Purba: Feasts from the East: Oriya Cuisine from Eastern India Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have been interested in international cooking for years with a particular fondness for Indian cooking. I discovered this wonderful book on Amazon.com and found it appealing because 1) it covers a region of India (Orissa) whose recipes I have never seen before and 2) the author is actually a scientist so I knew the recipes would not omit any details. I must say I was not dissapointed. If you are like me, you will be amazed that Dr. Parida is not a full time chef and cookbook author.
Once you read the preface you will also see she has a great sense of humor that shines through again and again throughout the book.
For those among you who sometimes feel that the spice mixtures of Indian recipes are a little overwhelming, this book is for you. All of the recipes I made from this book are flavorful without being overpowering.
So far I have 3 recipes that I love from this book:
1) Khichidi - a wonderful rice and lentil combination that is extreemly easy to prepare, elegantly seasoned and can serve as a full meal on its own.
2) Baigana Bharta - Mashed fried eggplants. while the description may not sound so appetizing, think of it as an alternative to Babaganoush. The buttery flavor of the slow roasted eggplant and the delicate seasonings make this an excellent dish hot or cold. I serve it cold as an appetizer with thinly sliced crusty bread. My dinner guests rave about it!
3) Kheeri - Rice pudding. Indian comfort food! Rice pudding is one of favorite desserts and when I first saw this recipe I thought it had a typo because it appeared to call for too much milk. I tried the recipe as printed and the result was a deliciously silky rice and milk concoction that I have made again and again.
I highly recommend this wonderful book. Lets encourage this highly gifted author to keep writing books!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Purba: Feasts from the East: Oriya Cuisine from Eastern India

Not just a recipe book but a comprehensive survey of culinary delights from the eastern Indian state of Orissa, better known for the architectural splendors of its ancient temples in Konarak and Puri.The author speaks of her own experience in the context of the food she describes meticulously documented by her as she passes through her grandmother's kitchen to her mother's overseen by the family cook. The little anecdotes that accompany some of the recipes provide an unusual glimpse into the middle-class Indian existence the author experienced while growing up in that vast and fascinating country.Comparing and contrasting the techniques refined over generations, with that from diverse and distant cultures, augmented with an extensive bibliography, the book should appeal to a wide spectrum of readers-from the faltering beginner to the serious cook. An unusual chapter on the family cook's contribution might make the orthodox in you squirm but nevertheless offers a glimpse into the evolution of "restaurant-food" in urban Orissa.A scientist by training, the author injects her own scientific-humor into the writing that also makes the book an amusing read.

Click here for more information about Purba: Feasts from the East: Oriya Cuisine from Eastern India