13 best indian cookbooks

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Meet Monisha Bharadwaj - qualified chef and award-winning author.

Monisha has contributed to many television and radio programmes, most recently the BBC’s Food and Drink show and Radio 4’s ‘The Food Programme’ talking about bitterness in Indian foods. She runs a successful Indian cookery school in London called Cooking With Monisha and teaches at some of the UK’s top cookery schools. @monibharadwaj (Twitter)

Monisha shares her insights into ingredients, techniques and masterclasses.

This comprehensive guide to Indian cooking explores the myriad regional varieties of authentic, healthy and lesser known Indian recipes. With chapters broken down into: Rice, Breads, Meat, Fish & Seafood, Poultry, Eggs, Dairy, Lentils & Beans, Vegetables, Snack & Sides, Grills, Salads & Raitas, Chutneys & Relishes, Desserts and Drinks, Monisha covers a varied range of dishes as well as providing insights into ingredients, techniques and step-by-step masterclasses to help you recreate classic and popular recipes.

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Sample Recipe: Coconut Sambal

1. If you are using a whole coconut, use a hammer and nail to punch a hole into the "eye" of the coconut, then pour out the water from the inside and reserve. Use the hammer to break the coconut in half, then peel and chop one half.

2. Put the chopped coconut and the chilies into a food processor and process for about 30 seconds, until finely chopped. Add the ginger, cilantro, and lemon juice and process again.

3. If the mixture seems too dry, stir in about 1 tablespoon of coconut water or water. Stir in the shallots and serve immediately or cover and chill until required.

Beautiful Photos of Every Recipe

Recipes for every mood captured in gorgeous photos will motivate foodie enthusiasts to try these delicious recipes!

Fresh Ingredients

Using the freshest ingredients and flavorful spices, the Recipes from an Indian Kitchen cookbook has authentic and mouthwatering recipes.

Easy-To-Follow Recipes

From all around the region, these easy-to-follow recipes make special appetizers, satisfying entrees, great side dishes, and luscious desserts.

Tips & Tricks

Tons of helpful tips to guide you while you are prepping and cooking.

Explore Regional Cuisines: North

The north is the home of the tandoor and tandoori cooking, where food is cooked in a clay oven at extremely high temperatures.

Explore Regional Cuisines: South

Because of its geographical location, seafood is high on the menu.

Explore Regional Cuisines: East

The heaviest rainfall is in the east of the country, so rice grown in the vast paddy fields is a staple of the cuisine.

Explore Regional Cuisines: West

The diets of people in the west of India are largely based on Hinduism and are predominantly vegetarian.

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Tomato Rice with Crispy Cheddar from Indian-ish

I could use all sorts of fancy words to explain this dish, but the best description is this: pizza in rice form. The inspiration for the recipe, though, is oddly enough not Italian—it’s a hybrid of a classic South Indian tomato rice with onions and a shockingly fantastic Spanish rice recipe my mom and I photocopied out of my seventh-grade Spanish textbook for a school project. The crispy, bubbly, broiled cheddar topping (use the sharpest white cheddar you can find!) adds a little somethin’ somethin’, making it a worthy dinner party dish. The lovely photographer of this very book, Mackenzie Kelley, called it “even better than pizza”.

Directions

1. Adjust an oven rack to the highest position and preheat the oven to 500˚F.

2. In a large pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the onion and chile, spread them out in an even layer in the pan, and cook until the onion becomes translucent and starts to lightly char, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Increase the heat to high and add the tomatoes, using the back of a spoon to lightly crush them. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down into a chunky sauce, 5 to 6 minutes, then add the salt.

4. Put the cooked rice in an 8-inch square (or similar size) baking dish, then fold in the tomato sauce.

(You can also do the folding in a separate bowl and then transfer the rice to the baking dish, if you doubt your ability to not spill rice and sauce everywhere.) Evenly distribute the grated cheese over the top.

5. Switch the oven to broil and place the baking dish on the top oven rack. Broil for about 3 minutes, until the top bubbles and turns golden brown. Serve immediately.

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In this book

“Khan, owner of London’s acclaimed Darjeeling Express restaurant and a subject of Netflix’s Chef’s Table documentary series, shares a delightful collection of personal recipes sure to entice lovers of Indian food.” —Publishers Weekly

Asma Khan is chef and restaurateur of London’s acclaimed Darjeeling Express, which began as a supper club, then a pop-up, before settling in its permanent location to wide acclaim. Asma’s food is homage to her royal Mughlai ancestry and the busy streets of Calcutta, where she grew up. An all-women team of housewives runs the kitchen at Darjeeling Express, which has been featured in Time Out, Harper’s Bazaar, The Guardian, and numerous others. In 2015, it was named as one of the best restaurants in London by the Evening Standard. In 2017, Eater named it as one of its most impressive restaurant newcomers.

Asma stars in Netflix’s award-winning series Chef’s Table.

Feasts for Two

Family Feasts

Feasting with Friends

Celebratory Feasts

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Potatoes Tempered with Cumin

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves 4

Heat the oil in a kadhai or heavy-based pan over high heat, then reduce the heat. Add the cumin seeds and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, or until they start to splutter. Add the turmeric and immediately afterwards the sliced potatoes.

Stir well and sprinkle over a very little amount of water just to make them damp. Season with salt, then reduce the heat to very low, cover and cook for about 15–20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, stirring once or twice and sprinkling very small amounts of water whenever required during cooking, so the potatoes do not burn or catch on the base (bottom) of the pan.

Garnish with dried red chillies and chopped coriander.

The definitive book on Indian home cooking, with simple and authentic recipes from every region brought together by an acclaimed Indian food writer

Covers pickles and chutneys, starters, snacks and desserts, as well as vegetable, fish and meat mains and curries

Explains Indian ingredients, cooking techniques and culinary history so that anyone can cook their favourite Indian dishes in the authentic way