American Masala
Please see the October
2, 2007 newsletter, announcing the
book's release. New recipes and photos
online now.
PUBLISHER'S
WEEKLY: Week of 8/6/2007
"Food & Wine"category
American Masala: 125 New Classics from My Home Kitchen
Suvir Saran with Raquel Pelzel. Clarkson Potter, $35 (272 pages)
ISBN 978-0-307-34150-1
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.)
Read praise from well-known food writers including Marion
Nestle, Gael Greene, Michael Ruhlman, Mark Bittman, Mollie
Katzen, Sheila Lukins, and more. See
details: Introduction,
chapter listings, recipes,
and the front and
back book flaps.
You can buy
the book now at Amazon.
