Fresh India: 130 Quick, Easy, and Delicious Vegetarian Recipes for Every Day

This recipe book has got to be one of the best recipe books ever. And I mean - the instructions are exactly on point. If the book says you'll fry onions for 15 minutes, you'll fry them for 15 minutes. I love to cook, and nothing gets under my skin more than recipes that say "fry an onion for 2 minutes until golden" and you KNOW that it takes at least 15 minutes to have a golden fried onion, and then in reality, you spend 15 minutes instead of 2 minutes as the recipe called for. So, with this book, it says 15 minutes, it's 15. It says 2-3 minutes, it's 2-3 minutes. I love it. All quantities are also exact. I've made a lot of recipes from this book already, and they have all been 100% on point. Meera Sodha has got to be simply the best recipe writer. The recipes themselves are delicious and fairly easy to make (probably too complicated for a person who only knows how to boil an egg, but if you've done an entree before, then you'll be able to follow these recipes just fine). That said, this is an Indian cookbook, so you'll need the spices (and a spice grinder to make it really top-notch) to make these dishes. This cookbook also has recipes on how to make things like paneer (cheese) from scratch or make your own spice mix (garam masala), and I've done both, and it was incredibly straightforward. I'm amazed that I managed to make my own paneer, and it's all thanks to this book. Lastly, the author lives (and was born) in the UK, and she has a Western understanding of ingredients (i.e. limit the butter, etc). In her recipes and the short notes above each recipe, she explains how she deviates from the traditional recipes, if she does, and I like her honesty and her humor. If you want a great book on Indian cooking, get this one. It is one of my favorite cookbooks of all time, and I have a hefty collection of cookbooks.

I absolutely love this book. Firstly, it's beautiful. Which who doesn't want a beautiful well crafted cook book with colorful vibrant pictures? Secondly, the set up of the book is delightful. Meera gives nice anecdotes to go with each recipe and chapter and explains things with grace and ease. Secondly, I love her 10 tips and insights at the beginning. (Particularly the piece about practice practice practice and that not all chiles are created equal. TRUE.) Thirdly, I've found that the recipes are easy to veganize (for all my fellow vegans out there). The recipes are more straight forward and less complex compared to Vegan Richa's Vegan Indian cookbook, which is nice for weekday cooking. Finally, and I suppose most importantly, everything I've made is delicious, flavorful, not too heavy, and a real crowd pleaser. I cannot wait to continue cooking my way though this book! Thank you Meera for sharing your delicious goodness with us all.

I was intimidated by Indian food. I loved to eat it but preparing it seemed beyond my limited kitchen skills. This book comes to the rescue with proven recipes and careful step by step instructions. Add it to your bookshelf and get ready for wonderful meals.

I've been slowly cooking through the book over the past month. Easy to follow directions that warn ahead of time if you need a blender or food processor (which is not very often). The recipes have a lighter and fresher feel than traditional dishes. The only drawback is the lack of specific recommendation on pot/pan sizes (although you might get an idea from some of the 'action shots' in the book). I went out and bought a 5qt sauce pan to comfortably accommodate a couple dishes that had plenty of vegetables to mix in. I now recommend this book to anyone who will listen.

I bought this as a Christmas present for myself and have cooked at least a dozen dishes since I got it, which is a testament to how good the recipes are. I did make a trip to the Indian grocery store for whole spices, tamarind sauce, curry leaves and lime pickle but it seems like most recipes could be made with ingredients purchased at any grocery store. I find these recipes relatively simple, and - most importantly - consistently delicious. They're not all vegan (f that matters to you) but many of them are. Even if you have other Indian cookbooks, this is worth adding to your collection for Sodha's well tested recipes, beautiful pictures, and modern takes on old favorites. Be sure to try the Temple Tomato Rasam, the Pumpkin, Black-eyed Pea and Coconut Curry, Teresa's Mango Salad, and the Goan Squash Cafreal!

I've checked out Made in India several times from the local library and will eventually purchase it. Fresh India wasn't available so I caved and bought the kindle version, and it was worth every penny! The recipes are well written and entertaining, as they have a background story as it relates to her past/nostalgia/indian cuisine. Ginger, garlic, peppers, cumin, chili powder, coriander, turmeric, and various other spices are used to create flavor profiles I've never tasted before, despite eating in various Indian restaurants. Many of her recipes are simple and can be made in a pinch if one has an aptitude for cooking. The East African peanut cake is to die for! There's also a recipe for Indian street chai, which looks delicious, but I'm mostly vegan and haven't attempted it yet.

This cookbook received a lot of buzz and now I understand why. All recipes I‘ve tried so far have been delicious. My kids keep asking me when we‘ll have potato dosas again. Also some options that you won‘t see on a typical restaurant menu - like squash and black-eyed pea curry. Well written recipes and great flavor. Note that you will need some specialty ingredients but well worth it. Overall a great choice for a cook looking to delve into Indian cuisine.

Excellent transaction with seller. Regarding this book: buy it. Whether or not you are vegetable-centric in the kitchen, whether or not you ever prepare a dish from this book, buy it. The recipes are exquisite, ranging from simpler fare to complicated. The photos are lovely. The heart beats right off the pages. I promise you, you'll read the book as you would any enjoyable piece of writing. As you prepare these dishes, you'll come away with the author's voice in your head. I fell hard for this one, so much so, that I bought it twice, once for my own kitchen, and again for my son and daughter-in-law. I will likely order more copies to give as gifts to other kitchen dwellers. Lovely journey.