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• by:
• Kahate, Ruta

Ruta brings a fresh perspective to a cuisine most people think of as mysterious, complex to cook, and overly rich. Her Indian food is stylish, modern and light--equally at home with a glass of Pinot Grigio or mango lassi. Ruta’s 125 quick and easy Indian recipes all made in 30 minutes or less comprise the 5th cookbook in the highly successful AMP Quick-Fix series.

For too long, Indian cuisine has been perceived as complex and time consuming to prepare. Quick-Fix Indian aims at making Indian cooking accessible to everybody--the beginner, the experienced cook, absolutely anyone wanting to try his or her hand at a new cuisine.

The 125 dishes in Quick-Fix Indian are modern and fresh, yet rooted in tradition. These recipes are identifiable as Indian, but that’s where the familiarity ends--most of these recipes haven’t been seen before, anywhere. While the dishes are simple to make, they are by no means simplistic. They are bright, modern, and complex tasting, belying the fact that they only took 30 minutes or less to prepare. The recipes range from quick breakfasts and soups, to curries, snacks, and sweet drinks. Some of the recipes included are: Red Potato and Chickpea Salad with Pomegranate Seeds, Green Masala Lamb Curry, Beet Raita with Cilantro and Lemon, Sweet Rice with Saffron and Sultanas, Scrambled Eggs with Coconut and Curry Leaves, Pan Fried Eggplant with Ginger, Coriander Shrimp with Green Zucchini and Red Chiles, and kid favorite Banana Fritters.

While most of the recipes use easy-to-acquire ingredients, there are a few that will require a trip to a health-food or Indian store. As an added bonus, the book also lists ‘exotic’ substitutions for readers who’d like to try them. For example, mustard oil adds a special zing to the Sprouted Mung Bean Salad, but canola oil works just fine.

And finally, this cookbook is fun. Written in a lighthearted manner, Quick-Fix Indian amuses readers while also providing solid information.