There is nothing more satisfying than an exotic meal that touches all the senses, made from fresh ingredients that is innovative yet still grasping onto tradition. In Modern Spice: Inspired Indian Flavors For the Contemporary Kitchen, Monica Bhide does just that. Her passion for cooking and her delightful stories make this a wonderful book packed with sophisticated, yet simple recipes overflowing with flavor.
Monica Bhide is from New Delhi, India. After living in the MIddle East, she came to the Washington DC area as an engineer, and eventually switched professions to become a food writer. She is the perfect person to author an Indian cookbook, as she understands Americans' taste buds as well as the products available to us, after having lived here for 15 years. Having already penned two other cookbooks (The Spice Is Right, Callawind Publications 2001; The Everything Indian Cookbook, Adams Media Corporation, 2004), Bhide has done an even better job perfecting her craft of making delicious recipes and engaging the reader like she is there in the kitchen with you guiding you through each recipe.
New to Indian cuisine? Not to worry. Modern Spice helps you build your kitchen pantry. Of course, many readers will not live in a metropolitan area, so Bhide has provided readers with online venues so it is easier to build a cupboard full of exotic ingredients! Unsure which brand is best or how to store your new product, or perhaps how to use it? Again, Monica is a lifesaver in helping guide you on your path. Spices are the secret to success in the kitchen and her guide to using spices is invaluable.
She also dispels myths about Indian cuisine originating from British rule, as she explains with curry powder, and the evolution of traditional foods, in any culture.
The recipes are easy-to-understand and packed with flavor. Some examples of her tasty recipes are: Tilapia Curry with Roasted Spices; Red Chile, Garlic and Basil Chicken; Pan-Fried Zucchini and Yellow Squash with Cumin; Chile Pea Puffs; and Saffron-Cardamom Macaroons.
This book is exciting and a must-have for Indian cuisine enthusiasts, the curious and for the people wanting to travel and eat out more but cannot afford to in this economy. With four pages of color photos, you will be glad to have made this buy.
Modern Spice: Inspired Indian Flavors for the Contemporary Kitchen
By Monica Bhide
Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: April 21st, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4165-6659-5
