American Masala
Please see the October
2, 2007 newsletter, announcing the book's release.
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.
• • • • • • •
Praise for American
Masala
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.)
"This book is a warm, personal invitation
to make fabulous food at home, all inspired by American and
Indian favorites. How could anyone say no to vegetables so
gorgeous and so easy to make. Nothing could be healthier.
These dishes promise no fuss or drama and I love the descriptions
that come with them. I'm convinced. I can't wait to try them
all."
— Marion Nestle, NYU Professor and author of Food Politics
and What to Eat
"I actually hear the voice of Suvir Saran
on every page, especially in the intimate recipe footnotes
as he reimagines everyday favorite dishes of the American
melting pot in his own kitchen, intensifying flavors with
the fragrant spices of India. Buy this book for the secret
of his rich-as-Croesus macaroni and cheese, the crispy okra
salad and, yes, the irresistible skillet cornbread borrowed
from an America grandma. "
— Gael Greene, New York magazine critic and author of Insatiable:
Tales from a Life of Delicious Excess
"Suvir Saran's American Masala is
an exciting addition to American cooking. These recipes are
simple without being simplistic and bring the vibrant traditions
of Indian seasoning and spice to the increasingly diverse
American repertoire. Perhaps most important, this book is
filled with Saran's huge and generous spirit."
— Michael Ruhlman, author, The Soul of a Chef
"Suvir is a beautiful cook! He
brings passion, broad knowledge, and sensibility in equal
measures to these wonderful dishes, sharing a home cooking
style that is both personal and classic. I love his food
and can't wait to try these recipes!"
— Mollie Katzen, author, Moosewood Cookbook
"I have cooked Suvir's recipes probably
fifty times, never without delightful, fresh, inspiring results.
When it comes to contemporary and traditional food, I trust
him implicitly. American Masala is a gem."
— Mark Bittman, author, How to Cook Everything and The
Best Recipes in the World
"In the exciting world of food there is
only one chef who holds court as the leading authority on
contemporary Indian cooking: Suvir Saran. To cook this talented
culinarian’s recipes is to get a firsthand understanding
and taste of American multicultural food."
—Art Smith, author and James Beard Humanitarian of the Year
"Suvir Saran's American Masala is
an exhilarating culinary journey. From Cardamom Roasted Cauliflower
to sumptuous Crab and Salmon Cakes with a Spicy Cilantro
Aïoli, Suvir’s love affair with amazing flavors
is evident in every recipe. My own personal favorites will
always be his Spiced Pear and Better-than-Ketchup Tomato
Chutneys, but I adore his pickles, too!"
— Sheila Lukins, co-author, The Silver Palate Cookbook
In his new book American Masala, Suvir
Saran gives a zing to a spicylicious and culturally diverse
array of recipes."
— Nancy Silverton, chef and author
"Place several cups of India in a beautiful
big bowl. Add a slice or two of America, a dash of brilliance,
a pinch of wit and blend it all together. You’ll end
up with one of the most inspiring and sumptuous cookbooks
that’s come out in a long time! Once again, Suvir Saran,
the consummate Indian chef, has triumphed with his new cookbook.
The next best thing to buying a ticket to India (or New York
to eat at his fabulous restaurant) Is right here between
these covers."
— Joanne Weir, chef and author
"I love Suvir’s fresh and modern
approach to the Indian kitchen. American Masala is
packed with Dishes that are easy to prepare, alive with flavor
and sure to delight. Always eager to learn, my repertoire
just got upgraded big time. P.S. The crispy okra salad is über-delicious!
— Colin Cowie, author and TV Host
Back to top.
Excerpts
from the introduction
Masala is the Hindi term for spice.
Besides meaning the spice that one adds to food, it also
refers to the spice of life, the excitement and vibrancy
that blossom from stimulating conversation and a house full
of friends and family. All of the things that make life interesting—all
of the things that inspire--this is masala. I have lived
in America for nearly as long as I lived in India and have
come to love American classics like lasagna, cornbread and
cobblers. They are now as much a part of my culinary heritage
as is dal and dosas. Applying my knowledge of spices to American
dishes is what I like to call American Masala. It's
my reality and it's how I cook at home.
As a chef and cook, I find inspiration everywhere,
from the countries I visit, the people I meet and the food
I taste along the way. I have found that the beauty of masala
lies in its ability to transpose borders and oceans, and
find a home in just about any cuisine, not just Indian. The
dishes I cook tend to take on an international theme, reflecting
the background and traditions of the places I've seen and
the people I know. I create food that I love to eat, food
that I find stimulating and satisfying, and that gets people
talking. It's often not traditional Indian food that I am
cooking, though there are certainly Indian influences, as
these aspects of cooking seem to be genetically juxtaposed
into my genes.
• • • • • • •
Pictured here:
spinach, ginger,
and red chiles |
I do not pretend to have compiled a collection
of "classic" Indian recipes. There are several excellent
examples of such on the market, published by writers to whom
I am indebted for doing the hard work of bringing a foreign
cuisine to America at a time when even French food was still
exotic here. Those writers have written extensively
about our Indian culture, foods, ingredients and techniques. You
can read and cook out of those books to get a taste of classical
northern Indian dishes such as Roghan Josh, a lamb
stew thickened with ground almonds, or the northern Indian
chicken dishes Murgh Mussallam (a whole chicken,
marinated then stewed) and Chicken Moghlai (chicken
in a rich, saffron flavored sauce). While delicious,
these dishes require days of marinating and use ingredients
that are exotic even to contemporary Indian pantries. This
is not the kind of everyday cooking that makes sense for
a busy schedule.
• • • • • • •
Like you, I rely mostly on supermarket staples.
I always have tomatoes, red peppers, red onions, cilantro,
ginger, lemons and limes in my refrigerator as most of these
ingredients usually migrate into my cooking. I also use kosher
salt because I find it easier to control and sprinkle in
by hand than table salt. Cayenne pepper, jalapeño
peppers and chile peppers are like my black pepper--I use
these spices often and you can decrease (or increase!) their
quantities as you like. I don't expect other home cooks to
go searching high and low for specialty ingredients. That
said, there are a couple of ingredients that are nice to
have on hand, like fenugreek leaves, curry leaves (you can
store them in your freezer) and spice mixes like chaat masala,
garam masala and sambhaar that stay fresh for up to six months.
I provide recipes for the latter two spice blends. Fenugreek
leaves and chaat masala can be found in most any Indian supermarket,
or simply order from one of the sources in the back of the
book on page TK. In just five minutes online or on the phone,
you can have these items sent to you and never worry about
not having an ingredient in your pantry. If you can't find
or don't have a seasoning, don't stress it--eliminate it
from the recipe. This is what cooking is about, flexibility
and improvisation. Maybe you will come up with a dish even
better than mine.
• • • • • • •
Pictured here:
radishes and onions. |
To me, American cuisine represents a culture
of food that blends spices, techniques and ingredients from
different parts of the globe to become something fresh and
exciting yet comforting and homey. It is a melting pot of
fast-paced and slow-cooked, of convenience and tradition.
It is about being free to play with new flavors and ideas.
Just as there is a sense of inherent freedom
that comes from being an American, I find an innate awareness
in the freedom that comes from being Indian. Having grown
up in a country that is as old as time, as old as history
yet still as young and fearless as a forward-moving nation
can be, has given me a unique perspective on life. I never
take anything for granted, or base my opinion solely on science
or theory. This is to live without masala. Sometimes it's
evident as an underlying note--perhaps the soft spice of
black pepper in a fruit cobbler. Sometimes it's as powerful
as adding saffron to leg of lamb. And sometimes it's as simple
as gently warming rosemary and thyme in olive oil before
adding to a sauce to coax out the herbs' dormant underlying
notes.
This is not a restaurant-y or Indian cookbook.
I wrote American Masala keeping in mind how I really
cook in my kitchen and have taken care to write about the shortcuts
and time saving tips I employ. My friends are often amazed
at how frequently I entertain a dozen (or more) people in my
tiny one bedroom Manhattan apartment. With no formal dining
room to speak of, and a cooking space that most non New Yorkers
would consider a closet, they are shocked when they witness
and taste the breadth and variety of dishes that parade out
from the kitchen. I prepare them with love and care and without
fuss. My goal is to enjoy my time in the kitchen, cooking with
the most beautiful, seasonal and delicious ingredients I can
find. I hope you find as much gratification from the recipes
on the pages that follow as I do.
Back to top.
• • • • • • •
CHAPTERS
Chutneys, Pickles & Spices
Snacks & Starters
Salads
Soups & Stews
Casseroles & One-Dish Dinners
Fish & Shellfish
Chicken & Turkey
Pork, Lamb & Beef
Vegetables & Side Dishes
Grilling
Breakfasts
Desserts
Recipes with
photos.
Book jacket flaps:
Photos
by Ben Fink.
Back to top.
