What Curry/Indian cookbook do you recommend?

Question

I've got Kris Dhillon's "The Curry Secret" and really didn't think it was very good. I'd love to make curry from scratch so I'm looking for the ultimate curry cookbook!

My philosophy when making curry from scratch is if it doesn't taste as nice as a curry jar you can buy in the supermarket, the time and effort isn't worth it. I don't mind the time it takes to make a good curry so long as the end product is worth it!

Answer 1

"Madhur Jaffrey" - A Taste of India

Quite an old book now, but also describes the origins of the dishes of the many regions throughout India.

It's also a delightful read.

Answer 2

I can highly recommend the Curry Kits at the site below. These give you restuarant standard curries for the same price as a jar of cook in sauce (about £1.99 each) You get the spices and the instructions and a list of other things to buy. Just go step by step and you cant go wrong.



There are about 20 including lamb madras, kheema karai, chicken jalfrezi (our favourite so far) goan prawn curry, bombay potatoes, aloo gobi, korma, tikka masala etc.



The spices are usually in two groups that you add at different times of cooking. As you know, if you make your own curry it is the fresh tasting spices that make the difference (and the lack of starchy gloop they have to put into a cook-in-sauce to suspend the ingredients). Some spices give up their flavour to hot oil, some to long immersion at a simmering temperature, others (eg garam masala and black pepper) should be added at the end to adjust flavour as their effect diminishes if cooked too long or at too hot a temperature.



Anyway, we have given up Sunday roast and now have one of these instead with home made naan and other goodies.



Once you get confident with the spices and techniques and start making your own from scratch, the source also sells all the individual ones you will need from asafoetida to black mustard or ajwain seeds. (but frankly we tend to stick to the curry kits because they are always so successful)

Answer 3

Indian Restaurant Cookbook by Pat Chapman

Answer 4

This one: http://www.aspicytouch.com/



My father is Indian and my mother is not. But, they've been married a long time and she now cooks Indian food as well as many Indian women I know. There are of course family recipes that she uses, but a lot of what my mom makes comes out of this book. It is so useful, she made two photocopies and put them into binders, one for my sister and one for me.



None of my family has ever said anything bad about her cooking; in fact, her cooking is second only to one of my aunt's! So, this is a pretty good book, I can tell you. On the site there are now newer versions, two and three, but we just use the classic.

Answer 5

Here's a list of curry books



http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Curry&x=0&y=0



Mmm im hungry lol.



This is the recipe that i use for chicken curry;

* 45 ml olive oil

* 1 small onion, chopped

* 2 cloves garlic, minced

* 20 g curry powder

* 2 g ground cinnamon

* 2 g paprika

* 1 bay leaf

* 0.9 g grated fresh ginger root

* 2 g white sugar

* salt to taste

* 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into bite-size pieces

* 15 g tomato paste

* 235 ml plain yogurt

* 180 ml coconut milk

* 0.5 lemon, juiced

* 0.9 g cayenne pepper



DIRECTIONS



1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until lightly browned. Stir in garlic, curry powder, cinnamon, paprika, bay leaf, ginger, sugar and salt. Continue stirring for 2 minutes. Add chicken pieces, tomato paste, yogurt, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Remove bay leaf, and stir in lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Simmer 5 more minutes.

Answer 6

Anything written by Madhur Jaffrey is your best bet.

Answer 7

Stop in at a library and check out what they have. If you find one you really like than go buy it. This way your not wasting your money.

Answer 8

I use this site, instead of a book...it's really informative and has tons of authentic recipes:

http://www.indiacurry.com/