Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cookery Hardcover – 7 Nov. 2002

This book is fantastic. I have had it for several years and it is the cookbook that I use most in my kitchen. There is such a wide variety of dishes in it that it covers anything (curry related) I ever feel like cooking. I have to say that I think I am now addicted to curry and don't want to cook much else!I used to use garam masala before I bought this book but now I feel confident enough to make up my own recipes using cumin and coriander powder - and the results are edible!I love the quick recipes such as green beans cooked simply with mustard or cumin seeds. And courgettes with prawns.One point I would like to make is that I feel Madhur Jaffrey sometimes goes about things in a long way in this book. For example, the recipe for spinach and potato curry uses frozen spinach which she defrosts, squeezes the water out of and then adds water to the recipe. I just cook the spinach from frozen with par-cooked potatoes and I think it achieves the same end but is much quicker and probably more nutritious too!Recently I bought Madhur's new "Curry Easy" book and I don't like "Curry Easy" as much as this book, but I think she has simplified her style a lot since this book. I still love it!

This book will never join those that languish on the shelf in the kitchen with all the others! Mine is a permanent feature on the kitchen table and is frequently consulted as part of meal planning. I fear that a new copy may be required in the near future, as already this one is stained with spits and spots of ingredients. Mind you, they do serve to remind of the meals cooked so perhaps I'll just let it become a riot of aroma to help the menu planning.The glossaries are really useful and are a fabulous help when shopping. Once you have mastered the preparation techniques the methods are straight forward resulting in consistently good meals.This is a brilliant book and better still, superb meals that that I should have bought years ago judging by the compliments of friends and family.

The classic British curry cookbook based on the BBC series from decades ago, brought up to date. We've moved on a bit with our knowledge of Asian cookery since then, calling things by the names we know them by in restaurants, for example, keema is called mince here.It's no worse for that, in fact the previous version is what got us all cooking curries. I've been using the Hairy Bikers curry book for 4 years now (worth its weight in saffron), but fancied trying some new recipes.Whoever reads the preamble In a recipe book- just cut to the food, OK? Well, in this one, it's worth it, just to see where the British have developed in their love of 'foreign' food. Some good fusion stuff in here, pork chipolatas Indian style anyone?Weights and measures are done in both metric and imperial (but not US) so good if you are of an older generation.Al your standard curry house dishes are there with substitutions for different types of meat e.g beef for lamb.Sadly, I suspect this is now out of print. Plenty of cheap second hand ones out there, and let's face it, somebody else's turmeric stains on a page just makes you look like an expert cook, who has done everything in there.

Good overview and introduction to technics and spices was importen to me. I like it when cooks gives you hints on what you can use in case you miss an ingredient or a tool. I like that she has adopted the indian traditional cuisine to the equipment most of us are restrained by. I would have liked some more photos, both of the food and of India, or India in the world.

The book when it arrived is in very good condition and for the money extremely good value

I bought this for my sister as a gift as I already have my own copy and it's a great recipe book. The problem is it arrived and turned out to be second hand with an old second-hand bookshop price label still attached. There was no indication on the page of it being second hand, so I was somewhat disappointed.

Excellent book

Packed with inspiring recipes - lemony chicken with fresh coriander is special favourite. The pulses section is also a joy.My only criticism of MJ's recipes is that she often seems to use too much water. I generally use about half of what she suggests and add more if needed.This was a second-hand copy of a long out-of-print book, but arrived quickly in good-as-new condition.Very pleased with this purchase.