Spices and Seasons, Simple Sustainable Indian Flavors
I am delighted to welcome author Rinku Bhatttacharya and her new cookbook featuring the joys of cooking Indian cuisine. Cookbooks are wonderful to savor, aren’t they? As you look at the lovely photos, you begin to conjure special events or family meals- ways to share love with your friends and family. My family and I have the best times cooking together. Enjoy!
Rinku Bhattacharya combines her two great loves―Indian cooking and sustainable living―to give readers a simple, accessible way to cook seasonally, locally, and flavorfully. Inspired by the bounty of local produce, mostly from her own backyard, Rinku set out to create recipes for busy, time-strapped home cooks who want to blend Indian flavors into nutritious family meals.
Arranged in chapters from appetizers through desserts, the cookbook includes everything from small bites, soups, seafood, meat and poultry, and vegetables, to condiments, breads, and sweets. You’ll find recipes for tempting fare like “Mango and Goat Cheese Mini Crisps,” “Roasted Red Pepper Chutney,” “Crisped Okra with Dry Spice Rub,” “Smoky Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Puree,” and “Red Harvest Masala Cornish Hens,” to name a few.
As exotic and enticing as these recipes sound, the ingredients are easily found and the instructions are simple. Rinku encourages readers to explore the bounty of their local farms and markets, and embrace the rich flavors of India to cook food that is nutritious, healthy, seasonal and most importantly, delicious.
JENA’S REVIEW
Spices & Seasons: Simple, Sustainable Indian Flavors by Rinku Bhattacharya
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Author Rinku Bhattacharya is the foodie friend that we all love. Food makes her happy and she joyfully shares her vision of a family sharing time together, preparing and eating tasty, flavorful and easy to prepare meals. An Indian woman, living in New York, she loves sharing her favorite Indian recipes and talking about the seasons and seasoning. Her recipes are easy and approachable.
I started reading this cookbook on my Kindle, but then realized I would enjoy it so much more on my iPad, so I could see all the beautifully presented photographs of the dishes. (And the real book version might be the best way to use this cookbook!) This is a comprehensive look at Indian food- from appetizers to desserts, main dishes covering all the proteins and vegetarian options, and salads and grain dishes.
The author uses the changing seasons where she lives to show us how to spotlight the freshest available ingredients. She explains that this is how Indian families cook, using what is seasonally available. Each chapter starts with a friendly story, and most recipes also begin with pleasant anecdotes and recollections. I found it helpful that she explained all the Indian spices and how to establish a good repertoire of spices in our own kitchens.
Readers with children will like how the author explains which dishes her own kids love, or how to make a kid-friendly meal. I highlighted all the recipes I want to try- and ended up marking most of the book! With the positive Rinku Bharracharya at my side, I look forward to filling my kitchen with delightful aromas and having fun with my family as we try these recipes.
Thanks to Rachels Random Resources for a review copy. This is my honest opinion.
About Rinku Bhattacharya
Rinku Bhattacharya (spicechronicles.com) was born in India, and now lives in a house with a vibrant backyard in Hudson Valley, New York with her husband, an avid gardener, and their two children. Rinku’s simple, sustainable approach to Indian cooking is showcased on her blog, Spice Chronicles, and in her Journal News column “Spices and Seasons.”
Rinku has been teaching recreational cooking classes for the past nine years, and works extensively with local area farmer’s markets on seasonal demonstrations and discussions. Rinku is also the author of The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles (Hippocrene Books, 2012), winner of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2013 for Best Indian Cuisine. She writes for the Poughkeepsie Journal, the Journal News, and several online sites, and is a frequent guest on CT Style TV.
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About the Author
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