Savoring the Spice Coast of India: Fresh Flavors from Kerala (ISBN 0060192577)

Amazon.com Review:
This comprehensive introduction to the use of many rich and flavorful spices--including cardamom, black pepper, ginger, and cinnamon--takes readers beyond usual notions of Indian cooking. When combined with meats, fruits, and vegetables--especially in dry curries and rice dishes--such spices will leave anyone who has enjoyed Indian cuisine with a new appreciation for the unique southern style of cooking. A must-read preface provides a colorful description of the region and a historical overview of the state of Kerala, a center for the spice trade located on the southwest coast. More winning, the chapter features compelling background and autobiographical information about the author, her family, and her roots in Kerala. While the recipes, collected from many trips to the region and time spent in the kitchens of Indian relatives and friends, are full of exotic spices and vegetables, Kaimal offers alternatives to some of the unusual ingredients that may be difficult to find in the typical grocery store. Sourdough Crêpes with Potato Masala, Sweet Green Mango Chutney, Spicy Beef Curry, and even Christmas Cake are just a few samples of the variety. For those interested in traditional Indian cooking, this is both a rich source of history and a thorough introduction to the southern Indian palate. --Teresa Simanton

fool-proof:
After i tried the first recipe, it went so well I started trying 3-4 a day (a DAY!), and each one came out fabulous. The main dishes in particular were most excellent. Friends are asking to borrow the book after sharing dishes I've made. SO MUCH EASIER than I ever thought! The writing is excellent, historical background fascinating. My favorite cookbook!

Too much emphasis on appearance;:
Appearance of the cookbook, not the food to be cooked. I used to have a rule never to buy a cookbook with color pictures in it. I find it hard to take a cookbook seriously if it looks like a travel brochure. This cookbook has that look to me. But, the content of the cookbook seems just fine. My rule about color photographs has adapted over the years since there are some well written cookbooks with pictures if you search around enough. I've only made one recipe out of this cookbook so far, a spicy beef curry. I like the cookbook, I just wish it was a little less gaudy.

Kerala cuisine, yummy recipes:
This is the best, most authentic cookbook I've seen for Kerala cuisine. Maya's love for the region and the food really shows. Also, the recipes are very easy to follow. I commend the author on figuring out appropriate quantities, because most Keralites cook with amounts like "some of this" and "some of that" that aren't exactly quantified! Anyway, I recommend this to anyone who enjoys South Indian cuisine. There are both vegetarian and non-veg recipes. The book is not exhaustive, but there are plenty of recipes in many categories of meal courses.

Great cookbook:
I absolutely love this cookbook. I was shopping around for indian cookbooks and this one interested me because I have not really tried anything from the Kerala region in India. I was pleasantly surprised that the book was so well organized, the pictures are as wonderfully delicious as the recipes. The author begins this book with an introduction to Kerala, and her family. She then gives you a list of ingredients, and spices that you will likely use in her recipes and she even has some websites listed for hardder to find ingredients (i.e. curry leaves). Luckily there is an Indian market near where I live and was able to locate the hard to find curry leaves. I have tried around 9 recipes from this book so far: the chicken kurma, potatoes with cabbage, and even the noodle pudding. All of the recipes won rave reviews. Best of all I now have an excellent Chai recipe, not to sweet not too strong, so i won't be paying the ridiculous $3.80 for it anymore at the coffee shops. I discovered that the recipes once you have a well stocked pantry are easy and inexpensive to make. This is great since i am on a student's budget!

Fragrant Spices:
"The spice coast, a fertile stretch of shoreline running along the southern and western reaches of the Indian peninsula, has drawn traders since antiquity. The vast array of peoples that came in search of its natural abundance of black pepper and other spices have given the region a tolerance and openness towards outsiders that continues to be at the core of this unusually harmonious society." ~ pg. 6 Cooking from Maya Kaimal's cookbook is a comforting experience. Your kitchen will be filled with the warm scents of exotic spices as you try many of these delicious recipes. To start I tried the Spice Tea (Masala Chai) which uses cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, cardamom pods and tea. You can use a rooibos teabag (no caffeine) in place of the black tea if you are making it at night and I also used soymilk in place of the whole milk. I decided to make an Indian lunch so I made the Seasoned Dhal. If you can't find Ghee then you can just use some butter or make Ghee by following a recipe in this book. The dhal recipe calls for 2 1/2 cups of water but I found I needed 3 1/2 cups. It was fairly easy to make so next on my list was the Spicy Beef Curry. The recipe calls for "curry leaves" which can be difficult to locate unless you order them online. Fortunately they are optional so you don't have to worry about ordering them. The addition of lemon juice to a curry was new to me but it has a surprising result. The way the beef was boiled before the curry is made is also something new I'd never tried before. This tenderized the beef quite nicely and the result was quite delicious. Some of the other recipes you may want to try include: Coconut Rice Pancakes Banana Fritters Pumpkin with Toasted Coconut Tamarind Shrimp (you need to order tamarind concentrate) Lamb Vindaloo Cardamom Coffee Maya Kaimal has created a beautiful cookbook filled with traditions and cooking from Kerala. She made many visits to India to obtain many of the recipes in this book. She includes recipes made by Christians and Hindus so that is why you find recipes for meat and vegetarian fare. ~The Rebecca Review