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An Invitation to Indian Cooking

50th Anniversary Edition: A Cookbook

Author Madhur Jaffrey

Foreword by Yotam Ottolenghi

Hardcover

$40.00 US

| $54.00 CAN

Knopf

On sale Nov 21, 2023 | 352 Pages | 978-0-593-53568-4

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Nonfiction > Cookbooks > Cooking Methods
Nonfiction > Cookbooks > International Cuisine

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A beautiful fiftieth-anniversary edition of the essential Indian cookbook—"the final word on the subject" (The New York Times)—featuring a new introduction by the author and a new foreword by Yotam Ottolenghi

An instant classic upon publication, this book teaches home cooks perfect renditions of dishes such as Mulligatawny Soup, Whole Wheat Samosas, and Chicken Biryani, alongside Green Beans with Mustard, Khitcherie Unda (scrambled eggs, Indian style), and Nargisi Kofta (large meatballs stuffed with hard-boiled eggs).

The “queen of Indian cooking" (Saveur), Madhur Jaffrey helped introduce generations of American home cooks to the foods of the subcontinent. In An Invitation to Indian Cooking—widely considered one of the best cookbooks of all time and enshrined in the James Beard Foundation’s Cookbook Hall of Fame—Jaffrey gives readers a sweeping survey of the rich culinary traditions of her home.

Living in London and homesick, she was prompted to re-create the dishes of her Delhi childhood. Jaffrey taught herself the art of Indian cuisine and, in this groundbreaking book, she shares those lessons with us all. Featuring more than 160 recipes, the book covers everything from appetizers, soups, vegetables, and meats to fish, chutneys, breads, desserts, and more.

From recipes for formal occasions to the making of everyday staples such as dals, pickles, and relishes, Jaffrey’s “invitation” has proved irresistible for generations of American home cooks.

Beautifully redesigned—and with a new foreword by the author and a new introduction by superfan, Yotam Ottolenghi—and featuring Jaffrey's own illustrations, this anniversary edition celebrates An Invitation to Indian Cooking’s half a century as the go-to text on Indian cooking.

Sweet Tomato Chutney
Makes 2 1/2 cups

I make this chutney with canned tomatoes. You could, if you like, use fresh tomatoes when they are in season and really tasty. To peel them, you will need to drop them in boiling vinegar. When the skin crinkles, life them out and peel. Then proceed with the recipe. When cooked, this chutney is sweet and sour, thick and garlicky.
1 whole head of garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
A piece of fresh ginger, about 2 inches long, 1 inch thick, and 1 inch wide, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups wine vinegar
1-pound 12-ounce can whole tomatoes (or 2 pounds fresh tomatoes prepared as suggested above)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8–1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons golden raisins
2 tablespoons blanched slivered almonds

Put the chopped garlic, ginger, and 1/2 cup of the vinegar into the container of an electric blender and blend at high speed until smooth. In a 4-quart heavy-bottomed pot with nonmetallic finish, place the tomatoes and juice from the can, the rest of the vinegar, the sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper (or, if you prefer, add the cayenne at the end, a little at a time, stirring and tasting as you do so). Bring to a boil. Add purée from the blender. Lower heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until chutney becomes thick. (A film should cling to a spoon dipped in it.) Stir occasionally at first, and more frequently later as it thickens. You may need to lower the heat as the liquid diminishes. You should end up with about 2 1/2 cups of chutney, and it should be at least as thick as honey after it cools. If the canned tomatoes you use have a lot of liquid in them, a longer cooking time may be required, resulting in a little less chutney.
Add the almonds and raisins. Simmer, stirring, another 5 minutes. Turn heat off and allow to cool. Bottle. Keep refriderated.
To serve: Since this is one of my favorite sweet chutneys, I always spoon out a small bowl of it for all my dinner parties. It goes with almost all foods and is very popular. Store, bottled, in the refrigerator. It keeps for months.

SUBMITTED | 2005
James Beard Award

“No one in the last fifty years has influenced the West’s understanding of Indian food like Madhur Jaffrey. Today, she is still the ultimate authority. She has patiently shown us how to mix spices, explained the regional differences of this vast cuisine, and also provided shortcuts to preparing a myriad of dishes. She is a towering figure in international gastronomy, serving as mentor and inspiration to the countless writers and cooks who have come after her. I remain in awe of her.” —Padma Lakshmi

“Perhaps the best Indian cookbook available in English.” —The New York Times

MADHUR JAFFREY is the author of many cookbooks—seven of which have won James Beard Awards—and she was named to the Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America by the James Beard Foundation. She is the recipient of an honorary CBE and is also an award-winning actress, winner of the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlin Film Festival, with numerous major motion pictures to her credit. She lives in New York.

MADHUR JAFFREY is available for select readings and lectures. To inquire about a possible appearance, please contact Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau at speakers@penguinrandomhouse.com or visit prhspeakers.com. View titles by Madhur Jaffrey