torimpls' Reviews
14 recipes reviewed. Showing 1 to 14Sort by: Book Title 
| Date | Rating | Recipe Title
5 Spices, 50 Dishes: Simple Indian Recipes Using Five Common Spices
By Ruta Kahate, Susie Cushner
Chronicle Books - 2007
I say breakfast because the author says, and because I say so. Not that I have any authority to say so, but because that is when I ate it.
This is a super tasty dish if you're just starting out learning Indian cooking, but I have to say, as someone who grew up on stuff like this- tweak it if you really love authenticity.
I added a mix of serranos to this, just because it needed some color/heat. But it is a really good base recipe to fiddle with. By itself, I found it a titch bland.
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I say sides because you definitely want to get some good basmati or even chapatti to go with this.
Rajmah is my favorite Indian food and this recipe really gives a good, basic, Anglicized go at recreating it. I cheated though, and used tinned beans, but if you actually soak the beans over night, the texture's much better.
Yum~
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All Cakes Considered
By Melissa Gray
Chronicle Books - 2009
MY GOD.
Making this cake was an absolute nightmare. This was, however, not the recipe's fault, but a faulty springform. I will leave the rest to your imagination, but be sure to include burnt sugary blobs on the bottom of an oven, cake batter all over a counter, and more than a few swears.
That said... this cake was so worth the scrubbing, cleaning, and eventual weeping. It was an odyssey of cake, as it was my first proper cake made for boyfriend's birthday. And what a cake! Succulent, moist in spite of being picked up by its batter and verbally abused by me, and the frosting... there are not sufficient adjectives in the English language to describe how perfect this frosting is. It's not for someone who doesn't love dark chocolate; indeed, if you have a sweet sweet tooth, this might not be for you.
But if you appreciate a pillow of soft, fluffy sweet cake nestled between waves of bittersweet heaven, then you will probably want to make this asap.
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Art of the Slow Cooker: 80 Exciting New Recipes
By Andrew Schloss, Yvonne Duivenvoorden
Chronicle Books - 2008
Super tasty!!!! I really liked it a lot, even though I sort of threw it together and it was my first time properly braising anything before it went in old Harriet (my slow-cooker),
I will say that I didn't use the Cab it called for; all I had was a spaggy old Tempranillo that'd been open for a while, but it tasted wonderful all the same. I also didn't have a proper orange for the zest at the end; I had some satsumas, but I think the flavor would have been better with a good navel.
Also, it definitely tasted better the next day, reheated with a bit of beef broth added. So I'd make ahead next, for sure!
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Betty Crocker's Indian Home Cooking
By Betty Crocker Editors
Betty Crocker - 2001
Not bad at all! This is a great basic recipe that breaks down all the essentials of a great aloo gobhi.
It's good to tweak it a bit and add serranos if you like spicy, and also adding spinach to make aloo gobhi palak is super tasty.
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Easy Italian: Simple Recipes for Every Occasion
By Maxine Clark
Ryland Peters & Small - 2008
I say main courses because blimey... this stuff is rich. This is pretty much the way I want my arteries to clog... but it's so worth it.
Absolutely wonderful, but I'd steer clear of using bouillon cubes/insta-broth just because it adds a saltiness that I think ruins the piquancy of a good parmigiano. They also say to use carnaroli, which would be awesome, but I did it with arborio and as long as you don't overcook it, it comes out just fine.
Totally what I want to have if I'm shlepping home after a Saturday night of gin & tonics with the ladies.
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Easy Vegetarian: Simple Recipes for Brunch, Lunch, and Dinner
By Ryland Peters & Small
Ryland Peters & Small - 2007
I'm a huge risotto fan and this was a snap to make and delish. I left out the mint just because I didn't have any, but I think it would be a welcome flavor.
I used chicken broth instead of veggie, which I think added that extra savory flavor, so if you're not super strict about vegetarianism, it's worth a go.
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Everyday Indian: 100 Fast, Fresh and Healthy Recipes
By Bal Arneson
Whitecap Books - 2009
Very nice recipe. Don't taste it before you put in the garam masala though, or you're going to fear for your fenugreeky life.
Makes a great side to a meat dish or a great main course if you're going veggie. The paneer is amazing once it's all soaked up in the sauce.
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Vishnu, preserve me. This was AMAZING. Look no further for a flavorful, complex, and SIMPLE curry that will knock everyone's socks off. I saw Bal make this on her Cooking Channel show and was super happy it was in her book; I will never need to deliberate over what to make in a pinch... You can't go wrong!
It's better to simmer it all day in the slow cooker if it gets hot enough (mine didn't), but finish it off/cooking 2 hours or so in the pot is enough for perfection.
Try it!! You will not be disappointed.
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Very yummy rajmah recipe with great spice; I made the mistake of making it with diced tomatoes instead of the crushed and it came out quite chunky, which is not what rajmah is supposed to be, but it was good anyway.
Great spices though. For sure use the asafoetida; it does really make the flavor perfect.
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Jamie's Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals
By Jamie Oliver
Hyperion - 2009
Really great basic recipe; I am a vinegar lover though, so I use a ratio of 2:1, but even as is, just tops!
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Good lord, this is the mother load of dinner~
A really gorgeous way to sneak veggies and herbs (two words that frighten non-cooks at times) into the easiest super-impressive main dish.
I added about 3/4 pound more beef the second time I made it, just because it seemed to not hold as tight as it could have with only a pound. I added thyme, as well, to round out the flavors. I also have omitted the mushrooms both times, and made instead a mushroom sauce from a nice flour roux to give some moisture to the Wellie.
My new favorite thing to make!
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Madhur Jaffrey's Quick & Easy Indian Cooking
By Madhur Jaffrey, Philip Salaverry
Chronicle Books - 1996
I actually used beef for this, as organic lamb is outrageous right now, but it was still delish. It's actually a very uncomplicated Indian dish that doesn't require too many fancy spices or too much epic recipe-following.
I also didn't use a pressure cooker, but make sure if you don't to really set aside time for cooking down the sauce. You don't want it too runny, but you don't want to rush it by cooking it at too high a temp.
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This is a WONDERFUL dal recipe. Making the tarka is the most flavorful way to work with masoor dal and this dish totally brings me back to when I was a kid and would have this for breakfast.
I always add at least red onions and serranos to it and if you've got the asafoetida, for sure put it in- the depth of flavor is so much better.
I have my family's version up on my blog, if anyone is interested.
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