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Jane's Cook Book

Tuesday, April 14, 2009Me! In words


I was not much of a cook till I got married. Sudhakar has truly been a delight to cook for. It doesn't surprise many that I am good in the kitchen (heheh, modesty ain't a virtue with me) since my mom has been a fanstastic cook and quite an experimentative one at that. That is what inspired her to write her first recipe book in Konkani which hit the market with panache. Very soon she was made to bring out another edition which was immediately lapped up by a book store with cash upfront.

This success inspired her to come up with another recipe book, this time in English and I must say that was a equally big hit as well. The book kept in mind the new bride (I wonder if I was any inspiration for this). Commonly used ingredients to make some spectacular dishes is the key to this book. This does not go to say that the recipes were inconsequential. There is a wonderful selection from authentic Mangalorean to Pan-Indian to Continental and Arabic. This is further divided into curries, salads and chutneys, starters, main courses and desserts. At the end is a glossary of simple recipes for various commonly used masalas, sauces and dressings. The book has around 250 recipes and an equal distribution between vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes for each of the cuisine styles. A unique thing about this book is the fact that there are no images. Mom believes in making the best of a book and giving more recipes that wasting pages with images.

The recipes are a combination of authentic recipes as well as those that would have been doctored with my mother's special hand. Trust me, those recipes are all fab. Its a great book to turn to when you don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen. And for those who do like to while away time in this part of the home, there are enough recipes to keep you busy.

You will also find in the book my mom's experiments in terms of new dishes that she has concocted and even those recipes which have won her awards in culinary contests. The recipes of all are such that once you have mastered them, you will be able to add your own unique touch to them.

They say you should judge the success of a recipe book from how soiled it is. If you look at mine, you might think that I now need a new copy. The book is still available for those who may be interested.


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