Cooking the Indian Way: To Include New Low-Fat and Vegetarian Recipes

by Vijay Madavan

An introduction to the cuisine and culture of India, including information about the country's social life and customs.

Genres: Cooking, Nonfiction, Cookbooks, India

72 pages, Library Binding

First published April 1, 1989

Reviews

[Veronica Ika]

A Flavorful Journey Through India
Beyond recipes, the book introduces readers to India’s diverse culinary traditions, regional influences, and the cultural significance of spices, holidays, and festivals.

Spice Smart, Cook Confidently
With clear guides to utensils, cooking terms, special ingredients, and healthy preparation tips, it helps beginners navigate Indian cuisine with ease.

From Street Snacks to Festive Feasts
Featuring snacks, beverages, hearty meat dishes, vibrant vegetarian meals, and celebratory favorites, plus colorful food photography, the book captures the richness of dining the Indian way.

[Beth E]

This book is so small that it feels like a kid's book, but I feel like the recipes are adult level recipes. I am puzzled by the intended audience.
It does do a good job of explaining basics of Indian cooking and regional differences in Indian food.

[Amanda Dicicco]

I never had Indian food because of the spices. I looked at the recipes and I wrote them down. I’m gonna try to cook them with minimal spice. My stomach can’t take the heat.

[Mrbrudney44]

"Cooking the Indian Way" is an informational book that exposes children to the beauty of Indian cooking. This book is divided into different chapters or sections, with a thorough introduction that educates children about India's culture, history, festivals, and cuisine, among other cultural aspects. This introduction delves into detail about India's culture and would give useful information to children if they were completing a country report about India.

Although the book does use cooking vocabulary and words specific to Indian cuisine, a complete glossary of cooking terms and Indian ingredients helps students to better understand the content of the book. Many of the recipes also feature eye-catching and vivid pictures so as to maintain the interest of the student. I found the book very informative and easy to navigate. Interested students could show this book to their parents and make these dishes together. Even if someone is unfamiliar with Indian food and its preparation, they will quickly find out sufficient information by briefly perusing this book!

I view this book as being appropriate for students in the fourth grade or higher. Some of the cooking terminology is sophisticated, so younger students would need more guidance than older students. This book would be useful to include in a classroom library if the class is studying India. This book also could tie into a social studies unit about the various aspects that make up a country's culture. In this case, the salient aspect of culture would be the country's food. Finally, a teacher could show this book to the class when discussing the different types of nonfiction books. Most students probably do not see cookbooks as informational, nonfiction books. If a teacher were to introduce the book in class, then students could consider exactly what aspects of a cookbook make it nonfiction and informational.

[Jacqueline]

More than just a cookbook, this book is a real introduction to cooking in India and how it relates to Indian culture. It includes basic descriptions of how Indian cuisine varies from region to region, how food relates to the celebration of Indian holidays, and how common religions in India affect what food people eat. The book concludes with a couple of easy to prepare Indian menus including shopping lists and recipes, and a handful of additional recipes. Although there are only a few recipes in this book, I think it is a great starting place for someone interested in Indian cooking, and the whole series would be great for the budding cook looking to find out more about cooking from various regions around the world.

[Diana]

Recipe to try: Garam Masala and Pumpkin Curry

[Jeff Kubic]

A good book on Indian traditions and cooking techniques. Some basics were missing, though (like making curry powder).

[Aiman]

Needs more pictures.