There is something immediately appealing about a cookbook that has a second line of “made easy” in the title – and this is at the core of Amandip Uppal’s Indian Made Easy.
Easy it is – as well as delicious. Uppal has chosen classic Indian dishes and updated them for modern palates and home cooks. Using a relaxed and chatty tone, she takes the reader through an educational tour of different regional cuisines, and helps them set up their own pantry of Indian spices.
Uppal says the book is about “discovering a casual attitude towards Indian cookery”. She adds that she hopes to make experienced cooks more inventive and build confidence in those that are newer to the cuisine.
It covers all elements of mainstream Indian cooking – light bites, vegetables and lentils, fish, meat and poultry along with breads and rice, salads, pickles and chutneys and desserts and drinks.
The important element about the book is that it’s not patronising – and it feels authentic. Despite its simple, almost austere cover, it’s not dumbing down the food of a nation, it’s making it accessible. Step-by-step instructions throughout the pages are clear but there’s no commercial spice mixes used. It’s all made the proper way, just with modern sensibilities and aimed at untrained cooks.
Uppal is a former journalist and stylist (she was deputy fashion editor of Condé Nast Traveller) and it shows. The design is elegant and clean and props are kept to a minimum. She founded a fashionable catering company in London and also teaches Indian cookery.
Recipes include some super-simple Carrot and Chickpea Pancakes, Chicken Tikka Wraps and a fantastic one-pot Chicken Pulao, which was a big hit in our house.
There are lots of quick fixes found in the book as well – such as the page taking you through six different yoghurt dips.
Step-by-step illustrations also guide you through such essentials as making plain naan and roti, plus interesting and fresh variations on the basics.
Our favourite bit? The clever menu guide at the back that allows you to pull together a full meal from the book. Afternoon chai anyone?
Images and recipes from Indian Made Easy by Amandip Uppal (Murdoch Books, $39.99)
Cook the book
These quick, wheat-free pancakes are perfect for any time of the day and can be enjoyed hot or cold.
Source: Murdoch Books
Serve as a side dish, or enjoy on its own with barbecued slices of paneer or haloumi.
Source: Murdoch Books
Unlike a biryani where the meat and rice are cooked separately, in a pulao dish the rice and meat or vegetables are cooked together in one pot. This is simple and satisfying.
There are certain dishes people in India will eat around their fasting. Source: Murdoch Books
A super-moist and featherlight gluten-free cake, it has bitter hints of orange peel and gentle pops of cardamom.
Source: Murdoch Books
