Grrains, Greens, and Grated Coconuts:Recipes and Remembrances of a Vegetarian legacy

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	• Grains, Greens, and Grated Coconuts: Recipes and Remembrances of a Vegetarian Legacy Ammini Ramachandran iUniverse, Inc., 2007 - 364 pages average customer review:based on 9 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Authentic and amazing

This is a really remarkable book, self-published and free of hype. There are no glitzy photographs of the food, which is a shame because I'll bet it's beautiful, but there is a pithy history of Kerala and then there are the recipes. They are exquisite, and the vibrant flavors of the food are conveyed by the author's enthusiastic descriptions. I'm not a vegetarian, but could live meatlessly and lusciously for weeks on these recipes. For vegetarians, this is a bonanza. The recipes range from relatively simple to complex, but none of them seem undoable in an American kitchen. The author has lived in America for a while, so she is familiar with the equipment and ingredients available here, and makes this cuisine approachable for us. Her notes are thorough and engaging, and well worth a read even if you don't plan to make that particular dish. If you have any interest in Indian cooking, or even if you don't want to cook it but enjoy reading about it, this is the best book on Indian cuisine that I've seen in a long time.

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Grrains, Greens, and Grated Coconuts:Recipes and Remembrances of a Vegetarian legacy

Very nicely written, lots of historical data connected to the food of the region which was entirely new to me. Enjoyable reading and interesting recipes. Since I do like Indian Food, my hope is to try some of the recipes when time allows.

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First person history lesson

This book is worth its price for the introduction alone. The author recounts political history of India's Kerala state through the many waves of European trade and reveals a larger historical context for European history that is invariably missing from all so-called World History classes taught at U.S. universities. The auther is herself a descendant of the players in the history she recounts.
A worthwhile investment for any Indian American under the age of 45.

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A NEW HOBBY AWAITS, EXCITING FOOD COMBOS

6/27/2007
Grains, Greens and
Grated Coconuts:
Recipes and Remembrances of a
Vegetarian Legacy
By Ammini Ramachandran
Foreward by Suvir Saran
Reviewed by Marty Martindale
It seems, the best cuisine in India is never found in restaurants, but in private homes where treasured recipes are used along with priceless experience and wisdom.
This book is based on the household cooking of Kerala in India and its many vegetarian marvels. The country of India is vast and complex, and Kerala is home to several key spices including the practically universal black pepper. The ancient spice trade caused
Kerala to became a very sought-after destination for millions. With each visitor came new plants and trees in exchange for their treasured spices. In the book, Ramachandran devotes forty pages to the vast number of visiting groups and their contributions the region over many years.
Next is carefully detailed information on their spices, herbs and vegetables, also the importance of rices in their diet. Following these, she explains cooking procedures and unique utensils.
Here are short descriptions of recipes in the book you might wish to try first:
* Varutha Erisseri -- Green Plantains in Toasted Coconut and Cumin Sauce: Basically this is a dish of stewed plantains, chili powder, turmeric powder, freshly grated coconut, vegetable oil and cumin seeds. The sauce is made from oil, mustard seeds, more chili and curry leaves. Served over rice.
* Tomato Pachadi - Tomatoes in a Fresh Coconut and Yogurt Sauce: Tomatoes, turmeric powder, grated coconut, green chilies and yogurt. For a garnish, combine vegetable oil, mustard seed, a fried chili, curry leaves and brown sugar.
* Vishu Kanji - Rice Soup with Coconut Milk: This simple dish is made from two kinds of rice, frozen lima beans and coconut milk.
* Maanga Chammanthi - Fresh Mango Chutney: Combine mangoes, grated coconut and green chilies in a blender.
Grains, Greens and Grated Coconuts is not a book about a cuisine you will cook quickly, for it demands study and practice. However if you are willing to spend time and feel at home with new combinations, you will get closer each time you work with it. Possibilities for some new taste combinations are definitely reachable and offer an exciting prospect!
For supplemental information, the author recommends these sites:
PEPPERTRAIL
INDIAN HOME COOKING
AMERICAN MASALA
You can reach Marty Martindale at: FOOD SITE OF THE DAY

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You don't need to cook to enjoy this one!

Reviewed by Tammy Petty Conrad for Reader Views (12/07)

What a delicious read! I have a wonderful collection of cookbooks and the ones I enjoy most are the ones that read like novels. They include stories about the food and people who make the dishes. Even if I never get around to cooking anything included, I appreciate the flavors and tales behind the delicacies shared. This is one of those books.

The author, a native Indian from Kerala in the southwestern part of the country, shares her background and her family's recipes in such a loving way. She includes not only recipes, but the traditions, history and memories that go with them. I learned about the variety of food in her country and the diversity of recipes available in different regions. I also discovered some interesting historical facts. Having lived in the United Kingdom previously, it was fun to learn how some of the dishes arrived there from India and how they were modified for British palates. Interestingly, the Mulligatawny soup found in London started out much differently in India as molagu thanni!

I took many notes as I read about the author's childhood and the dishes she remembered most. Paayasam, a type of banana pudding made with plantains and coconut milk, grabbed my attention. Now I know what to do with the plantains I always see at the grocery store looking a bit lonely! This is a vegetarian book, but that is no reason for meat lovers to disregard it. The variety of dishes is amazing.

The author says that "The skill of a traditional cook depends on his or her ability to judge taste with the eyes and nose." Traditionally you are not allowed to taste a dish while making it. I can't imagine not taking at least one small taste before serving something to my guests. Or being so attuned to your cooking that you would automatically know by the smell or sight whether it needed adjusting.

The author is also aware that anytime you try a new cuisine you need to take the time to learn about the ingredients and what they are used for, even how you can find them or what you can substitute for them if needed. Chapter Two goes through not only ingredients, but cooking methods and utensils required. At the end of the book, she includes an internet resource list for those who live in areas without available ingredients. She talks about the magic of spices and says that "Understanding spices is the cornerstone of the art of Indian cooking...." One thing I hadn't thought about was howmuch the flavor of spices can vary from brand to brand and depending on where they are grown. She gives us permission to make adjustments based on our own palates and understands that cooking is a personal venture.

There are so many wonderful recipes to choose from. Mathan Puzukku, pumpkin and red beans with coconut and curry leaves, is a thick curry I can't wait to try. Anything with coconut grabs my attention like Varuthupperi Kootaan, or fried plantains in coconut yogurt sauce. There is a whole chapter just on puddings. The recipe index is quite helpful as are the menu suggestions.

All that's left for me to do is make a list and go the new Indian grocery store that just opened in my neighborhood. With "Grains, Greens, and Grated Coconuts," I will have an adventure in my kitchen and who knows, maybe it will lead me to travel to India and try the dishes firsthand someday.

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reviews: page 1, 2

?Grains, Greens, and Grated Coconuts is more than a cookbook?it is a collection of treasured memories and delicious family recipes presented against a backdrop of Indian culinary and cultural history. Augmented with an extensive bibliography, the book is also a wonderful guide to cooking with herbs and spices. A comprehensive glossary provides the origins and history of each grain and spice. Familiar with Western cooking methods, Ramachandran shows how to integrate these recipes into a Western-style menu and suggests ways for home cooks to expand their repertoire without having to create an entire menu of dishes. Culinary historians and home cooks alike will enjoy Ramachandran?s treasured stories and recipes in Grains, Greens, and Grated Coconuts.?

?Monica Bhide, Writer and Author of The Spice is Right & Everything Indian Cookbook

?Grains, Greens, and Grated Coconuts is a labor of love ? offering both mouth-watering recipes and a personal account of an ancient matrilineal culture. Highly educational yet approachable, this is a must-have for anyone interested in the food and customs of the Indian subcontinent.?

?Suneeta Vaswani, Cooking School Teacher and Author of Easy Indian Cooking

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