the simplest and most nutritious type of cooking I've tried. I find it very convenient. Vegetarians who have not read this book are missing out. I, however, am not a strict vegetarian, and I still find this book very useful. I was especially interested in the preperations used by bodybuilders, wrestlers, and athletes in India. I am a strength athlete, myself, and I find these very useful, as I don't bother with any supplements. In "Dhanwantari", which I also highly recommend, he recommends a handful of sprouted chana (chickpeas) each day as a general tonic. I heard about this before, being used as a sort of protein supplement by Hindu wrestlers who could not afford almonds. This alone could be so beneficial to so many people. Everyone who eats should read this book. Especially people in this fast-food society. There is so much wisdom in the words of this man who is from a place where "electricity has never been seen, phones have never been drempt of, and cars can't reach." Namaste!
Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine.......2002-05-19
Ayurveda is an ancient system of medicine from India that emphasizes the healing properties of food. As Harish Johari says, "food is something very personal and it should never be eaten for taste alone; its purpose is to provide nutrients and satisfaction to the body, without introducing toxins." Johari, a Tantric and Ayurvedic scholar, wrote twelve books, as well as produced audiocassettes and CDs, before his death in 1999. Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine: 200 Vegetarian Recipes for Health, Balance, and Longevity, published posthumously, "explains the healing qualities of various foods and spices and recommends combinations appropriate for specific conditions of body and mind."
Johari first introduces the principles of Ayurveda, fully discussing the role of the five elements and describing the doshas--a way of classifying body types and temperments. He also explains that there are six tastes--sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent. Each of the tastes has a different effect on the body. Foods are further classified as to whether they are hot or cold and heavy or light. These attributes also affect the body in various ways.
Understanding how foods interact with one another and how they effect the body provides a foundation for healthy eating. Johari maintains that "most diseases are the result of wrong eating habits and/or of eating antagonist foods."
He also includes information on the nutrients in food, such as protein and vitamins. That's followed by a section describing the healing properties of specific foods. He suggests using milk as a source of protein, rather than meat or eggs.
The bulk of the book is devoted to recipes, including how to prepare various Indian spice mixtures. All of the recipes are Westernized versions of Indian foods and use ingredients that can be obtained in the West. Many are prepared using a wok. Johari presents recipes for snacks, dals, main dishes, salads, condiments, breads, desserts, and beverages.
Appendices include menu suggestions, and several special recipes for children and the elderly. He finishes with a list of spice and specialty food suppliers.
Readers interested in applying the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda healing to contemporary lifestyles will find both an excellent reference and delicious recipes in Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine.
Book Description
Along with recipes for beverages, snacks, chutneys, dairy products, vegetable dishes, rice, dal (lentils, peas, and other legumes), breads, and sweets, you will find helpful information on the spices and other ingredients that are essential to authentic Indian cooking. Includes nutritional information on the healthful benefits of Indian vegetarian cuisine.
Customer Reviews:
This book will change the smell of your house........2007-04-27
It turns out that even an average American mom like me can make great Indian food. In the two months since my sister gave it to me as a birthday gift, I have made many recipes from this book. While I cook, the house smells like an Indian restaurant. My three young kids have willingly eaten most of the meals--they're that good.
This is not some sort of foo-foo picture book written by a well-known chef. It's a rubber-meets-the-road sort of book by a real mom. The book is a sensible size for setting on the counter while cooking, and the binding stays open fairly well. The author includes a shopping list ("The Healthful Indian Pantry"), which is very helpful. Each chapter has an interesting introduction that provides a cultural background for the food. Most of the recipes are actually vegan, and when they are not, the author includes adaptations to make the recipe vegan. For anyone who lives nowhere near an Indian market, at the end of the book there is a list of addresses for mail order. And, of course, there is an index and glossary--also helpful!
Too bad the publishing company has such a generic name that it's difficult to run a search for all their other books. If they're all as good as this one, I want to buy more.
Simple and delicious.......2007-01-12
Indian cuisine is really the only cuisine I know anything about. Growing up in London and being vegetarian have something to do with it. This is my favorite Indian cook book. It is also the one I give to friends interested in starting to cook Indian food.
What makes this book outstanding is the simplicity of most of the receipes, and the way the author elucidates the reasons for putting this spice in before that one, or using this ingredient rather than that one. The layout is excellent, and the drawings add a touch of elegance. A superb book!
The Real Deal.......2006-01-07
Background: I grew up eating Indian vegetarian food. Sometimes it was good, sometimes mediocre, occassionally fantastic. I had kichadi for breakfast and dal-chawal-roti-sabji for dinner every day except festival days.
Bias: I will admit a bias that I actually met the author; I went to high school with her son and was lucky enough to have dinner at her house once.
Review: This is the absolute, number one, best Indian cookbook on the market today. I own most of the big ones and many little ones, and nothing else out there even approaches this book for utility and quality. Most cookbooks offer a good base for a recipe, but you have to make it once and then adjust and improve it. All the recipes in this book are excellent as written; I have not had to modify any of them! There's no padding in this book. She doesn't include every Indian recipe you've ever (and never) heard of, but she does include all the basics you need to eat well every day. This is the only time I have seen okra treated properly in a cookbook, and the recipe for pakora batter is phenomenal. Her style is authentic Gujarati-style cooking. Having spent some time in Gujarat and eaten at many Gujarati houses, I should know.
All in all, a highly recommended resource for any kitchen. Having eaten at the author's house, I can attest that her cooking is excellent, authentic Indian vegetarian cusine, and she used the same recipes included in the book. She is the real deal.
vegetarian delights.......2002-10-04
If you're a vegetarian, a few Indian recipes are a great thing to have in your culinary repertoire, and this book has some tasty and easy to make dishes that are nutritious, aromatic, nice to look at, and even better to eat.
Even if you don't like Indian cuisine, you'll get a lot out of the rice and lentil (dal) chapters. It gives a tremendous amount of information on both these items, their many different types, and how to cook them to perfection.
The "Dal-Based Dishes" is a superb chapter, and one can even "mix and match" these recipes and come up with a delightful side dish.
Other good chapters are "Snacks" (oh ! those heavenly samosas !), and the many pages of veggie recipes...you'll also get a lot of info on spices and ingredients.
Most of the spices and ingredients are available in any good supermarket, although if you're lucky to live in an area with an Indian market, you'll find the same items, usually for a fraction of the cost.
I have the 1972 hardcover edition to this book, and though the chapters have been moved about, the contents in this edition are almost the same. With all my many moves, I don't have a lot of cookbooks, but this one will always be a keeper.
Oh my god.......2000-12-02
This is the best Indian cook book ever! It's packed with information, yet not overwhelming. Every recipe is perfect and dances with flavor in your mouth.
Book Description
Here is wonderful array of tempting dishes as lively as the people of Jamaica themselves. Includes spicy Jamaican-style soups and stews with an African beat, English dishes with mango and tamarind, island influences in Asian dishes, and other delicious, traditional Jamaican treats.
Customer Reviews:
Shines a Whole New Light on Vegetarian Cuisine.......2007-02-18
Last week I went through my cookbooks, to see if I could weed some out, because I have too many to mention. It's hard getting rid of a cookbook, especially one with a few recipes in it that you've come to love. But I've scanned the recipes I need to keep forever into my MacBook. However, there were an even dozen I couldn't part with. These are books I turn to time and time again, even though I consider myself somewhat of a gourmet chef.
DELICIOUS JAMAICA is one of the books I kept and to my way of thinking it's just about the best vegetarian cookbook out there. If you like exotic cooking and you've given up meat or just plain don't eat it, then this is the book for you. Veggies don't have to be bland, just try the "Callalu Run Down" on page 30 and you'll see what I mean. Then there's the "Yam Run Down Casserole" which is simply too tasty to be true. If you're not a vegetarian, you can make a lot of the recipes in this book as a side dish. The "Spice Rice" for example works very well with just about anything. There is a whole lot more in this nifty cookbook that belongs with any serious collection of Caribbean cookbooks.
Review submitted by Capatin Katie Osborne
Great cookbook.......2003-01-21
When I became vegetarian I worried about missing out on some of my favorite flavors like jamaican jerk. This book has a number of terrific recipes for doing jerk potatoes, jerk vegetables and even jerk tofu (I haven't tried that yet but certainly will). It has all the classics in here - pepperpot soup, plantains, etc.I've only scratched the surface in terms of making my way through the recipes but so far so good.
A practical Jamaican Cookbook.......2000-03-18
We bought this book last year before leaving for a vacation in Jamaica. In Jamaica we had rented a house that had a cook. She was a wonderful Jamaican woman unfamiliar with vegetarian cooking. We showed her this book. She was familiar with many of the dishes in this book, but in non-vegetarian forms. With this book she was able to adapt her recipes and we had a wonderful week of home-cooked Jamaican, vegetarian meals. At the end of our vacation she was delighted when we left her our copy of this book.
"A Great Cultural Book on Great I-Tal Food".......1998-05-13
I had the pleasure of meeting and dining in the home of Yvonne Mc Calla Sobers of Kingston, Jamaica in July 1997. It was indeed memorable, to sit and rest after the long drive from the northcoast, in the hot midday, and enjoy the quiet breezy veranda of the Lingunea Mansion gifted to her by her childhood friend, Prime Minister Hon. Michael Manley, Chatting in depth about Jamaica, Food and Life, with her Sons and Herself, and reminesing of a childhood in Jamaica when "Bustamante Backbone" was a treat.
The Ben Johnson Vegetable Stew, made of all the great leftovers and pieces of vegetable in the fridge made for an adventurous treat on a hot afternoon, when shopping was out of the question. Sweet, Flavorful, Rich, Filling, Heaven in a bowl.
Yvonne treated us to her Fried Breadfruit, and some creamy vegeterian Solomon Gundy, which I have yet to locate outside Jamaica, namely in Kingston. Her conversations about the 38 different Mango's that were introduced to Jamaica and the West Indies, assures you that this isn't just some Local Cook.
We brought with us 2 bunches of country Gynip to the dinner party, and that was the payment for the truly fabulous country delicacies. approximatly $1.00 u.s. Unbelievable.
Indeed Mrs Sobers, is an internationally known consultant, responsible for bringing many international development projects closer to the people of Jamaica, instead of just the Tourist Regions. Hearing Her name mentioned daily on the radio stations in Jamaica, and seeing her Photograph in the Newspapers Islandwide, makes one know this is a Very Special Lady, and to be invited to sit on her special part of the earth and enjoy the treat of her hand is truly a dream come true for this aspiring cookbook writer.
I Advise, if you are looking for a Great New concept in Vegeterian Healthy Cooking Buy This Book and Share it With someone You Love.
My Recommendations - Hot and Spicy Shepards Pie, Ben Johnson Stew, Cashew and Gungo Loaf, Jamdown Curry, JamaicanStyle Veggy Burgers, Maro! ons, Callalalu - in all the styles; and of course Breadfruit, Tropical Gingerbread, Number 11 Mango Chutney named for one of the 38 types of Mango found in Jamaica; and Chef Yvonnes' Special Ital Rasta Pasta; (much better than that place on the hill in ochi.) This book is recommended for Senior Citizens, Dieters, Fat Free and Low FatDiets, Diabetics, Children, and Fussy Folks. The food is so delicious they will never know how healthy it really is. Guaranteed.
Book Description
One of the early books of the author,Khazana of Indian vegetarian recipes was a run away success.the T.V.show and the first few titles were responsible in building up the Brand Sanjeev Kapoor.There is no turning back..the book is complete for any vegetarin food lover.
Customer Reviews:
Yummy Vegetarian Recipes from the Master Chef.......2007-01-06
This book is collection of delicious vegetarian recipes from the series of books based on Khana Khazana program. The book is printed on nice glossy paper with good photographs and detailed recipes that are easy to follow. After-all this yet another masterpiece from the master chef Sanjeev Kapoor. He rocks!!
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