India Cookbook

by Pushpesh Pant


Everything about this book is authentic – from the reusable rice bag it’s packaged in, to the fact that it contains 1000 recipes that can be cooked at home (all easy to source in a whopping 16-page index) and is styled as food is served in everyday India today.

The paper is lightly coloured according to sections, which makes it easier to navigate, but it’s not kidding when it claims in the byline that it’s ‘the only book on India food you’ll ever need’ because it’s so thoroughly comprehensive in its approach – from outlining the historical and geographical aspects of the different regions on the subcontinent, to the sheer volume of recipes in each section, each written up in both metric and imperial measurements.

Not surprising, because Pushpesh Pant is a university professor but also has his own newspaper column where he’s shared many recipes over the years, all of which represent the fascinating diversity of cultures and cuisines.

He’s written several cookbooks, but spent over two decades gathering and testing authentic material for this tome.

The only thing to consider if buying this landmark title, is whether you prefer to have less choice and more photographs – only a small handful of the dishes are shown in photographs, which can be a problem for a highly visual cook.
But for sheer volume, it can’t be beat… 42 delicious potato dishes, 63 interesting rice combinations and a dizzying 158 lamb options should give you an inkling of what’s on offer…

Phaidon, R445

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