Modern Spice

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Born in New Delhi, raised in the Middle East, and living in Washington, D.C., acclaimed food writer Monica Bhide is the perfect representative of the new generation of Indian American cooks who have taken traditional dishes, painstakingly prepared by their Indian mothers and grandmothers, and updated them for modern American lifestyles and tastes. Respectful of the techniques and history of Indian cuisine but eager to experiment, Bhide has written simple but deeply flavorful recipes. Modern Spice takes the vibrant tastes of India into the twenty-first century with a cookbook that is young, fun, sassy, and bold.

Dishes like Pomegranate Shrimp, Paneer and Fig Pizza, and Coriander-and-Fennel-Crusted Lamb Chops are contemporary and creative. Bhide pours Guava Bellinis and Tamaritas for her guests, and serves Chile Pea Puffs and Indian Chicken Wings; instead of Chicken Tikka Masala, she serves Chicken with Mint and Ginger Rub. Make-ahead condiments such as Pineapple Lentil Relish and Kumquat and Mango Chutney with Onion Seeds add a piquant accent to the simplest dish. There are plenty of options for everyday meals, including Butternut Squash Stew with Jaggery, Indian-Style Chili in Bread Bowls, and Crabby Vermicelli, along with plentiful recipes for elegant dishes like Tamarind-Glazed Honey Shrimp and Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Paneer. For an original and effortless finish, spoon Raspberry and Fig Jam Topping over tart frozen yogurt or a store-bought pound cake, or if you have more time, tempt guests with exotic sweets such as Saffron-Cardamom Macaroons or Rice Pudding and Mango Parfait.

As Mark Bittman says in his foreword, "there is not a cuisine that uses spices with more grace and craft than that of India," and Bhide's recipes do so, but without long and daunting lists of exotic ingredients. In keeping with its local approach to global flavors, Modern Spice includes a guide to the modern Indian pantry and Monica's thoughtful, charming essays on food, culture, and family. Eight pages of gorgeous color photographs showcase the recipes.

Excerpt provided by Syndetics

introduction to Modern Spice A husband says to his wife, "Honey, I love the way you bake ham. But why do you cut the end off? That is my most favorite part." "My mother cooks it this way," she replies. "It's tradition." Later she calls her mother. "Mom, why do we cut the end off the ham?" The mother does not know. She calls her mother-in-law, from whom she learned the recipe. "Why do we cut the ends off, Mama?" "Ah, that," says the 100-year-old mother-in-law. "When I first cooked a ham, I didn't have a pan big enough." I love this story -- just because we have always done things in one way, it does not make it the only way to do something. So if fennel- and-chile-crusted tilapia and basmati rice with pine nuts and mint, accompanied by a Guava Bellini, does not sound Indian to you, think again! Indian food has come a long way from the same old, same old world of mango lassis and tandoori chicken. While traditional Indian cooking required slaving in the kitchen for hours, modern Indian cooking makes a virtue of quick-cook techniques. While traditional Indian cooking relied on a myriad of spices and herbs, modern Indian cooking focuses on taking a few spices and bringing out their flavors. While traditional Indian cooking was perceived to be difficult and fussy, the foundation of modern Indian cooking is perfection in simplicity. Yes, as a new generation of modern Indians, we are changing everything. We love tradition, but embody change. We respect technique, but are playful. Our style is refined; our tastes are global. Our new cuisine is a reflection of our lives today, here and now. Just as traditional curries and dishes cooked painstakingly from scratch reflect our mothers' and grandmothers' generations, our dishes reflect our modern lifestyles. They are easy, fun, and intensely flavorful. This fun, sassy approach to Indian-inspired food is what you will find in this book. The recipes I have created and present here are vibrant and enticing, yet they are simple, refined, and adapted to modern lifestyles: this is Indian food as it is cooked now. This is a book for today's generation that does not want yesterday's style of doing things. As a community we are creating new styles, new traditions, and a new cuisine that needs to be captured. This book takes Indian cooking and translates it for our generation -- this book embraces the intense, spicy, Indian flavors but is not stuck on an artificial standard of authenticity that no longer exists even in India. I understand the soul of Indian cuisine; I understand the dishes, their roots, and the richness of history that surrounds the food. It is this knowledge that sets me free and gives me the freedom to play with them, to evolve the dishes. Growing up in the Middle East, I learned authentic Indian dishes from the talented and knowledgeable hands of my father and mother. During frequent visits to India, I moved from my grandmother's kitchen to those of my mother's cousins and friends, along the way gathering delightful anecdotes and learning authentic recipes. Fifteen years ago I moved to the United States, and since then the Indian cooking that I learned has changed so much. All these experiences are what I am sharing with you in Modern Spice . This book does not have any recipes for mango lassi -- there are 200 books out there (including two of my own!) that you can read for that -- instead it brings you a Guava Bellini. It doesn't offer chicken tikka masala; it provides a recipe for chicken gently simmered in fresh cilantro and mint. This is Indian, my way: a reflection of the Indian cooking of today and the style of the modern Indian.Copyright (c) 2009 by Monica Bhide Excerpted from Modern Spice: Inspired Indian Flavors for the Contemporary Kitchen by Monica Bhide All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

Bhide (The Everything Indian Cookbook) was born in India but has lived in the United States for most of her adult life. She describes her style as Indian food for a new generation but "true to.[her] love of Indian tastes and flavors." She's also a cooking teacher, and her recipes are thoroughly detailed; she doesn't hesitate to recommend high-quality prepared spice mixtures and similar items to make them even more accessible. With a foreword by Mark Bittman, this is for all subject collections. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publishers Weekly Review

Bhide (The Everything Indian Cookbook) provides a personal look at modern Indian cooking, showcasing new versions of her native cuisine that pay homage to tradition but also acknowledge the everyday lifestyle of India today. While Bhide's recipes use authentic spices and techniques, she departs from the stereotype of complicated meals that take hours to prepare. Her recipes focus on spices and flavor, spanning the gamut of Indian cuisine. She also includes recipes for meat, rice, breads and desserts. Highlights include coriander-and-fennel crusted lamb chops, curried scallops, and onion bread stir-fry. Scattered throughout are personal stories on a variety of subjects, including a visit to Vaishno Devi Maa's Temple and recollections of a meal prepared by grand master Indian chef Imtiaz Qureshi. Bhide also provides a detailed spice pantry section and an insider's guide to time- and labor-saving ingredients. The author offers a refreshing look at the diverse and changing cuisine of India, with a new perspective that will be embraced by Indian food lovers everywhere. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Booklist Review

Product of a culture deeply bound to its traditions, Indian cooking has only recently begun to engage seriously with other cuisines. Bhide spearheads a movement seeking to reinterpret Indian cooking and make it more accessible to the growing international kitchen. Herself an offspring of the Indian diaspora and raised in the Middle East, Bhide eschews standard recipes that can be found in other Indian cookbooks, instead taking Indian ingredients, especially the vast array of spices, and applying them in original, intriguing ways. She concocts a cocktail snack based on Rice Krispies cereal but sharply scented with mustard seeds, turmeric, cumin, and fennel. Green chili chutney tops bits of omelet resting in little pastry shells. Mashed potatoes get a garlic, chili, and coconut kick. Dry rubs anoint both grilled fish and meat. Essays intersperse the recipes, most of them Bhide's reflections on her family and upbringing. A revolutionary approach to Indian cooking.--Knoblauch, Mark Copyright 2009 Booklist