It is always a delight to find what Madhur Jaffrey the gifted, award winning actress and prolific author is doing. She never disappoints. Not only is she starring in the recent films ‘Today’s Special’ and ‘Hiding Divya’, she has launched her nineteenth cookery book with gusto!
From the ever inventive Guru of Asian cooking comes a joyful cookery book ‘At Home With Madhur Jaffrey’ published by Alfred Knopf. Jaffrey grasps the essentials, avoiding flamboyancy and complexity. Simple, delectable dishes and places to go – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Singular recipes with lots of shortcuts that carry the unique flavor of each landscape.
Instead of being daring and dabbling in fusion dishes, her earthy, exuberant multicultural recipes with minimal fuss is so immediate that you want to cook the dishes right away. The blessed diversity of dishes follow classic principles, quality, but Jaffrey brings a fun, casual attitude tantalizing us with gourmet recipe titles and then breaking down the method to make it a part of everyday cooking.
Throughout her writing career, and she has written 18 books, Jaffrey has been specially gifted with an open informality. In this book nothing is obscure; the crisp introductions are natural and relaxed. She never befuddles you. First rate ingredients easily procured, a few cooking implements and reducing the steps in cooking, she reinterprets and personalizes traditional recipes. The book is not for the ardently ambitious cook requiring the support of a host of ingredients and limitless time.
Consider Okra-Swiss Chard Soup. Carrots, beans, onions and okra sauteed with chard, cumin and cayenne. Add chicken stock. Blend and add coconut milk. And that’s it. In Madhur Jaffrey’s own words it’s a mellow, “delicious as it is surprising in its finest blend of silken textures.” Her purpose is to make dishes simple and straight forward “to hold your hand through the entire process with clear instructions and detailed explanations.” And she succeeds.
The book has a new relevance in this frenetic world of ours where time is at a premium. Whether it is a whim or an emergency, the spectrum of dishes tempt with lots of favorites ranging from seafood, chicken, lamb, pork, and beef, to mellow comforting soups, and irresistible snacks. It’s step by step cooking; quick and easy recipes like Chappali Kebabs, Peshawari Red Pepper, Chutney from Pakistan, South Indian Karhai Broccoli, Bangladeshi Red Lentils, the Chinese influenced Hot, Salty and Sweet Pork Chops and the excellent Sri Lankan Coconut Sambol.
And then there’s Ground Turkey with Hyderabadi’s Seasonings, Sri Lankan Fish Curry served with Gujarati Style Okra, accompanied by tortillas! Mussels in a Creamy Coconut Sauce and Whole Chicken baked in an Almond and Onion Sauce or Rajasthani Meat with a Semolina Pilaf is an adventure by itself.
To whet your appetite, Jaffrey enumerates diverse traditions of serving fish. Fancy Kerala? Sardines and whitebait are washed in a lime water solution, dipped in rice flour and deep fried. In Bengal, a thin sauce is made with crushed mustard seeds, chili powder and turmeric. In Pakistan, fish is rubbed with ajwain seeds and roasted briefly in a tandoor oven and in Sri Lanka fish is served perfumed with fennel seeds and poached in coconut milk.
To make the book totally satisfying, Madhur Jaffrey even serves up a recipe for the crisp wafer pappadom while relating a story of how an Anglo Indian acquaintance of hers from Calcutta took along the spices he wanted as flavoring and watched as the butcher ground, seasoned and pushed the meat into casings. The recipe is called Anglo-Indian Sausage Patties!
Gorgeous photographs by Christopher Hirsheimer enhance the book. The publishers are Alfred A Knopf (New York).
Prem Kishore
India Post News Service
