Monthly Cookbook Challenge • February

India: The Cookbook
Pushpesh Pant

I started my journey through this cookbook incredibly overwhelmed. This intimidating 960-page cookbook is 2.25 inches thick and weighs 3.5 lbs but that wasn't what scared me. A month ago I knew nothing about Indian cooking. I knew the American favorites, chicken tikka masala, samosas, mango lassi, and naan but I didn't know real Indian food or how to make any of it. The cuisine varies from region to region across India. The two biggest differences being the north and south but if you want to get specific, this book lists ten food regions across India. Then there were the ingredients. Most I was familiar with like coriander, cumin, cardamom, and potatoes but drumsticks, curry leaves, green chilis? What kind of green chilis?! Dal, so many types of dal...toor dal, urad dal, moong dal, chana dal...Those are a few that I purchased with no previous knowledge of them before opening this book. The other big thing was that the dishes were not in English and I h…