American Masala or Flexitarian Table

American Masala: 125 New Classics from My Home Kitchen

Author: Suvir Saran

In Indian Home Cooking, Suvir Saran introduced our taste buds, and our kitchens, to the wonders of cumin, coriander, cardamom, and curry leaves. American Masala takes the next step, marrying Indian flavors with American favorites to create dishes that are exotic, yet familiar; full of complex tastes, yet easy enough for weeknight suppers. Masala—the Hindi word for a blend of spices—is at the heart of Indian cooking. Whether toasted, ground, fried, infused in oil, or fresh, spices are used to layer flavors in simple but profound ways. Bring the same techniques to American classics such as meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, or roasted turkey, and the result is something truly special. Masala also refers to the excitement and vibrancy that come from a house full of friends and family. Simple recipes prepared with staples found in every supermarket mean less time laboring in the kitchen and more time spent enjoying the spice of life.

From snacks and starters and on to the evening meal, the Indian influence brightens the flavors in dishes like:

- Goat Cheese Pesto–Stuffed Chicken Breasts
- Tamarind-Glazed Turkey with Corn Bread–JalapeñoStuffing
- Crab-and-Salmon Cakes with Spicy Cilantro Aïoli
- Crispy Okra Salad
- Bombay-Style Whole Snapper
- Honey-Glazed Double-Thick Pork Chops
- Pistachio-and-Cardamom Pound Cake with Lemon Icing
- Fried Eggs with Asparagus and Prosciutto

American Masala isn’t about traditional Indian food—it’s about adding new flavors to the great American melting pot, using spices to liven up the old standbys, and enjoying dishes that are as exciting and diverse as lifein the big city, and yet as familiar and comforting as your mother’s cooking.

Publishers Weekly

Although the recipes in Saran's aptly titled second cookbook share no unifying principle apart from their deliciousness-whoever heard of Macaroni and Cheese keeping company with Mushroom and Rice Biryani Casserole?-they complement one another in a mysterious way. Such eclecticism reflects how Saran, chef and co-owner of Dévi in New York City, cooks for his family and enormous circle of Tupperware-toting friends. Unlike many other chefs' signature dishes, which originate in a restaurant kitchen, Saran's most inspired creations begin at home. When this cooking-without-borders approach succeeds, as it mostly does, the results taste like wild siblings of the original: bolder, stronger, deeper. Seasonings for a delicious variation on harira, a traditional Moroccan soup, include Aleppo pepper and garam masala; a buttermilk brine for fried chicken is flavored with ginger, coriander and cayenne. Indian dishes like Mashed Potatoes with Mustard Oil, Cilantro and Onions and Bombay-Style Whole Snapper, in which the fish is rubbed with a spice paste before roasting, particularly stand out for their elegance and ease of preparation. 60 color photos not seen by PW. (Oct.)

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

Judith Sutton - Library Journal

Saran's first book, Indian Home Cooking, featured his take on everyday regional Indian cooking. Now he presents the recipes he most likes to cook at home, favorite American dishes spiced with Indian flavors: Indian Coleslaw with jalapeño, cumin, and coriander, for example, or Fried Chicken Masala. Masala means spice, Saran explains-"not just the spice that one adds to food but also the spice of life"-and American Masala is the name of a chain of new restaurants he plans to open soon. (Dévi, his acclaimed Manhattan restaurant, closed briefly this fall but has since reopened.) A good companion to Floyd Cardoz's excellent One Spice, Two Spice: American Food, Indian Flavors, Saran's latest is recommended for most collections.

Books about: The Marketing of Rebellion or Virtual Private Networks

Flexitarian Table: Inspired, Flexible Meals for Vegetarians, Meat Lovers, and Everyone in Between

Author: Peter Berley

Today a single family can include staunch vegetarians as well as passionate meat lovers. When company shows up, the situation gets even more complicated. How can you satisfy them all without making two (or three) completely different meals?
In The Flexitarian Table, the award-winning author Peter Berley presents menus that are flexible, exciting, relaxing to prepare -- and that make everyone feel welcome. With The Flexitarian Table, you'll no longer treat vegetarians as afterthoughts by offering them a couple of scanty side dishes, and you'll be able to indulge meat eaters at the same time with abundant, satisfying dishes.
You'll learn how to prepare vegetarian and meat versions simultaneously without going to any extra trouble. Roast a succulent, crisp chicken with lemon and thyme -- and make a tofu version in just minutes. Put some meaty portobello mushroom caps on the grill and, for the carnivore contingent, throw on a steak, then pair them both with a zesty bread crumb salsa. Simmer white beans with carrot and celery and sauté some shrimp, drizzling each with the same rich brown butter sauce with fresh herbs.
You'll find many sumptuous vegetarian dishes as well, including cannelloni with ricotta, Parmesan, and mint or a hearty lasagna with roasted fall vegetables in a sage-scented cheese sauce. Or serve up a selection of easy little dishes and let your guests choose.
You'll get plenty of ideas for get-dinner-quick meals such as winter tomato soup with goat cheese crostini and Spanish-style fried eggs, and for luxurious weekend fare try cumin-spiced lamb croquettes and falafel, served with two traditional Middle Eastern sauces and whole wheat pita bread.
The Flexitarian Table also shows you how to cook with the seasons so you get the most flavor from your ingredients while you enjoy varied, sustainable meals year-round.

Publishers Weekly

It's the rare cookbook that encourages the reader not just to cook differently but to think differently about food. In this stylish collection of recipes, Berley (The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen) introduces a practical approach to flexitarian-or part-time vegetarian-eating. Given the confusion most of us face when it comes to our diets, flexitarianism, with its healthful emphasis on grains, lean proteins and beans, is an appealing one. He has developed a series of "convertible" recipes, main courses that work equally well meatless or meat-full. There's delicate choice of Baked Fish or Ricotta Dumplings, either of which is served over French Lentils; a hearty Gratin of Cherry Tomatoes and White Beans can be served with sardines. Throw in two or three side dishes like a salad of Mâche, Pea Shoots with Baby Beets, or Soba with Garlicky Spinach and Sesame Oil, and it becomes a satisfying meal in which no one feels shortchanged. Organized by season, the menus are cross-cultural and appealing. The recipes, while sophisticated, require only moderate experience in the kitchen. Berley's savvy tips on technique and flavor-pairing make this an affable and informative guide for any chef-regardless of diet affiliation. (June)

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

Table of Contents:

Introduction:
What's a Flexitarian? 1
About the Ingredients 5
Cooking with the Seasons 13
SPRING 16
SUMMER 96
FALL 168
WINTER 250
Index 331