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Curry Compendium: Recreate superb British Indian Restaurant food at home with the works of Misty Ricardo's Curry Kitchen
Introducing the definitive guide to recreating British Indian Restaurant favourites from the comfort of your own home!
Lockdown saw a surge in people trying to recreate restaurant flavours at home – and now Brits want more inspiration as they get bolder in the kitchen.
In Curry Compendium, Richard Sayce expertly combines both volumes of his best-selling, Gourmand award-winning Indian Restaurant Curry at Home books, with a sprinkling of new recipes, to create the ultimate guide to cooking excellent British Indian Restaurant food in your own kitchen.
Richard Sayce, the man behind Misty Ricardo’s Curry Kitchen, is renowned by his many fans for quality recipes, attention to detail and his affable style. Having sold more than 50,000 copies of his first books, and amassing over six million views of his recipes on YouTube, there is a huge appetite for this new magnus opus packed with mouth-watering, easy-to-follow recipes.
Curry Compendium includes starters, side dishes, curries, rice and bread, along with a generous portion of vegetarian, traditional and street food style recipes. Readers benefit from supporting YouTube tutorials for the majority of recipes, each with a QR code to scan with a smartphone/tablet to watch online instantly.
Research from Bray Leino points to lockdown leading to an overwhelming rise in home cooking: 55% said they are ‘cooking more from scratch as I’m spending more time at home.’ Interestingly, the group most likely to agree with this statement was 18-34 year olds. Their 2019 report identified this group as most likely to eat fast food and use ready meals, so we’re seeing a huge behaviour shift that will impact for years to come.
Lockdown saw a surge in people trying to recreate restaurant flavours at home – and now Brits want more inspiration as they get bolder in the kitchen.
In Curry Compendium, Richard Sayce expertly combines both volumes of his best-selling, Gourmand award-winning Indian Restaurant Curry at Home books, with a sprinkling of new recipes, to create the ultimate guide to cooking excellent British Indian Restaurant food in your own kitchen.
Richard Sayce, the man behind Misty Ricardo’s Curry Kitchen, is renowned by his many fans for quality recipes, attention to detail and his affable style. Having sold more than 50,000 copies of his first books, and amassing over six million views of his recipes on YouTube, there is a huge appetite for this new magnus opus packed with mouth-watering, easy-to-follow recipes.
Curry Compendium includes starters, side dishes, curries, rice and bread, along with a generous portion of vegetarian, traditional and street food style recipes. Readers benefit from supporting YouTube tutorials for the majority of recipes, each with a QR code to scan with a smartphone/tablet to watch online instantly.
Research from Bray Leino points to lockdown leading to an overwhelming rise in home cooking: 55% said they are ‘cooking more from scratch as I’m spending more time at home.’ Interestingly, the group most likely to agree with this statement was 18-34 year olds. Their 2019 report identified this group as most likely to eat fast food and use ready meals, so we’re seeing a huge behaviour shift that will impact for years to come.
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Published September 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
September 15, 2021
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
Curry Compendium is the most amazing book on cooking curry's from scratch that I have ever come across!
This book has so much information within its pages and had my mouth watering all the way through.
With so many people at home I isolation during lockdown and at first not much choice to have a takeaway, so many more people have begun to try their hand at making their own delicious curry's, from scratch.
This book will help you do that!
I loved how the book even gave advice on which equipment to use!
All the classic curry's such as Kikka Masala, Madras, Rogan Josh, Korma and Jalfrezi are all featured in this book along with many more!
I've screenshot loads I want to try my hand at from within this book!
Curry Compendium is the most amazing book on cooking curry's from scratch that I have ever come across!
This book has so much information within its pages and had my mouth watering all the way through.
With so many people at home I isolation during lockdown and at first not much choice to have a takeaway, so many more people have begun to try their hand at making their own delicious curry's, from scratch.
This book will help you do that!
I loved how the book even gave advice on which equipment to use!
All the classic curry's such as Kikka Masala, Madras, Rogan Josh, Korma and Jalfrezi are all featured in this book along with many more!
I've screenshot loads I want to try my hand at from within this book!
August 24, 2021
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this cookbook in exchange for an honest review.
If you've ever wondered why your curry has turned bitter or doesn't taste "just right" then look no further than Richard Sayce's Curry compendium. A large chunk of this cookbook is filled with very helpful information on choosing the best spices and ingredients to make the perfect curry.
There is a section as well devoted to the equipment and correct temperature at which a curry dish should be prepared. These are explained in great detail in the first few chapters. I used to use my pressure cooker and occasionally my slow cooker to prepare curries, but I can see how that doesn't always work for some meats and vegetables - now that I've read this book. Some curries need to be cooked in smaller batches to maintain great flavour.
There is one tip that I found validated what I had discovered a while ago: pre-boiling your chicken makes it more tender and allows it to absorb the flavour of the curry sauce more easily. (I found that, particularly with BBQs, pre-boiling was a must to ensure even cooking.)
If you read this cookbook/guide carefully, you will be able to churn out Tikka Masala, Rogan Josh and a whole host of your favourite dishes. Be prepared for some high heat for your taste buds as well as in the kitchen as you serve up some of the delicious recipes in this very well written cookbook.
Happy cooking!
If you've ever wondered why your curry has turned bitter or doesn't taste "just right" then look no further than Richard Sayce's Curry compendium. A large chunk of this cookbook is filled with very helpful information on choosing the best spices and ingredients to make the perfect curry.
There is a section as well devoted to the equipment and correct temperature at which a curry dish should be prepared. These are explained in great detail in the first few chapters. I used to use my pressure cooker and occasionally my slow cooker to prepare curries, but I can see how that doesn't always work for some meats and vegetables - now that I've read this book. Some curries need to be cooked in smaller batches to maintain great flavour.
There is one tip that I found validated what I had discovered a while ago: pre-boiling your chicken makes it more tender and allows it to absorb the flavour of the curry sauce more easily. (I found that, particularly with BBQs, pre-boiling was a must to ensure even cooking.)
If you read this cookbook/guide carefully, you will be able to churn out Tikka Masala, Rogan Josh and a whole host of your favourite dishes. Be prepared for some high heat for your taste buds as well as in the kitchen as you serve up some of the delicious recipes in this very well written cookbook.
Happy cooking!
August 15, 2021
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Curry Compendium is a very well written and understandable British Indian Restaurant takeaway tutorial guide with recipes by Richard Sayce. Due out 10th Sept 2021, it's 320 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.
I love British style Indian takeaway. I was a student for years in London and although I'm sure it's probably possible to find ethically sourced Latvian cuisine carefully prepared by left handed Danes in medieval costume in London (because you can get nearly -anything- in London), it was always always Indian food I came back to and which kept me firing on all cylinders (more or less) during my studies. I have so many favourites: dhal, saagwala, fiery vindaloo, paneer, aloo, biryani, and my wonderful beloved butter chicken. All of them without fail are here in their glory, just as I remembered.
The word in the title "compendium" really applies here. This is a comprehensive volume, built up meticulously from beginning information, ingredients, tools, supplies, and the fundamentals, through to finished dishes with sides and accessories. The chapters are arranged thematically: intro and fundamentals, how to start, and beginning tutorials, through cooking methods and equipment, premade ingredients (masalas, pastes, and bases), starters, classic curries, special dishes, extra hot curries, vegetarian curries, side dishes, rice & bread, sundries, street food (!!), and scaling up recipes to feed more people.
The recipes have their ingredients listed bullet style in a sidebar. Measurements are given in standard metric measures. Special tools and ingredients are also listed, along with yields and step-by-step preparation directions. Nutritional information is not included. Some of the ingredients will be easily sourced at any moderately well stocked grocery store, but many will require a specialist grocer or large international food retailer.
The photography throughout is clear and colourful. All of the recipes contain one or more photos. Serving suggestions are appetising and appropriate.
The book also includes several handy appendices: a fascinating glimpse inside an Indian restaurant kitchen with linked films on youtube, a shopping/larder list for cooks stocking up their kitchen, and an abbreviated online resource list with links to suppliers. The list is slanted toward readers in the UK, but readers elsewhere should be fine with online searches to find suppliers in their own areas. The index is basic but does include recipes by name (not ingredient).
This is a wonderfully complete and up to date volume with masses of delicious recipes.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Curry Compendium is a very well written and understandable British Indian Restaurant takeaway tutorial guide with recipes by Richard Sayce. Due out 10th Sept 2021, it's 320 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.
I love British style Indian takeaway. I was a student for years in London and although I'm sure it's probably possible to find ethically sourced Latvian cuisine carefully prepared by left handed Danes in medieval costume in London (because you can get nearly -anything- in London), it was always always Indian food I came back to and which kept me firing on all cylinders (more or less) during my studies. I have so many favourites: dhal, saagwala, fiery vindaloo, paneer, aloo, biryani, and my wonderful beloved butter chicken. All of them without fail are here in their glory, just as I remembered.
The word in the title "compendium" really applies here. This is a comprehensive volume, built up meticulously from beginning information, ingredients, tools, supplies, and the fundamentals, through to finished dishes with sides and accessories. The chapters are arranged thematically: intro and fundamentals, how to start, and beginning tutorials, through cooking methods and equipment, premade ingredients (masalas, pastes, and bases), starters, classic curries, special dishes, extra hot curries, vegetarian curries, side dishes, rice & bread, sundries, street food (!!), and scaling up recipes to feed more people.
The recipes have their ingredients listed bullet style in a sidebar. Measurements are given in standard metric measures. Special tools and ingredients are also listed, along with yields and step-by-step preparation directions. Nutritional information is not included. Some of the ingredients will be easily sourced at any moderately well stocked grocery store, but many will require a specialist grocer or large international food retailer.
The photography throughout is clear and colourful. All of the recipes contain one or more photos. Serving suggestions are appetising and appropriate.
The book also includes several handy appendices: a fascinating glimpse inside an Indian restaurant kitchen with linked films on youtube, a shopping/larder list for cooks stocking up their kitchen, and an abbreviated online resource list with links to suppliers. The list is slanted toward readers in the UK, but readers elsewhere should be fine with online searches to find suppliers in their own areas. The index is basic but does include recipes by name (not ingredient).
This is a wonderfully complete and up to date volume with masses of delicious recipes.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
September 17, 2021
Review originally posted to my blog, plus additional content:https://lastpagepromise.com/?p=238
Thank you to NetGalley, Misty Ricardo’s Curry Kitchen, and Richard Sayce for an Advanced Copy of this book as well as letting me participate in this book tour. All opinions in this review are my own.
Let me start with I am not a professional chef. I enjoy cooking, I want to be a better cook, and I enjoy reading cookbooks to get inspiration for recipes that I might be able to make at my skill level. I also live in a small desert city in the United States (population of roughly 100,000 people with most of them being for the two universities), so the ability to get specialized ingredients is always a bit more difficult, so I have to fudge a lot of things if I am trying to make things on my own. Pause: Story time from trying to make recipes from this book. I went to the store to get filo dough or wonton wrappers, and asked the clerk where I might be able to find them (new store still for me) and he asked if it was like pizza dough and took me to that, since that was the closest dough he had at that grocery store. I ended up going with pastry puff sheets and crescent roll dough from a different store, which worked out better than expected for the samosas (see below), but are DEFINITELY not what is called for. That being said, I have never backed down from a challenge, and the ability to try and cook out of this cookbook was exactly that – a huge challenge.
This is one of the most in-depth types of cooking I have ever tried to do, and when I succeeded I felt like the most successful person in the world, but when I struggled I wanted to give up cooking completely. Now, that’s not the fault of the cookbook – that is just the nature of the food being prepared. This book gives step by step instructions, with all of the measurements needed at the beginning of each recipe for ease of mise en place (“put everything in place” aka prep for those who don’t watch a ton of cooking shows like me), before starting cooking. However, the cookbook does have a few quirks that requires some getting used to – especially if you aren’t using this book a lot, or like me, you don’t use the metric system (darn you U.S. schools!).
First, if you are like me and are in the US, so you don’t intrinsically know the metric system, make sure you have something ready to convert all of the measurements for ingredients for every recipe. I would have loved if there was a conversion chart or something in the back of the book, but alas, the internet became my friend a lot during this cooking process. Also, there are some key components to British Indian Cooking (what these recipes are) that get used throughout multiple dishes, but they are told once at the beginning at the book, and then not again during the recipes they are used in. For example, there is a spice mix that is used in some of the dishes, but if you just go to make that dish it will say you need the spice mix without telling you what is in said spice mix. You need to go back to the beginning of the book, make the spice mix, and then go back to your recipe, unless you have pre-prepared spice mix already. This is when that mise en place is very important, but it can make things a bit complicated if you are like me and don’t realize you are missing something for a base ingredient until you have already gone to the store 5 times to get other things since ingredients are cross-listed so many places. As I continue to use this cookbook I am sure I will get the hang of figuring out where everything is located, but until then, it was a bit difficult. Some of the steps were also not very clear, but I am going to chalk that up to I was reading an advanced copy of the book and so formatting was off – I was looking at a more finalized proof of the book and everything looks stunning, so I am sure all of my issues were purely because of the format I had for the cookbook. Bonus of the book that I should have utilized more were the QR codes that lead to YouTube videos showing how to make certain parts of the recipes but I was stubborn. Don’t be like me!
Let’s talk about my successes though! I successfully made pilau rice, naan, the base spice mix, the base for curry, and vegetable samosas (kinda)! (see below pictures) Not only were they successful but they tasted good too – well, I didn’t taste the base sauce, but it smelled good! I ended up having cooking nights with a few different people (COVID-safe of course), so it was fun even with all of the complicated things and having to fudge ingredients. The naan was the easiest thing I cooked, it didn’t take too long from start to finish, and it tasted delicious. I can’t wait to make it again & try incorporating different flavors. There is nothing better than soft bread, and this definitely hit that spot.
Overall, I am so happy that I was able to get a chance to read this cookbook & have the opportunity to try out these recipes for the book tour. I have many more recipes I want to try, plus I now know some tips from my trials & errors from before. I give this cookbook a solid 4/5 – it is definitely not for the beginner cook, but if you are willing to challenge yourself for delicious Indian food, it is worth it for sure.
Thank you to NetGalley, Misty Ricardo’s Curry Kitchen, and Richard Sayce for an Advanced Copy of this book as well as letting me participate in this book tour. All opinions in this review are my own.
Let me start with I am not a professional chef. I enjoy cooking, I want to be a better cook, and I enjoy reading cookbooks to get inspiration for recipes that I might be able to make at my skill level. I also live in a small desert city in the United States (population of roughly 100,000 people with most of them being for the two universities), so the ability to get specialized ingredients is always a bit more difficult, so I have to fudge a lot of things if I am trying to make things on my own. Pause: Story time from trying to make recipes from this book. I went to the store to get filo dough or wonton wrappers, and asked the clerk where I might be able to find them (new store still for me) and he asked if it was like pizza dough and took me to that, since that was the closest dough he had at that grocery store. I ended up going with pastry puff sheets and crescent roll dough from a different store, which worked out better than expected for the samosas (see below), but are DEFINITELY not what is called for. That being said, I have never backed down from a challenge, and the ability to try and cook out of this cookbook was exactly that – a huge challenge.
This is one of the most in-depth types of cooking I have ever tried to do, and when I succeeded I felt like the most successful person in the world, but when I struggled I wanted to give up cooking completely. Now, that’s not the fault of the cookbook – that is just the nature of the food being prepared. This book gives step by step instructions, with all of the measurements needed at the beginning of each recipe for ease of mise en place (“put everything in place” aka prep for those who don’t watch a ton of cooking shows like me), before starting cooking. However, the cookbook does have a few quirks that requires some getting used to – especially if you aren’t using this book a lot, or like me, you don’t use the metric system (darn you U.S. schools!).
First, if you are like me and are in the US, so you don’t intrinsically know the metric system, make sure you have something ready to convert all of the measurements for ingredients for every recipe. I would have loved if there was a conversion chart or something in the back of the book, but alas, the internet became my friend a lot during this cooking process. Also, there are some key components to British Indian Cooking (what these recipes are) that get used throughout multiple dishes, but they are told once at the beginning at the book, and then not again during the recipes they are used in. For example, there is a spice mix that is used in some of the dishes, but if you just go to make that dish it will say you need the spice mix without telling you what is in said spice mix. You need to go back to the beginning of the book, make the spice mix, and then go back to your recipe, unless you have pre-prepared spice mix already. This is when that mise en place is very important, but it can make things a bit complicated if you are like me and don’t realize you are missing something for a base ingredient until you have already gone to the store 5 times to get other things since ingredients are cross-listed so many places. As I continue to use this cookbook I am sure I will get the hang of figuring out where everything is located, but until then, it was a bit difficult. Some of the steps were also not very clear, but I am going to chalk that up to I was reading an advanced copy of the book and so formatting was off – I was looking at a more finalized proof of the book and everything looks stunning, so I am sure all of my issues were purely because of the format I had for the cookbook. Bonus of the book that I should have utilized more were the QR codes that lead to YouTube videos showing how to make certain parts of the recipes but I was stubborn. Don’t be like me!
Let’s talk about my successes though! I successfully made pilau rice, naan, the base spice mix, the base for curry, and vegetable samosas (kinda)! (see below pictures) Not only were they successful but they tasted good too – well, I didn’t taste the base sauce, but it smelled good! I ended up having cooking nights with a few different people (COVID-safe of course), so it was fun even with all of the complicated things and having to fudge ingredients. The naan was the easiest thing I cooked, it didn’t take too long from start to finish, and it tasted delicious. I can’t wait to make it again & try incorporating different flavors. There is nothing better than soft bread, and this definitely hit that spot.
Overall, I am so happy that I was able to get a chance to read this cookbook & have the opportunity to try out these recipes for the book tour. I have many more recipes I want to try, plus I now know some tips from my trials & errors from before. I give this cookbook a solid 4/5 – it is definitely not for the beginner cook, but if you are willing to challenge yourself for delicious Indian food, it is worth it for sure.
August 16, 2021
WoW..............This new Book "Curry Compendium" by Richard Sayce was a breath of fresh air........ Everyone I know Loves a good take away curry whether it's a meat, fish or vegetable curry. So, this book was a great find for me especially as I love to learn how to cook a good curry from scratch - Plus, to know what ingredient that has been added and how it was prepared and cooked.
This book is wonderful throughout and is crammed with so much information from your cooking vessels you use. I.E. a aluminium frying pan, to a Large saucepan, stock pots to cast iron pans. Wooden spoons to your measuring spoons etc to what spices, ingredients etc to use to make these lovely meals.
"Everything is explained what is best for what dish you are creating. A great guide to recreating British Indian Restaurant favourites from the comfort of your own home! and you can recreate superb British Indian Restaurant food at home with the works of Misty Ricardo's Curry Kitchen"
"Richard Sayce, is the man behind Misty Ricardo’s Curry Kitchen, is renowned by his many fans for quality recipes, attention to detail and his affable style. Having sold more than 50,000 copies of his first books, and amassing over six million views of his recipes on YouTube, there is a huge appetite for this new Magnus opus packed with mouth-watering, easy-to-follow recipes"
I so agree with this above, I found this book very easy to follow and it was a hit when I made Chicken Rezala for my husband with Pilau Rice and some Naan breads.....He loved it and asked for it again......The lovely thing was; it wasn't from a Jar or a take away - I made it from scratch and with love. I knew what was in this meal and I did not feel guilty.
This book has every recipe you need for a wonderful meal from the classic curries -
Rogan Josh, Tikka Masala, Madras, Bhuna, King Prawn and Mushroom Bhuna, Jalfrezi, Dhanak, Vindaloo, Korma, Mango chicken etc
to X hot Curries if you are brave enough!
To mouth-watering side dishes Saag Aloo, Panaar, Aloo Gobi to Pilau Rice, Lemon rice, Naan breads and how to make lovely onion salad and mint sauce to go with your meal.
I made Tomato and Chilli chutney last week and 1 jar has already been eaten it was delicious with cheese etc.
I love the street food section - Chicken 65 which is one of the classic dishes in South India which is spicy and made with deep fried chicken with a tangy thick sauce....This sounds Lovely and will be made one evening. Massala toast, to a Bunny Chow to Chilli cheese on toast.
The shopping list at the end of this book was excellent...........and so helpful for future dishes or to restock my pantry.
This book is brilliant and I highly recommend this new curry book. 5 Big stars from me and a happy Hubby!!!
Big Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher and Richard Sayce the author for a review copy. I am looking forward to make some more delightful meals and maybe a dinner party in the future when I get more likes from my Hubby who is my Guinea pig. lol.
This book is wonderful throughout and is crammed with so much information from your cooking vessels you use. I.E. a aluminium frying pan, to a Large saucepan, stock pots to cast iron pans. Wooden spoons to your measuring spoons etc to what spices, ingredients etc to use to make these lovely meals.
"Everything is explained what is best for what dish you are creating. A great guide to recreating British Indian Restaurant favourites from the comfort of your own home! and you can recreate superb British Indian Restaurant food at home with the works of Misty Ricardo's Curry Kitchen"
"Richard Sayce, is the man behind Misty Ricardo’s Curry Kitchen, is renowned by his many fans for quality recipes, attention to detail and his affable style. Having sold more than 50,000 copies of his first books, and amassing over six million views of his recipes on YouTube, there is a huge appetite for this new Magnus opus packed with mouth-watering, easy-to-follow recipes"
I so agree with this above, I found this book very easy to follow and it was a hit when I made Chicken Rezala for my husband with Pilau Rice and some Naan breads.....He loved it and asked for it again......The lovely thing was; it wasn't from a Jar or a take away - I made it from scratch and with love. I knew what was in this meal and I did not feel guilty.
This book has every recipe you need for a wonderful meal from the classic curries -
Rogan Josh, Tikka Masala, Madras, Bhuna, King Prawn and Mushroom Bhuna, Jalfrezi, Dhanak, Vindaloo, Korma, Mango chicken etc
to X hot Curries if you are brave enough!
To mouth-watering side dishes Saag Aloo, Panaar, Aloo Gobi to Pilau Rice, Lemon rice, Naan breads and how to make lovely onion salad and mint sauce to go with your meal.
I made Tomato and Chilli chutney last week and 1 jar has already been eaten it was delicious with cheese etc.
I love the street food section - Chicken 65 which is one of the classic dishes in South India which is spicy and made with deep fried chicken with a tangy thick sauce....This sounds Lovely and will be made one evening. Massala toast, to a Bunny Chow to Chilli cheese on toast.
The shopping list at the end of this book was excellent...........and so helpful for future dishes or to restock my pantry.
This book is brilliant and I highly recommend this new curry book. 5 Big stars from me and a happy Hubby!!!
Big Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher and Richard Sayce the author for a review copy. I am looking forward to make some more delightful meals and maybe a dinner party in the future when I get more likes from my Hubby who is my Guinea pig. lol.
September 20, 2021
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I grew up around Indian food. My step dad is from Pakistan and food from these regions was often present in our home, especially when his family came to visit. Ironically, I didn't really fall in love with the taste of Indian food until I was 19 and found myself in London with my family on vacation. It may have been because it was familiar in a very unfamiliar place, but I think a lot of it was the the food was exceptionally good. Curry Compendium is a cookbook dedicated to the art of the British version of Indian food. This type of cuisine is not an easy one to conquer in the kitchen, so I really appreciate the very detailed efforts of this cookbook. The beginning introduces you to the spices, the tools necessary to make the food, and the step by step process of how to make the spice and curry mixes. The rest of the cookbook is dedicated to mouth watering recipes. Yes, Indian food is a labor of love, but the finished product is worth the effort, and Curry Compendium gives you the tools necessary to great the best BIR (British Indian Restaurant) curries possible.
I grew up around Indian food. My step dad is from Pakistan and food from these regions was often present in our home, especially when his family came to visit. Ironically, I didn't really fall in love with the taste of Indian food until I was 19 and found myself in London with my family on vacation. It may have been because it was familiar in a very unfamiliar place, but I think a lot of it was the the food was exceptionally good. Curry Compendium is a cookbook dedicated to the art of the British version of Indian food. This type of cuisine is not an easy one to conquer in the kitchen, so I really appreciate the very detailed efforts of this cookbook. The beginning introduces you to the spices, the tools necessary to make the food, and the step by step process of how to make the spice and curry mixes. The rest of the cookbook is dedicated to mouth watering recipes. Yes, Indian food is a labor of love, but the finished product is worth the effort, and Curry Compendium gives you the tools necessary to great the best BIR (British Indian Restaurant) curries possible.
August 16, 2021
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was an interesting recipe book!
As a reader in the US I'm not familiar with the culture around British Indian Restaurants, which this book focuses on. Sayce notes that most BIRs are owned by Bangladeshi families, which explains part of why the recipes are so different than what I was expecting for Indian food. Unlike Southern or Northern Indian food we see at restaurants in the US, there are all kinds of Indian recipes in this book with a British twist as well as Kashmiri recipes.
I like that each recipe has pictures included so you can see what you're making. I'm confused why Sayce refers to the base of a curry as gravy and a few other points, but the recipes are thorough and helpful. There's a lot of information on how to learn to cook BIR food.
Overall an interesting peak into BIRs in the UK.
This was an interesting recipe book!
As a reader in the US I'm not familiar with the culture around British Indian Restaurants, which this book focuses on. Sayce notes that most BIRs are owned by Bangladeshi families, which explains part of why the recipes are so different than what I was expecting for Indian food. Unlike Southern or Northern Indian food we see at restaurants in the US, there are all kinds of Indian recipes in this book with a British twist as well as Kashmiri recipes.
I like that each recipe has pictures included so you can see what you're making. I'm confused why Sayce refers to the base of a curry as gravy and a few other points, but the recipes are thorough and helpful. There's a lot of information on how to learn to cook BIR food.
Overall an interesting peak into BIRs in the UK.
August 25, 2021
My first time reviewing a cook book.
A knowledgeable friend told me in no uncertain terms that I had to get this book, that Richard Sayce writes the best and tastiest curry recipes.
I like the style of the book, there is a good amount of explanation of the methods and reasons why and the variations you can try, it feels knowledgeable and flexible, rather than the rigid 'do this, do that' you sometimes find.
The true test of a cook book is measured in years, how often you keep coming back, and how the things you learn influence go on to your cooking, but after trying two of the recipes I'm convinced and given the time and the ingredients can see myself working through the recipes, and being a fount of all knowledge on curry methods and recipes at dinner parties.
A great success.
Thanks to Netgalley and Misty Richardo's Curry Kitchen
A knowledgeable friend told me in no uncertain terms that I had to get this book, that Richard Sayce writes the best and tastiest curry recipes.
I like the style of the book, there is a good amount of explanation of the methods and reasons why and the variations you can try, it feels knowledgeable and flexible, rather than the rigid 'do this, do that' you sometimes find.
The true test of a cook book is measured in years, how often you keep coming back, and how the things you learn influence go on to your cooking, but after trying two of the recipes I'm convinced and given the time and the ingredients can see myself working through the recipes, and being a fount of all knowledge on curry methods and recipes at dinner parties.
A great success.
Thanks to Netgalley and Misty Richardo's Curry Kitchen
October 17, 2021
Anyone who has eaten at one of the many hundreds of Indian restaurants in Britain knows how fabulous the curries are there. And believe it or not, in Britain there are even excellent curries in the deli cases of the larger grocery stores (very unlike what you get in US grocery delis – the curries are actually edible and delicious). Up to now it’s been quite difficult to make good British curry at home, but Richard Sayce, who is considered an expert on British Curries, has made it easy in his excellent cookbook, Curry Compendium: Misty Ricardo's Curry Kitchen. The varieties of curry in this book are endless, and include traditional and unique new curries.
This beautiful cookbook will educate everyone – from beginners to seasoned cooks – on the basics of British Indian Restaurant Curry (BIR) including spices, pantry supplies, and most importantly, step by step photographs to making perfect curry every time. Sayce has included a chapter on making premixed spices at home so they can be at the ready whenever someone craves curry, and also how to precook the meats for curries. No need to use jarred sauces (which really aren’t very good anyway). Once a few recipes are followed in this book, having to go out for curry will be a thing of the past. There are also recipes for traditional accompaniments, such as Onion Bhaji, pakoras, and samosas. This cookbook also includes gorgeous photographs.
Since this excellent cookbook is published in Britain, it can be obtained on the British Amazon website (amazon.co.uk), and it is worth it. Of course the measurements in the recipes are British, but there is a table to convert the ingredients to American measurements.
This is by far the best curry cookbook out there. Anyone who wants to master good curries at home will consider this a “must have” cookbook. It will be used over and over and will keep curry lovers happy with new curries for months on end.
Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.
This beautiful cookbook will educate everyone – from beginners to seasoned cooks – on the basics of British Indian Restaurant Curry (BIR) including spices, pantry supplies, and most importantly, step by step photographs to making perfect curry every time. Sayce has included a chapter on making premixed spices at home so they can be at the ready whenever someone craves curry, and also how to precook the meats for curries. No need to use jarred sauces (which really aren’t very good anyway). Once a few recipes are followed in this book, having to go out for curry will be a thing of the past. There are also recipes for traditional accompaniments, such as Onion Bhaji, pakoras, and samosas. This cookbook also includes gorgeous photographs.
Since this excellent cookbook is published in Britain, it can be obtained on the British Amazon website (amazon.co.uk), and it is worth it. Of course the measurements in the recipes are British, but there is a table to convert the ingredients to American measurements.
This is by far the best curry cookbook out there. Anyone who wants to master good curries at home will consider this a “must have” cookbook. It will be used over and over and will keep curry lovers happy with new curries for months on end.
Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.
October 6, 2021
I have to admit that the serious curry eaters in my home are my husband and teenage son, whilst I enjoy an occasional mild curry.
However, this book really does cater for all tastes, with a huge selection of recipes to suit everyone, from snacks, to mains, to sides.
I’ve enjoyed reading the comprehensive introduction to the book, learning about the specialist ingredients, how to source them and advice for cooking equipment. We are lucky to have an excellent range of ingredients in our local supermarket compared to just 5 years ago, so that it is possible to cook the recipes at home without difficulty sourcing the ingredients.
My teenage son was very impressed by the layout of the recipes, and by the addition of the QR codes, which allow you to watch YouTube videos for many of the recipes before you start to cook.
I have to be honest and say that I haven’t tried cooking any of the recipes yet, due to the family being hit by a virus over the past couple of weeks, but I look forward to trying a few milder recipes over the next few weekends (Kashmir and Pasanda are top of my list). However I have been reading reviews from fellow bloggers who have tried the recipes and enjoyed their meals.
If you love eating curry at a local restaurant, why not grab a copy of the book and try cooking your favourite recipes at home? The photos of the recipes may inspire you to try something new.
However, this book really does cater for all tastes, with a huge selection of recipes to suit everyone, from snacks, to mains, to sides.
I’ve enjoyed reading the comprehensive introduction to the book, learning about the specialist ingredients, how to source them and advice for cooking equipment. We are lucky to have an excellent range of ingredients in our local supermarket compared to just 5 years ago, so that it is possible to cook the recipes at home without difficulty sourcing the ingredients.
My teenage son was very impressed by the layout of the recipes, and by the addition of the QR codes, which allow you to watch YouTube videos for many of the recipes before you start to cook.
I have to be honest and say that I haven’t tried cooking any of the recipes yet, due to the family being hit by a virus over the past couple of weeks, but I look forward to trying a few milder recipes over the next few weekends (Kashmir and Pasanda are top of my list). However I have been reading reviews from fellow bloggers who have tried the recipes and enjoyed their meals.
If you love eating curry at a local restaurant, why not grab a copy of the book and try cooking your favourite recipes at home? The photos of the recipes may inspire you to try something new.
September 24, 2021
Firstly, thank you to everyone at @literallypr for inviting me to take part in this tour, everyone I have spoken to there has been fantastic. Not only did I get a copy of a PDF version of Curry Compendium, they treated me to a hardback copy also which is absolutely beautiful.
Description 🔖
This is the definitive guide to creating British Indian Restaurant cuisines in the comfort of your own home. During lockdown, lots of people started to try and replicate their favourite restaurant dishes themselves and this book is everything you need to give you the inspiration to do just that with British Indian recipes.
General Thoughts 🤔
Let me start by saying that I absolutely love Indian food. I have travelled to India and eaten authentic food there, but I also adore British Indian food; which is different. Getting a takeaway on a Friday or Saturday night is a British tradition and Indian is my favourite takeaway to get. So to have the option to create those kind of flavoursome and tasty meals at home is very exciting to me.
I’ll also be clear that I am not the cook in my household. My partner loves cooking and does the majority of it, but when I got this book, I wanted to lock myself away in the kitchen and get on by myself. The recipes have ignited something in me and I’ve been spending a LOT of time over my stove and putting fantastic meals on the table.
I would highly advise reading the beginning of this book before diving straight into the individual recipes. I learnt a lot about base gravy and other things by doing so which I think made cooking the recipes easier and gave me some context as to why I was doing what I was doing. It’s also really interesting.
I loved that each recipe included a link to a YouTube video showing the recipe being cooked. Although I am fine with following written instructions, it was so helpful to have the option of a visual guide as well. I found myself flicking between the two.
I’ve tried a couple of the recipes now and they’ve both been amazing. Really easy to follow, clear and precise which is everything I need in a good recipe. The final product tasted amazing and as a non-cook I had a huge sense of pride (sad I know). We’re veggies in our household so I just switched out the meat for potatoes and mushrooms and it worked really well.
Both my partner and I were so impressed with how tasty these meals were and the depth of flavour. It truly was like eating a takeaway that was cooked in our own kitchen. What I particularly liked was that there was considerably less grease in the curries than what we usually get from a restaurant as that does sometimes put me off a little bit.
Conclusion & Scoring 🎖️
I cannot recommend this book enough. If you love British Indian food and whether you’re a beginner or advanced in the kitchen, I think that you would learn a lot from this book. I’m grateful to this book for lighting a fire under me and inspiring me to try new things in the kitchen. Can’t wait to get stuck into plenty more of the fabulous recipes within the book.
Description 🔖
This is the definitive guide to creating British Indian Restaurant cuisines in the comfort of your own home. During lockdown, lots of people started to try and replicate their favourite restaurant dishes themselves and this book is everything you need to give you the inspiration to do just that with British Indian recipes.
General Thoughts 🤔
Let me start by saying that I absolutely love Indian food. I have travelled to India and eaten authentic food there, but I also adore British Indian food; which is different. Getting a takeaway on a Friday or Saturday night is a British tradition and Indian is my favourite takeaway to get. So to have the option to create those kind of flavoursome and tasty meals at home is very exciting to me.
I’ll also be clear that I am not the cook in my household. My partner loves cooking and does the majority of it, but when I got this book, I wanted to lock myself away in the kitchen and get on by myself. The recipes have ignited something in me and I’ve been spending a LOT of time over my stove and putting fantastic meals on the table.
I would highly advise reading the beginning of this book before diving straight into the individual recipes. I learnt a lot about base gravy and other things by doing so which I think made cooking the recipes easier and gave me some context as to why I was doing what I was doing. It’s also really interesting.
I loved that each recipe included a link to a YouTube video showing the recipe being cooked. Although I am fine with following written instructions, it was so helpful to have the option of a visual guide as well. I found myself flicking between the two.
I’ve tried a couple of the recipes now and they’ve both been amazing. Really easy to follow, clear and precise which is everything I need in a good recipe. The final product tasted amazing and as a non-cook I had a huge sense of pride (sad I know). We’re veggies in our household so I just switched out the meat for potatoes and mushrooms and it worked really well.
Both my partner and I were so impressed with how tasty these meals were and the depth of flavour. It truly was like eating a takeaway that was cooked in our own kitchen. What I particularly liked was that there was considerably less grease in the curries than what we usually get from a restaurant as that does sometimes put me off a little bit.
Conclusion & Scoring 🎖️
I cannot recommend this book enough. If you love British Indian food and whether you’re a beginner or advanced in the kitchen, I think that you would learn a lot from this book. I’m grateful to this book for lighting a fire under me and inspiring me to try new things in the kitchen. Can’t wait to get stuck into plenty more of the fabulous recipes within the book.
September 23, 2021
Inspirational, no-nonsense and practical - A treasure trove of traditional and lesser known recipes
I adore Indian food, whether I am eating out or cooking it at home. However, when it comes to my own culinary efforts, I can count on the fingers of one hand the occasions when I have cooked an Indian dish from scratch. Instead, I rely on using the jars, with their limited supply of recipes, which adorn the supermarket shelves. The unfamiliarity of some of the ingredients and my lack of knowledge and expertise when it comes to preparing such dishes has been a barrier. I was therefore delighted when I was given the opportunity to review this book by Richard Sayce and was keen to learn, put aside my crises of confidence and finally get hands on with the Indian cuisine.
The book is both informative and inspirational. I enjoyed the author’s own recollections of his first encounters with Indian food (similar to my own and many others I am sure) and how he overcome his own reticence to cook such delicious dishes that comprise the British Indian Restaurant style which the book focuses on.
The book is beautifully illustrated and the style of writing is engaging, taking the reader from the basics to more involved recipes in a no-nonsense practical style. I particularly enjoyed the hints and tips which the author shares with the reader throughout, gained from his many years mastering the cuisine. It contains chapters on starters, classic curries, special dishes, extra hot curries, vegeatable curries, side dishes, rice and breads and sundries, not to mention a selection of mouthwatering street food and specialities.
This book has not only demystified the cusine’s most iconic recipes, but it has also introduced me to many more. It is indeed a treasure trove to all who desire to gain confidence in cooking and delve further into the myriad of dishes available. I have now stocked up on just a number of key Indian spices and am armed with the know-how to produce a host of dishes I would never dream of having a go at cooking in the past. I received a copy of this book from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
I adore Indian food, whether I am eating out or cooking it at home. However, when it comes to my own culinary efforts, I can count on the fingers of one hand the occasions when I have cooked an Indian dish from scratch. Instead, I rely on using the jars, with their limited supply of recipes, which adorn the supermarket shelves. The unfamiliarity of some of the ingredients and my lack of knowledge and expertise when it comes to preparing such dishes has been a barrier. I was therefore delighted when I was given the opportunity to review this book by Richard Sayce and was keen to learn, put aside my crises of confidence and finally get hands on with the Indian cuisine.
The book is both informative and inspirational. I enjoyed the author’s own recollections of his first encounters with Indian food (similar to my own and many others I am sure) and how he overcome his own reticence to cook such delicious dishes that comprise the British Indian Restaurant style which the book focuses on.
The book is beautifully illustrated and the style of writing is engaging, taking the reader from the basics to more involved recipes in a no-nonsense practical style. I particularly enjoyed the hints and tips which the author shares with the reader throughout, gained from his many years mastering the cuisine. It contains chapters on starters, classic curries, special dishes, extra hot curries, vegeatable curries, side dishes, rice and breads and sundries, not to mention a selection of mouthwatering street food and specialities.
This book has not only demystified the cusine’s most iconic recipes, but it has also introduced me to many more. It is indeed a treasure trove to all who desire to gain confidence in cooking and delve further into the myriad of dishes available. I have now stocked up on just a number of key Indian spices and am armed with the know-how to produce a host of dishes I would never dream of having a go at cooking in the past. I received a copy of this book from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 14, 2021
REVIEW
I was so excited to be asked to review this book. Cooking and cook books are my thing, so to receive this was an honour.
The book is a hardback book with super photography and easy to follow recipes.
Each recipe has its own QR code so for those wishing to see it being made you can follow the QR code to the you tube video. I found this to be a great help, just to check that the recipe looks as it should, or I’m cutting things up the right way etc. Great novel idea to incorporate into a recipe book.
Since having the book I have tried as many of the recipes as possible, one a week. I have thoroughly enjoyed cooking from the book, the food has been great, simple and easy to follow with the basics all being explained for any novice cook. Some great spice mixes and tutorials at the back.
The QR coding is a wonderful idea and how better to follow a chef in your own kitchen on YouTube, pause, rewind at your own leisure.
Fabulous cookbook with true authentic mouthwatering recipes. Love it !
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Richard Sayce, the man behind Misty Ricardo's Curry
Kitchen, Curry Compendium and the cookbooks Indian
Restaurant Curry at Home Volumes 1 & 2, has many
years’ experience in the world of Indian food. A love of
curry from an early age motivated him to master the
art of BIR (British Indian Restaurant) cooking and to
share his passion with others.
"I've been interested in cooking since an early age and
have always loved Indian food. My passion led me to
learn all about how curry is cooked in restaurants and
takeaways here in the UK, which was my first
experience of Indian food.
I endeavoured to finally master the art of creating excellent BIR style curry, and with time and a lot of
experimentation, finally gained enough skill and knowledge to be happy with sharing my experiences."
Richard lives in the North West of England and dedicates his 'foodie' time to cooking, recipes, social media,
catering, and of course eating. A firm love of Indian food in both home and restaurant styles gives plenty of
motivation to experiment and try out new recipes and ideas.
His two previous books, Indian Restaurant Curry at Home Volume 1 and 2, have each won the Gourmand
World Cookbook award for best UK Self-Published Cookbook, 2019 and 2020 respectively, and have sold
many thousands of copies in the UK and abroad. His long-standing YouTube channel has over 40,000
subscribers and over six million views.
Website: www.mistyricardo.com
Facebook: www.mistyricardo.com/mistyricardoscur...
YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/mistyricardo
Instagram: www.instagram.com/mistyricardo
Twitter: www.twitter.com/mistyricardo
Email: sales@mistyricardo.com
I was so excited to be asked to review this book. Cooking and cook books are my thing, so to receive this was an honour.
The book is a hardback book with super photography and easy to follow recipes.
Each recipe has its own QR code so for those wishing to see it being made you can follow the QR code to the you tube video. I found this to be a great help, just to check that the recipe looks as it should, or I’m cutting things up the right way etc. Great novel idea to incorporate into a recipe book.
Since having the book I have tried as many of the recipes as possible, one a week. I have thoroughly enjoyed cooking from the book, the food has been great, simple and easy to follow with the basics all being explained for any novice cook. Some great spice mixes and tutorials at the back.
The QR coding is a wonderful idea and how better to follow a chef in your own kitchen on YouTube, pause, rewind at your own leisure.
Fabulous cookbook with true authentic mouthwatering recipes. Love it !
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Richard Sayce, the man behind Misty Ricardo's Curry
Kitchen, Curry Compendium and the cookbooks Indian
Restaurant Curry at Home Volumes 1 & 2, has many
years’ experience in the world of Indian food. A love of
curry from an early age motivated him to master the
art of BIR (British Indian Restaurant) cooking and to
share his passion with others.
"I've been interested in cooking since an early age and
have always loved Indian food. My passion led me to
learn all about how curry is cooked in restaurants and
takeaways here in the UK, which was my first
experience of Indian food.
I endeavoured to finally master the art of creating excellent BIR style curry, and with time and a lot of
experimentation, finally gained enough skill and knowledge to be happy with sharing my experiences."
Richard lives in the North West of England and dedicates his 'foodie' time to cooking, recipes, social media,
catering, and of course eating. A firm love of Indian food in both home and restaurant styles gives plenty of
motivation to experiment and try out new recipes and ideas.
His two previous books, Indian Restaurant Curry at Home Volume 1 and 2, have each won the Gourmand
World Cookbook award for best UK Self-Published Cookbook, 2019 and 2020 respectively, and have sold
many thousands of copies in the UK and abroad. His long-standing YouTube channel has over 40,000
subscribers and over six million views.
Website: www.mistyricardo.com
Facebook: www.mistyricardo.com/mistyricardoscur...
YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/mistyricardo
Instagram: www.instagram.com/mistyricardo
Twitter: www.twitter.com/mistyricardo
Email: sales@mistyricardo.com
August 31, 2021
Oh my gosh! I’m so excited by this cookbook! Rating: 5/5. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC. I am hoping to get a hard copy of this wonderful book! The descriptions and beautiful pictures will have you drooling with anticipation.
There are recipes for so many different kinds of curry with easy to follow directions; and the included QR codes direct you to YouTube videos where techniques are demonstrated visually.
The first chapter has so much useful information; don’t skip it to get to the recipes. There are tons of hints such as how to avoid a harsh tasting curry, an explanation of the spices and how to get the most out of them, and the fact that so often high heat is necessary. I would usually be tempted to turn the heat down when things get really bubbling.
Pre-preparation is explained and it makes so much sense to have a base gravy on hand, pre-cooked chicken or lamb, and a mix of spice powder already made up. This makes the actual cooking of the curries so much faster and easier. All of this pre-prep can be done in bulk and frozen for future use. And it’s great that most of the curry recipes are for single servings, with upscaling directions included; sometimes it is not as easy as just doubling or tripling everything. This makes it so easy to make any amount that the cook desires.
Besides curries, there are many recipes for side dishes such as dhal, keema peas, and many aloos. There are rice and bread recipes, side sauces such as mint and green chutney, and even mango lassi.
The Onion Bhaji are to die for! The Tandoori Chicken was delicious and the Vindaloo had such spicy goodness. I am inspired to try so many more of the recipes such as a sweet curry like Kashmir.
This book really opened my eyes as to how easy BIR (British Indian Restaurant) cooking can be and how to get good tasting curries right at home.
I will be sharing with my family and wide range of friends. Those who like to cook will undoubtingly be as excited as I am.
There are recipes for so many different kinds of curry with easy to follow directions; and the included QR codes direct you to YouTube videos where techniques are demonstrated visually.
The first chapter has so much useful information; don’t skip it to get to the recipes. There are tons of hints such as how to avoid a harsh tasting curry, an explanation of the spices and how to get the most out of them, and the fact that so often high heat is necessary. I would usually be tempted to turn the heat down when things get really bubbling.
Pre-preparation is explained and it makes so much sense to have a base gravy on hand, pre-cooked chicken or lamb, and a mix of spice powder already made up. This makes the actual cooking of the curries so much faster and easier. All of this pre-prep can be done in bulk and frozen for future use. And it’s great that most of the curry recipes are for single servings, with upscaling directions included; sometimes it is not as easy as just doubling or tripling everything. This makes it so easy to make any amount that the cook desires.
Besides curries, there are many recipes for side dishes such as dhal, keema peas, and many aloos. There are rice and bread recipes, side sauces such as mint and green chutney, and even mango lassi.
The Onion Bhaji are to die for! The Tandoori Chicken was delicious and the Vindaloo had such spicy goodness. I am inspired to try so many more of the recipes such as a sweet curry like Kashmir.
This book really opened my eyes as to how easy BIR (British Indian Restaurant) cooking can be and how to get good tasting curries right at home.
I will be sharing with my family and wide range of friends. Those who like to cook will undoubtingly be as excited as I am.
September 27, 2021
I love a cookbook and this one is really good. I have only recently started getting into making my own curries so this book came at a perfect time. It is such a wonderful looking book, I like how at the beginning everything has been planned out for you, like storing ingredients, where to buy all the different ingredients and the essentials you will need. I like how each recipe has a picture so you know what yours should look like. Also in this book there is not only how to make different curries there is also how to make side dishes, rice and breads and other things, which to me makes it even more appealing. I cannot wait to start making some of these wonderful sounding curries, it makes my mouth water just looking at all the delicious pictures. For a novice like me I reckon I could pull of one of these curries no problem. And I really want to make naan bread as I thought they would be hard to make and a bit of a faff but it seems not. This is a perfect present for a Curry Lover.
August 10, 2021
Curry Compendium is a great resource for those who wish to give Indian cooking a try. This book is largely influenced by British Indian Restaurants (the author is quick to note that a large portion of BIR are actually owned by Bangladeshis), so it may not be a totally authentic Indian food experience.
The book starts out with a great guide for gathering your supplies, including information about which spices you’ll want to stock your pantry cabinets with. The author also gives advice on picking the best vegetables and meats for your recipes. This part was helpful, but a bit tedious to read through. From there we get information on cooking supplies which was very thorough as well.
Finally - the recipes! The author gives great recipes for base gravies, spice mixes and other things you can cook in advance and store for later. Since most of the recipes I looked at seemed a bit more complex, precooking seems like a great way to save some time in the long run. I also enjoyed the photos that are splashed throughout the recipe section. The recipes shared cover everything from chicken dishes to curries to soups to lassis. There are also vegetarian options which is nice. Everything looked delicious and I cannot wait to try my first recipe.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy. I can’t wait to get cooking!
The book starts out with a great guide for gathering your supplies, including information about which spices you’ll want to stock your pantry cabinets with. The author also gives advice on picking the best vegetables and meats for your recipes. This part was helpful, but a bit tedious to read through. From there we get information on cooking supplies which was very thorough as well.
Finally - the recipes! The author gives great recipes for base gravies, spice mixes and other things you can cook in advance and store for later. Since most of the recipes I looked at seemed a bit more complex, precooking seems like a great way to save some time in the long run. I also enjoyed the photos that are splashed throughout the recipe section. The recipes shared cover everything from chicken dishes to curries to soups to lassis. There are also vegetarian options which is nice. Everything looked delicious and I cannot wait to try my first recipe.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy. I can’t wait to get cooking!
August 26, 2021
I'll wager that this would be a useful book, if it were in hard copy -- and if the digital formatting problems were actually straightened out in print.
As a Kindle book, it was unreadable. I lost count of the number of times parts of two sections were juxtaposed within each other, so that neither made sense. Or that the font suddenly changed mid sentence so that the 8- or 10-point paragraph suddenly became a column of single words in 48 point. Or a 4-step recipe showed us only step 1 and step 4.
One example: "Folding samosas takes some practice. The ones you see in the recipe photograph had
(blank line, then shifting immediately to:)
"Chicken Pakoras
"Pakoras are a particularly popular Indian restaurant/takeaway snack . . . "
Another: "Regular chilli powder is fine minutes until the filling mix is dry."
Another: "In a large frying pan on low-medium and tandoori masala."
So, most of it didn't make much sense, although it suggested solid knowledge and valuable tips were being imparted. I really like the inclusion of QR codes in the text that allow readers to jump directly to YouTube videos by the author.
It appears that the book might be self-published, since no publisher is listed -- only the name of the author's British restaurant, Misty Ricardo's Curry Kitchen.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for a look at this manuscript.
As a Kindle book, it was unreadable. I lost count of the number of times parts of two sections were juxtaposed within each other, so that neither made sense. Or that the font suddenly changed mid sentence so that the 8- or 10-point paragraph suddenly became a column of single words in 48 point. Or a 4-step recipe showed us only step 1 and step 4.
One example: "Folding samosas takes some practice. The ones you see in the recipe photograph had
(blank line, then shifting immediately to:)
"Chicken Pakoras
"Pakoras are a particularly popular Indian restaurant/takeaway snack . . . "
Another: "Regular chilli powder is fine minutes until the filling mix is dry."
Another: "In a large frying pan on low-medium and tandoori masala."
So, most of it didn't make much sense, although it suggested solid knowledge and valuable tips were being imparted. I really like the inclusion of QR codes in the text that allow readers to jump directly to YouTube videos by the author.
It appears that the book might be self-published, since no publisher is listed -- only the name of the author's British restaurant, Misty Ricardo's Curry Kitchen.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for a look at this manuscript.
September 22, 2021
A fab new recipe book perfect for the change in the seasons! There’s nothing better as the weather changes than having a warm tasty curry! This is the essential for all your curry making needs and has all the info you could need about the best ingredients, techniques and best of all mouthwatering recipes and accompanying pictures!
August 25, 2021
Good introduction to preparing at home the curry dishes popular in England. The author demonstrates a passion for the topic and shares her recipes that she has developed over the years. Although English, the recipes use U.S. measurements making it easy for Americans to prepare the dishes. The recommendations for places to pick up ingredients are only in the UK besides mail order from Amazon, however, finding the ingredients should be easily in a large city of the USA these days. The author provides a lot of tips at the beginning of the book and explains how she became a fan of curries. The recipes in this book also correspond to her Youtube channel where you can watch them being made if interested.
September 14, 2021
An amazing book for British Indian food. The use of the word "curry" can be a bit tricky, but it was great to see the variety displayed in this book. The recipes were very easy to follow and always accompanied by a photo to help you with the end product. I loved the addition of the notes at the end of the recipes to provide you with additional insight into the cooking methods. Definitely a book I want for my kitchen.
4/5 Stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Misty Ricardo's Curry Kitchen for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
4/5 Stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Misty Ricardo's Curry Kitchen for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 25, 2021
So I did really enjoy reading this book, tried a few of the recipes and watched the youtube channel. But the best bit was the ending of the book were he went into Indian restaurants and explained how they managed to make meals so quickly. Also reinforced my thoughts on mark up.
Also liked the links to online shopping.
All in all very useful and would thoroughly recommend
I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.
Also liked the links to online shopping.
All in all very useful and would thoroughly recommend
I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.
August 11, 2021
Great cookbook! I love Indian curry and I'm very excited to try these recipes. I usually order Butter Chicken or Chicken Tikka Masala but I'll try some of these other curries. The photos look pretty good and I can smell the curry from here! I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review
September 11, 2021
Many thanks to the publisher, NetGalley, and the author for sending me this cookbook in exchange for my honest opinion
All of these recipes look so delicious, I cannot wait to try more out for myself! I don't traditionally see these recipes where I'm from so I enjoyed being able to read and take recipes from this book.
All of these recipes look so delicious, I cannot wait to try more out for myself! I don't traditionally see these recipes where I'm from so I enjoyed being able to read and take recipes from this book.
August 12, 2021
Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. Beautifully presented with a huge range of recipes that are easy to follow once you have stocked up your spice collection! So many new things to try out. Highly recommended.
August 25, 2021
I received this book from the publishers via Netgalley for a review. Very good book with clear recipes and easy to follow instructions to make restaurant Curry's. Loved it highly recommended.
December 7, 2021
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Mouthwatering and tasty, these recipes stretch from sides to traditional Indian food to street food, and many vegetarian options. A must for any innovative cook!
Mouthwatering and tasty, these recipes stretch from sides to traditional Indian food to street food, and many vegetarian options. A must for any innovative cook!
August 28, 2021
I enjoyed this book, I loved the variety and how easy the recipes seem to be. I can’t wait to try them.
Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.
Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.
September 1, 2021
A big thank you to NetGalley and Misty Ricardo's Curry Kitchen for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. I enjoyed reading this book. I so want to make some of these dishes!! At the moment, I have no kitchen or stove, just a small microwave. I eat all my meals at the mess hall. LOL So not the same, as cooking or eating quality prepared foods. This has all my favorites, plus many more that I can't wait to try! 4 stars
August 17, 2021
This book is brilliant!!
At first, this book looked very intimidating - it had LOTS of information, and lots of ingredients that were new to me. However, the more I went through the book, I became more used to the recipes and the styles etc.
There is just so much inside the book. I love how it's broken down into sections and I love how the opening chapters of the book really explain the ingredients/methods, as well as pre-preparing your ingredients.
Not only is the book filled with tons of info, the photography is beautiful - it makes you want to make every single dish. Everything just looks so appetising.
Thoroughly recommend this book!! (Even if it seems difficult or intimidating at first, stick with it and I promise it gets easier!)
At first, this book looked very intimidating - it had LOTS of information, and lots of ingredients that were new to me. However, the more I went through the book, I became more used to the recipes and the styles etc.
There is just so much inside the book. I love how it's broken down into sections and I love how the opening chapters of the book really explain the ingredients/methods, as well as pre-preparing your ingredients.
Not only is the book filled with tons of info, the photography is beautiful - it makes you want to make every single dish. Everything just looks so appetising.
Thoroughly recommend this book!! (Even if it seems difficult or intimidating at first, stick with it and I promise it gets easier!)
October 23, 2021
I and my husband are avowed curry lovers, so when I saw that this book was available to read and review on NetGalley, I put in an immediate request. I have made many curries but that elusive depth of flavor of a great restaurant curry has never been there. Hoping to change my luck and improve my skills, I happily devoured the Advance Reading Copy of this new cookbook.
Written by restrateur and author Richard Sayce, founder of Misty’s Ricardo’s Curry Kitchen, this volume takes some of the best of his recipes from his previous two-volume Gourmand-Award-winning cookbooks and combines them in this volume with a splash of something new. After reading EVERY recipe in this book, I plan to buy it as soon as it is available. I also decided to make a couple of the recipes! As I do a lot of cooking, I find cookbook reviews without a discussion of making at least a couple of the recipes to not be useful.
To make the recipes in this cookbook, I had to make a special expedition to a newly opened Indian Market about 12 miles away. There I loaded up on spices with my husband helping me. About halfway through the shopping spree, a young female clerk asked “Are you planning to do some cooking?” That was an understatement as I had a veritable pile of new spices.
The first recipe I made was Tandoori Chicken. The prep did take awhile, but it was well worth it in the end. I also discovered that I needed to bake the chicken longer than recommended to get it done all the way through, but that was the fault of my older oven (even with an oven thermometer). The chicken turned out moist and tender with a depth of flavor that I have never experienced with restaurant Tandoori Chicken. Usually, it is dried out and sharp tasting; not this recipe. You could easily do chicken breasts that aren’t too thick as I think they will stay moist. Or try something else, like fish. I have been considering thick catfish filets for this recipe. It was delicious and the leftovers were even better after a day of resting in the refrigerator.
The second recipe I made was the Punjabi Chicken (Staff Curry) from a friend of the author who is from Scotland. It just looked intriguing. I already had my spices, all I had to do was to clean up the chicken thighs and follow the recipe. I managed to score some large Roma tomatoes and assorted hot peppers at the local Farmer’s Market (one of the three I used was a Thai Bird Chili). The seller wasn’t certain what the rest were, but they were hot and delicious, a mix of red and green fresh chilis.
The Punjabi Chicken did have several steps and took some cooking time (the recipe called for 60 minutes of simmering, I let it go 30 more on a very low setting) to make sure the chicken thighs were not only cooked through but tender. I don’t have a commercial grade stove, I have a 30 year-old premium stove and it just took longer than 60 minutes to simmer to the consistency and “doneness” that I wanted. Also, I sautéed the whole spices but then I gathered them into a cheesecloth bag and put the bag back in before adding the chicken, tomatoes, and tomato paste. I may have sacrificed a little flavor but saved our dental work. We’ve shared restaurant biryani before that was like eating a straw bale with bird seed; picking all of the pieces and seeds out rather ruined the dining experience. In this case, the Punjabi Chicken was not over-spiced, it was just right; it was absolutely delicious and had an after-burn from the fresh chilis.
I found the author’s advice on increasing portions without over-spicing the dish to be very interesting. Also, there are recipes included that I have never heard of before but will probably try.
I definitely will buy this cookbook and the two previous volumes by Mr. Sayce. I know that my knowledge and cooking technique moved up at least one whole step just reading this ARC.
I would like to thank Richard Sayce, Literally PR Ltd, and NetGalley for letting me read this book. I did not receive anything in exchange for this review.
Written by restrateur and author Richard Sayce, founder of Misty’s Ricardo’s Curry Kitchen, this volume takes some of the best of his recipes from his previous two-volume Gourmand-Award-winning cookbooks and combines them in this volume with a splash of something new. After reading EVERY recipe in this book, I plan to buy it as soon as it is available. I also decided to make a couple of the recipes! As I do a lot of cooking, I find cookbook reviews without a discussion of making at least a couple of the recipes to not be useful.
To make the recipes in this cookbook, I had to make a special expedition to a newly opened Indian Market about 12 miles away. There I loaded up on spices with my husband helping me. About halfway through the shopping spree, a young female clerk asked “Are you planning to do some cooking?” That was an understatement as I had a veritable pile of new spices.
The first recipe I made was Tandoori Chicken. The prep did take awhile, but it was well worth it in the end. I also discovered that I needed to bake the chicken longer than recommended to get it done all the way through, but that was the fault of my older oven (even with an oven thermometer). The chicken turned out moist and tender with a depth of flavor that I have never experienced with restaurant Tandoori Chicken. Usually, it is dried out and sharp tasting; not this recipe. You could easily do chicken breasts that aren’t too thick as I think they will stay moist. Or try something else, like fish. I have been considering thick catfish filets for this recipe. It was delicious and the leftovers were even better after a day of resting in the refrigerator.
The second recipe I made was the Punjabi Chicken (Staff Curry) from a friend of the author who is from Scotland. It just looked intriguing. I already had my spices, all I had to do was to clean up the chicken thighs and follow the recipe. I managed to score some large Roma tomatoes and assorted hot peppers at the local Farmer’s Market (one of the three I used was a Thai Bird Chili). The seller wasn’t certain what the rest were, but they were hot and delicious, a mix of red and green fresh chilis.
The Punjabi Chicken did have several steps and took some cooking time (the recipe called for 60 minutes of simmering, I let it go 30 more on a very low setting) to make sure the chicken thighs were not only cooked through but tender. I don’t have a commercial grade stove, I have a 30 year-old premium stove and it just took longer than 60 minutes to simmer to the consistency and “doneness” that I wanted. Also, I sautéed the whole spices but then I gathered them into a cheesecloth bag and put the bag back in before adding the chicken, tomatoes, and tomato paste. I may have sacrificed a little flavor but saved our dental work. We’ve shared restaurant biryani before that was like eating a straw bale with bird seed; picking all of the pieces and seeds out rather ruined the dining experience. In this case, the Punjabi Chicken was not over-spiced, it was just right; it was absolutely delicious and had an after-burn from the fresh chilis.
I found the author’s advice on increasing portions without over-spicing the dish to be very interesting. Also, there are recipes included that I have never heard of before but will probably try.
I definitely will buy this cookbook and the two previous volumes by Mr. Sayce. I know that my knowledge and cooking technique moved up at least one whole step just reading this ARC.
I would like to thank Richard Sayce, Literally PR Ltd, and NetGalley for letting me read this book. I did not receive anything in exchange for this review.
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