Spices & Seasons: Simple, Sustainable Indian Flavors
By Rinku Bhattacharya (Hippocrene Books, 2014) Buy It NowGrow local, eat global. “Cooking in Westchester” blogger and journalist Bhattacharya and her husband maintain a backyard garden which, supplemented by farmers market bounty and a “tool kit” of well-chosen spices and herbs, keeps their family “eating the rainbow” all year, with an accent on seasonal produce and minimum waste. Her straightforward, flexible approach to Indian cooking is “about flavors, freshness, and love,” urging home cooks to grind their own spices and use conveniences like slow-cookers to accommodate busy lives. Helpful indexes include pages of gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian entries, listing recipes by main ingredients. Too much eggplant in your CSA share? Beets going wild? Try the smoky Baigan Bhartha or Cardamom-Scented Beet Halwa. Your palate will thank you.