Healthy South Indian Cooking [Hardcover]

Product Details

Hardcover: 276 pages
Publisher: Hippocrene Books; Expanded edition (September 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0781811899
ISBN-13: 978-0781811897
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 8.1 x 1.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

By : Alamelu Vairavan
Price : $23.02
You Save : $11.98 (34%)

Customer Reviews

I have several East Indian Cook books, but Healthy South Indian Cooking has fast become my favorite. The descriptions of the many spices, oils, herbs, and the multilingual glossary are a great help for this westerner when shopping for ingredients. The recipes are easy to follow and the instructions on when to add each spice ensure success and the utmost flavor. As one who loves to cook and make notes about recipes, it is a pleasure to finally have a book that allows space on the pages for just that without skimping on the type size or readability of the recipes. I took the book with me to my local international food store to show the owner, who was so pleased that she is ordering her own copy. Food should be beautiful to look at, fun to make and exciting and healthful to eat. Healthy South Indian Cooking does it all. Thank you to authors' Vairavan and Marquardt for this delightful addition to our joy of eating.

I can't really add much more to the positive reviews here, other than to echo them: The recipes in this book are all really wonderful (at least those I've tried). I find it odd that she doesn't include recipes for her own spice blends, but that's not a huge importance to me. Lots of hurried home Indian cooks use prepared spices, too.
The only real beef I have with the book is the idea that the recipes are in some way healthier than the average southern Indian cookbook's. Indian cooking has more vegetables, legumes and other plant foods than many other cuisines, but even southern cooking has tremendous amounts of fat. This book's recipes are no different.
Unfortunately, authentic Indian cooking is somewhat akin to the traditional recipes of the American south. You CAN make healthier versions of breaded chicken, sweet potato casserole and pork chops ... but they won't be the classics that people grew up with.
I really wish someone would write a good, comprehensive Indian cookbook devoted to decreasing the fat. With all the stews, soups and yogurt-based dishes in the cuisine, there seems ample opportunity for someone to take on the task of adapting some of the classics.