Monday, June 10, 2019

Mommy and Daddy Day with Instant Indian by Rinku Bhattacharya

Every so often, I present a book for all of the mommies and daddies out there. After all, parents like to read to. This time, I wanted to change things up a little and am presenting a cookbook. This one, I definitely took a peek at with my kids in mind. They love to try new dishes, especially when they get to cook them. So, this is our Summer delight.





INSTANT INDIAN
by Rinku Bhattacharya
Hippocrene Books
Cookbook
240 pages






Discover favorite foods from all over India with the first regional Indian cookbook authorized by Instant Pot! 

Rinku Bhattacharya -- cookbook author and founder of Spice Chronicles -- has put together a collection of 100 authentic recipes that showcase the diversity and range of the foods of India, where every state and region boasts its own unique dishes. Whether you crave takeout favorites or want to be introduced to lesser-known specialties, this cookbook brings the best of India to your table in an instant!

The Instant Pot(R) lends itself perfectly to Indian recipes, making flavorful, nutritious Indian fare (like simmering-all-day dals, legumes and all manner of curries) in minutes instead of hours. Instant Indian features numerous vegetarian and vegan options, and nearly all recipes are gluten-free.

With step-by-step instructions and color photos throughout, Instant Indian makes Indian cooking easy and fool-proof using all the functions of this popular appliance.

Purchase Links



MY TIDBITS

We looked forward to this one for two reasons. Firstly, it is a dive into a slightly more exotic (for us) culture and has recipes which won't necessarily take all day to make. We weren't disappointed.

The book starts out with a quick description about an Instant Pot device before hitting some information about pressure cooking times, and tips. Then, it dives into a section about the food of India—something I found very interesting and enjoyed reading. When eating the food, I want to learn more about the culture, people, landscape, history. And this one is short and sweet, while still setting a wonderful tone. There's a section about making basics, which includes pastes and such later used in several of the recipes or as additions to a meal. And then, it's off into the world of recipes!

I appreciated that most of the ingredients don't come from specialty stores but can be found in the right grocery store. There's an interesting history or tidbits to each dish before hitting the recipe part. The recipes themselves are easy to understand and create. But that's also the idea behind the Instant Pot. Of course, there are some recipes which rank higher in the family than others, and we still have many more to try.

The pictures are inviting and give a fairly true depiction of the food.  Because what fun is cooking new food without knowing what it's supposed to look like?

This is a lovely book and one that we'll be diving into quite often.


And here she is...

Rinku Bhattacharya (spicechronicles.com) was born in India, and now lives in a house with a vibrant backyard in Hudson Valley, New York with her husband, an avid gardener, and their two children. Rinku’s simple, sustainable approach to Indian cooking is showcased on her blog, Spice Chronicles, and in her Journal News column “Spices and Seasons.”

Rinku has been teaching recreational cooking classes for the past nine years, and works extensively with local area farmer’s markets on seasonal demonstrations and discussions. Rinku is also the author of The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles (Hippocrene Books, 2012), winner of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2013 for Best Indian Cuisine. She writes for the Poughkeepsie Journal, the Journal News, and several online sites, and is a frequent guest on CT Style TV.





1 comment:

Natalie Aguirre said...

I loved Indian food and have tried to make it before but it took so many spices and time. This book sounds like a real winner. Have fun trying out recipes with your kids.