cover image Lite and Luscious Cuisine of India: Recipes and Tips for Healthy and Quick Meals

Lite and Luscious Cuisine of India: Recipes and Tips for Healthy and Quick Meals

Madhu Gadia. Piquant Publishing, $19.95 (307pp) ISBN 978-0-9653915-0-4

Nutritionist Gadia offers reduced-fat recipes gathered from the four compass points of India for dishes ranging from snacks for school-age children to sides, main dishes and desserts. While the recipes are within reach of the home cook, most require special spices, which must be purchased from an Indian grocery, and some advance preparation. Some dishes, such as the snacks that are made from rices and the bean side dishes, must be allowed to sit overnight. Although breakfast foods, soups and meat dishes involving any meat other than lamb are largely excluded, Gadia brings quintessential Indian dishes like specialty breads and tandoori chicken within easy reach of the home cook by using everyday household appliances for the preparation. Many of the dishes, despite their lowered fat content of their main ingredients, are still fried in vegetable oil. The collection includes traditional Indian favorites like Pita Bread, Barbecued Chicken, Chicken Curry, Lamb Kebabs and Rice Pudding, which is made with basmati rice, raisins and almonds. Lesser-known but quintessentially Indian dishes include Pounded Rice Snack, Shrimp in Yogurt Sauce, Tamarind Chutney and Chashew Sweets. (Aug.)