Curry Lovers: From Keralan Fish Curry to Koftas in Cinnamon Masala

Though too slim to provide a proper introduction to the multitude of Indian foodways, the recipes included in this volume are tasty, varied and unexpected. Pineapple and Chickpea Salad, for instance, combines two common ingredients rarely found together, and employs curry leaves, peppercorn and coconut to their mutual advantage. Watermelon Curry with Mint is another unusual take on a familiar ingredient, matching watermelon's cooling sweetness with the spicy kick of green chili. Several appealing dishes show the influence of the British Raj, like Roast Spiced Leg of Lamb, which makes a spicy treat of the traditional English Sunday supper. Sweet-sour chutney plays terrifically against spicy potatoes in another exotic riff, Potato Salad with Date and Tamarind Chutney. Some of these recipes are time-consuming, and occasionally tricky to put together, but certainly worth a shot for those with a mortar and pestle, a nearby spice market and a good deal of patience. Fortunately, simpler recipes accommodate anyone with little more on hand than curry powder, basic vegetables and a taste for the exotic.