I have several of Madhur's cookbooks but not this one! ("The Essential Madhur Jaffrey" is the favourite amongst my collection - no pictures, old school!)
I love that book, and still use it. Madhur Jaffrey was in London to launch it and I was lucky to see her in action cooking two dishes from it at the Conran Shop, and terrifying the person who had been drafted in as her assistant for the afternoon! I use her Curry Bible even more, which is probably 30 by now.
Ha, you know I would! Thanks for the mention, Fiona. Maddhur Jaffrey - unsurprisingly - also uses a pressure cooker and has published an Instant Pot recipe book. I particularly like the Curry Easy books she did for Ebury around a decade ago - and these are sped up no end in a pressure cooker. I cook some kind of dal or curry probably 3-4 days out of 7.
I still use that book. It was my Ma’s favourite and there is a sausage and courgette curry that became a family staple.
I should add that I do keep a jar of curry paste in my fridge for ease when time is pressing but there is nothing nice that grinding and toasting your own spices
Sure I will! I remember making a dish of whole leg of lamb marinated in yoghurt - not sure if it was this book or an earlier one - seem to remember a small paperback - which was spectacular
Also iconic in my history of Indian inspired cookery was Mrs Balbir Singh’s book from the 70s when living in Leicestershire with many amazing Indian food outlets around.
The Africa News Cookbook published by Africa News Service in 1985 is one I acquired after making a donation to a human-rights organization. Best swag ever!
I was bought that cookbook by my mother before I went to University in the 1980s. I have always taken it with me wherever I lived, including the US. However I don’t think I actually made anything from it until lockdown. The Delhi style Lamb is a firm favourite and certainly different from other recipes.
It really does. It was a gift about a decade ago- the beauty is the author gives a lot of insight as to where to purchase ingredients that are not readily available.
I’ve got a well thumbed , splashed version of that brilliant book which was the start of my Indian cookbook collection. My favourite recipe is the butter chicken - the meatball one is also delicious. 😋
And the point of it is that you can cook things much more quickly but with a slow-cooked taste, saving time and energy. I have an electric one with a thermostat and timer and a traditional stove-top one: I love both.
Didn't your mum have one David? Big beast of a cooking pot with a pressurised lid that hissed and spluttered alarmingly. They're much safer these days fortunately
I just opened my copy, which I bought in a charity shop, and it opened to a BBC Indian Cookery bookmark with the compliments of Schwartz spices at The Lake Palace Hotel's Aubergine cooked in the pickling style, so I guess I'll be trying that! And she suggests eating with Rogan Josh, it's all meant to be!
What a great challenge!! I remember the TV series......we are big curry fans in our house, but I don't own a pressure cooker.... I usually use a slow cooker. Beef Balti and Chicken Korma are usually on the list, along with a veggie curry, a red lentil dahl, home made naan ( the recipe from Dan Toombs, 'the curry guy' is amazing) and poppadoms with home made chutney, raita, and quick pickled onions......
Yes, his recipes really work and it's absolutely worth the time to make a big batch of his curry 'base' sauce and freeze it in portions in plastic bags.
The dry spinach and potato curry in Jack Santa Maria's 1976 Indian Vegetarian Cookery is still my benchmark for that dish! And Camellia Punjabi's 50 Great Curries of India is one of my most used cookbooks.
I have that book and I love it - mine is the edition that is pictured here - I bought it second-hand from a shop in Bakewell, having coveted (and borrowed) my friend's copy a little too often. I love the garlic/ginger idea - we seem to get through loads of garlic, so every coupleof weeks I whizz a couple of heads of peeled garlic in my mini processor with some sunflower oil and stick it in a small jam jar in the fridge - it keeps me going for a while without having to peel and chop at every turn, and it also means you don't get big lumps of garlic where they are not wanted. I have tried whizzing ginger in the same way, but didn't get quite the same smooth result, though think I should have peeled the ginger a bit more diligently first and maybe added a bit of liquid. Love this challenge, and now wishing I wasn't married to a curry hater (though he is a good egg in many other ways, I hasten to add).
I have several of Madhur's cookbooks but not this one! ("The Essential Madhur Jaffrey" is the favourite amongst my collection - no pictures, old school!)
Actually the other ones are great too. Her recipes are so good
I love that book, and still use it. Madhur Jaffrey was in London to launch it and I was lucky to see her in action cooking two dishes from it at the Conran Shop, and terrifying the person who had been drafted in as her assistant for the afternoon! I use her Curry Bible even more, which is probably 30 by now.
I once saw her at a food festival and she was tiny. Obviously small and fierce!
Ha, you know I would! Thanks for the mention, Fiona. Maddhur Jaffrey - unsurprisingly - also uses a pressure cooker and has published an Instant Pot recipe book. I particularly like the Curry Easy books she did for Ebury around a decade ago - and these are sped up no end in a pressure cooker. I cook some kind of dal or curry probably 3-4 days out of 7.
I made a lamb curry from your book in about 20 minutes and it was ace!
I still use that book. It was my Ma’s favourite and there is a sausage and courgette curry that became a family staple.
I should add that I do keep a jar of curry paste in my fridge for ease when time is pressing but there is nothing nice that grinding and toasting your own spices
Oh me too. Nothing wrong with curry past which have become quite sophisticated nowadays but old school curry powder didn't do much for a dish!
the dustiness of the Schwartz mild curry powder my mum got out every Boxing Day. Absolutely tasteless!
I always use the rogan josh recipe from that same book! I make it with beef and it’s just delicious. I hope you enjoy it
Sure I will! I remember making a dish of whole leg of lamb marinated in yoghurt - not sure if it was this book or an earlier one - seem to remember a small paperback - which was spectacular
Also iconic in my history of Indian inspired cookery was Mrs Balbir Singh’s book from the 70s when living in Leicestershire with many amazing Indian food outlets around.
Never had that but Leicester, yes, was great for Indian food. Sure it still is
The Africa News Cookbook published by Africa News Service in 1985 is one I acquired after making a donation to a human-rights organization. Best swag ever!
That sounds amazing. Love it!
I was bought that cookbook by my mother before I went to University in the 1980s. I have always taken it with me wherever I lived, including the US. However I don’t think I actually made anything from it until lockdown. The Delhi style Lamb is a firm favourite and certainly different from other recipes.
Haven't made that one but the book's definitely a keeper!
A huge Jaffrey fan! However my most used book at the moment is 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer
Never heard of that one. Well 660 certainly gives you plenty to choose from!
It really does. It was a gift about a decade ago- the beauty is the author gives a lot of insight as to where to purchase ingredients that are not readily available.
Hope you won't mind if I pinch your idea and title for garden books??
Feel free, Anne, though it would be nice if you linked back to my original post!
Of course - thanks. Great idea. When will we get round to my disintegrating copy of the Good Housekeeping Cookery Book, circa 1970!?
I used to have one too - along with the Hamlyn Colour Cookbook!
Rings a bell….
I’ve got a well thumbed , splashed version of that brilliant book which was the start of my Indian cookbook collection. My favourite recipe is the butter chicken - the meatball one is also delicious. 😋
Another vote for the butter chicken. Will definitely have to try it!
What’s a pressure cooker?
And the point of it is that you can cook things much more quickly but with a slow-cooked taste, saving time and energy. I have an electric one with a thermostat and timer and a traditional stove-top one: I love both.
Didn't your mum have one David? Big beast of a cooking pot with a pressurised lid that hissed and spluttered alarmingly. They're much safer these days fortunately
I just opened my copy, which I bought in a charity shop, and it opened to a BBC Indian Cookery bookmark with the compliments of Schwartz spices at The Lake Palace Hotel's Aubergine cooked in the pickling style, so I guess I'll be trying that! And she suggests eating with Rogan Josh, it's all meant to be!
Perhaps I should make that too!
What a great challenge!! I remember the TV series......we are big curry fans in our house, but I don't own a pressure cooker.... I usually use a slow cooker. Beef Balti and Chicken Korma are usually on the list, along with a veggie curry, a red lentil dahl, home made naan ( the recipe from Dan Toombs, 'the curry guy' is amazing) and poppadoms with home made chutney, raita, and quick pickled onions......
Was racking my brain for The Curry Guy's name. Thanks. His books were MASSIVE sellers weren't they?
Yes, his recipes really work and it's absolutely worth the time to make a big batch of his curry 'base' sauce and freeze it in portions in plastic bags.
The dry spinach and potato curry in Jack Santa Maria's 1976 Indian Vegetarian Cookery is still my benchmark for that dish! And Camellia Punjabi's 50 Great Curries of India is one of my most used cookbooks.
Good to know, Alicia. Never owned Jack's book but loved the Camellia Punjabi one though seem to have mislaid it somewhere along the way.
I have that book and I love it - mine is the edition that is pictured here - I bought it second-hand from a shop in Bakewell, having coveted (and borrowed) my friend's copy a little too often. I love the garlic/ginger idea - we seem to get through loads of garlic, so every coupleof weeks I whizz a couple of heads of peeled garlic in my mini processor with some sunflower oil and stick it in a small jam jar in the fridge - it keeps me going for a while without having to peel and chop at every turn, and it also means you don't get big lumps of garlic where they are not wanted. I have tried whizzing ginger in the same way, but didn't get quite the same smooth result, though think I should have peeled the ginger a bit more diligently first and maybe added a bit of liquid. Love this challenge, and now wishing I wasn't married to a curry hater (though he is a good egg in many other ways, I hasten to add).
Well being a good egg makes up for a lot! You'll just have to send him out one evening and invite some curry-loving friends round!