Spice Magic
Pinky’s own recipes, signed by the author
£12.99
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Cover notes
Pinky Lilani, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, is a development consultant with some of the major food companies in Europe and has acted as adviser to RHM Sharwood’s and on a range of Indian food products stocked by Sainsbury’s, Safeway and Tesco.
Pinky shares her passion for Indian food with the hundreds of people who attend her Spice Magic seminars in London on the art and techniques of Indian cuisine. She has starred in a TV series on Indian food, and Spice Magic: An Indian Culinary Adventure is her first cookery book.
Spice Magic is a recipe book that also surveys the influence of history, culture, geography and religion on the food habits of India, a country where eating for good mental and physical health is paramount. It offers a wealth of fascinating facts and stories, contains a glossary of Indian spices and ingredients, and will steer novices and connoisseurs alike through essential techniques.
With over 100 deliciously simple recipes, Spice Magic is an indispensable guide for anyone who ever wanted to unlock the secrets of authentic Indian cooking.
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Reviews
"A brilliant new beginner’s guide to Indian cookery...But the most inspiring part of Spice Magic is its fascinating historical survey of Indian cuisine (a rich mixture of Aryan, Mogul and even European influences), and its life-affirming philosophy."
Richard Morrison, The Times London
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“The slim and charmingly designed paperback is written with a clean, fresh style, packs in a guided tour of the food of the different regions of India, singles out popular dishes such as jalfrezi, korma, pilau and vindaloo for special attention and gives useful tips on cooking techniques and ingredients. The actual recipes are family favourites and blessedly easy to follow.”
Lindsey Bareham, The Evening Standard
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“Looking at the pictures in this book around lunchtime is a bad idea as your tummy will rumble for all around you to hear. They look positively mouthwatering and there are over 100 recipes here to start you off on your ‘Indian culinary adventure’. Pinky has advised many food companies on developing their Indian food recipes and so is well placed to advise the reader on how to get the best out of their kitchen.
Written in a simple, easy-to-follow style, the recipes are complemented by some fantastic appendices including menu suggestions, drink suggestions, medicinal food listings, spices and explanations of starters, sweets, desserts and kitchen utensils. probably the most useful ‘extra’ for people who are unfamiliar with Indian food is the stockist list of main stores that do Indian groceries.
The sub-title of the book is very fitting as the book’s chapters lead you on an adventure through the maze of Indian cooking, slowly building the readers’ knowledge before you get to the recipes. A chapter entitled ‘Essential notes before you embark’ offers advice on things like the correct pan to use, portion sizes and how to make certain basic pastes to save time. The rest of the chapters then split the recipes into ingredient-based sections. This is a wonderful book for the beginner but you can also dip into it for ideas to start you thinking about adapting traditional recipes. A very handy little tool for the kitchen.”
Tandoori Magazine
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Press release
Although Chicken Tikka Masala is now considered a national dish, alongside more traditional staples such as fish and chips and shepherd's pie, for most British people, Indian food is still something they eat in restaurants, rather than cook at home.
Perhaps home cooks are intimidated by the use of spices in Indian cooking - a situation that expert Pinky Lilani, a passionate advocate of her native cuisine, hopes to change with the publication of her book "SPICE MAGIC: AN INDIAN CULINARY ADVENTURE" (27th November 2001, Development Dynamics, £12.99 paperback).
Based on Pinky's popular seminars on the art and techniques of Indian cooking, SPICE MAGIC is a comprehensive, accessible and fascinating introduction to a cuisine that has evolved over many thousands of years, influenced by it's country's history, geography, culture and religion.
The single most important element of Indian cooking is spices: "They are the secret ingredients that can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary, the simple into the exotic and the mundane into the mouthwatering".
In SPICE MAGIC, Pinky explores the history of spices and their introduction into the different regional cuisines of India. She explains the Bhunao and Tarka techniques for cooking spices, to release their pungent aromas and powerful flavours and in a comprehensive glossary she discusses the various health benefits of individual spices. Eating for good physical and mental health is a paramount concern of Indian cooking.
The core of the book contains over 100 delicious recipes for Starters, Vegetables, Meat, Chicken, Fish and Seafood, Rice, Indian Breads, Accompaniments and Desserts. Many of the dishes which feature are popular favourites from the menus of Indian restaurants: Onion Bhajiyas, Spicy Bombay Potatoes, Rogan Josh, Chicken Korma, Chicken Tikka Biryani and Nann Bread. Simple and easy-to-follow, they can all be readily reproduced in the domestic kitchen.
For anyone who wants to unlock the secrets of authentic Indian cooking, SPICE MAGIC will prove an indispensable guide. Its blend of anecdote, information and practical guidance, will fascinate readers and inspire them to create simple and delicious Indian food for themselves at home.