The Chettinad Cookbook

by Meyyammai Murugappan & Visalakshi Ramaswamy, Sriram (Illustrator), Bharath Ramamrutham (Photographer)

The Traditional Chettinad Cookbook is a collection of of family celebrations, colourful food and wonderful aromas. Chettinad food is a mirror of Chettinad culture, colourful yet quiet, spicy yet not fiery. Lastly it is steeped in tradition, but still not afraid of accommodating and accepting acquired tastes. The book is encyclopaedic in its depth and content, a record of both easy, everyday recipes to the more complex, exotic fare served during special occasions. Each recipe has been tried and tested, and the sample menus show how they were combined to provide a sumptuous and wholesome meal. Simple step-by-step instructions ensure that even first-time cooks find the recipes easy to follow, and the glossary at the end of the book provides easy reference to those unfamiliar with the Tamil vernacular names for various ingredients. Neatly divided into chapters and sorted according to type and preference, the book caters to both vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. Beautiful hand rendered illustrations capture the soul of the Chettiar kitchen, bringing to life the storerooms and the traditional and unique cooking tools and utensils. The entire Chettiar culinary repertoire has been compiled into eleven chapters containing 276 recipes accompanied by photographs and illustrations. Chettinad cuisine is a part of living tradition, a tradition that is slowing giving way to microwaveable meals and pre-cooked food. With its uncomplicated format and detail, this book hopes to rekindle an interest in traditional home-cooked food.

380 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2014