Indian Essence

Book excerpt: In Indian Essence, award-winning Indian chef Atul Kochhar shares his passion for Indian food with a wonderful collection of recipes based in the rich culinary tradition of the sub-continent. Atul's style of cooking is contemporary and his enticing recipes reflect the diversity of modern Indian food with its vibrant colours and intriguing blends of flavours. Recipes are drawn from all parts of India, from the rich, meat-based Moghul food of the North to the vegetarian curries of Goa and Kerala and the aromatic fish dishes of Bengal and Assam. Atul provides a hands-on guide to cooking superb authentic Indian food at home. His recipes contain imaginative flavour combinations, with an emphasis on the use of fresh ingredients, carefully balanced spices and simple culinary techniques. Cooking techniques are clearly explained in the recipes; a good home cook will find most of the dishes in the book easy to prepare and even a beginner could attempt many of them successfully. There are also menu suggestions and general guidelines for choosing dishes to complement each for the parfect Indian dining experience. invaluable guide to preparing modern Indian food.