Bhargava - From mom with love-- : complete guide to Indian cooking and entertaining

COMPLETE GUIDE TO INDIAN COOKING AND ENTERTAINING PUSHPA BHARGAVA Copyright 2007, 2009, 2010 by Pushpa Bhargava. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or any manner whatsoever without prior written permission of the copyright owner, except in the case of brief quotations in articles and reviews with proper acknowledgement. For more information, address: info@momsindiancooking.com or www.momsindiancooking.com The Front Cover: The background is an environmentally friendly jute bag (called bora in Hindi) used for centuries in India for transporting and storing cereals and spices in large quantities. The bottom right is the traditional Masal Dan (spice container) - a must in every Indian kitchen. Photo: Anjali Bhargava, www.anjalibhargava.com Original Design: Shyamlee Malhotra Published by: Crest Books, Inc. 19 Dorfer Lane, Nesconset, NY 11767, USA Printed at: Thomson Press (India) Limited. 19 Dorfer Lane, Nesconset, NY 11767, USA Printed at: Thomson Press (India) Limited.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2008912013 ISBN: 978-0-9761851-2-3 First Edition March 2007 Second Edition March 2009 Third Printing July 2010 Dedicated to my mother
who taught me everything I know about cooking.
Also to my children,
and my grandchild, Eesha
who will hopefully use this book
to prepare meals for their loved ones

(v) Vegan or Vegan Option Where do I begin?My mom - the very best cook in the world - who always left a little dough at the end of her cooking and patiently guided my tiny hands as I tried to roll out the last few rotis.My mother-in-law who, in spite of having a very busy political career, always found a little time to prepare a special treat for her children.Usha Bhabhi for coming up with the idea of writing this book and her constant encouragement and guidance.Aruna Bhabhi for her literary guidance and sharing her special recipes.Urmil Handa for sharing her recipes.Dawn Joseph for her loving work on the typing of the manuscript.Bina and Gurdial Singh for their invaluable help in the editing and printing of this book.Anita and Pravin Mehta for the very personal interest they have taken in this book.Vandana, Anjali, Gauri and Shyamlee for the loving work on the design, photography and creative suggestions.My children Vivek, Vibha, Vandana and Vivek for being just that - loving children - and their help and constant inspiration.Last but not least, my husband and best friend, Vikram, for his constant support and work on the book throughout the whole process. Please make sure you look at the preparation and cooking time in advance of a meal or party. While some recipes take only a few minutes, others may need preparation days in advance. Likewise, please make sure you have the proper kitchenware for the recipe you are using. As an example, you really can not make good idlis without an idli maker. It is a good idea to make and freeze ingredients ahead of time. This way you can prepare meals that would take days or hours in a matter of minutes.

Some examples are precooked masala and chutneys. I have tried to provide optimum amounts of salt, cooking time, water to be added, etc. to save you a lot of trial and error. However, please be aware that slight variations may occur from kitchen to kitchen in water absorption of different brands of flour, due to altitude, etc. Most importantly, individual tastes for salt, spice and sugar vary. Some adjustments to the recipes may be needed based on the above.

For a really important meal, a trial run may be a good idea. Caution: Use extreme care when deep frying. Due to a combination of factors, the object being fried may burst causing the hot oil to spatter. Some of the causes can be adding too much water, the oil being too hot, or the ingredients being old stock due to poor turnover in the store. It is always advisable to stand a fair distance away from the stove until you have made sure this is not happening. Also, you can hold a spatter screen as a safe guard. For a hassle free cooking experience pre-measure all the ingredients in small bowls and arrange in the order of use before starting to cook.

See picture below. Vegan (or Vegan option) dishes are marked with a (v) in the Contents. For difficult to follow instructions such as rolling dough, please be sure to take advantage of: Website: www.momsindiancooking.com

I am truly touched by the overwhelming response to the first edition of the book. I have made a few minor modifications to some of the recipes based on the user feedback and have added some recipes based on popular requests. I hope the readers find the second edition even more useful than the first one. Pushpa Bhargava If you were to own just one book of Indian cuisine, this is it.

It is a complete guide to Indian cooking. It is a substitute for your Mom standing next to you and lovingly helping you prepare excellent, nutritious Indian meals for every occasion. If you want to cook Indian food but do not know what spices, legumes, beans, and pots and pans you need - you dont have to worry - a complete pantry list is provided. There is a pantry list for beginners and another one for more committed and experienced cooks - all in a convenient format that you can take right to the store with you. With this book in your kitchen, whether you are having a party or preparing a quiet meal for your family, you dont have to go through different cook books to come up with a menu. It is all here a complete list of menu combinations for different occasions both special and everyday.

This book will provide you with solutions for all your cooking, entertaining, and household needs:

• Ideas about foods you can cook and freeze ahead of time for occasions when you need to produce a meal in a hurry or are just too tired to cook.
• Suggestions on how to deal with cooking crises such as a sauce that has become too watery or a dish that is too salty.
• Tips for storing and preparing precooked masalas and efficient ways to freeze chutneys.
• Safety tips such as how to quickly put out a minor fire on your stove.
• Guidelines for cleaning and odor removal.
• Home remedies for minor ailments such as cough and colds, upset stomachs and abdominal colic pains that babies often suffer from.
• Lots of demos and useful information at www.momsindiancooking.com

The most special and unique feature of this book is the TLC tips. These are little short cuts and little secrets that will make your cooking easier, yet delicious. This book is a must have for every kitchen. It is an invaluable gift to give to anyone who loves to cook or would like to try. It is truly a garland of rare gems collected over a lifetime of experience and given to you as a special gift.