Ammu: Indian Home Cooking to Nourish Your Soul

This book mirrors the author’s cooking journey, from the foods of childhood through becoming an expert cook, and finally back to simpler dishes she shares with her children, as her mother shared with her. Descriptions of her childhood and family are personal and intimate, gentle and full of love; these, and nostalgic photos of her family, draw you into her joy-filled memories.

Recipes are stunningly photographed, and well-written, paying attention to minute yet essential details, such as sifting out the bran from the wheat flour when making chapatis. Many recipes can be made with ingredients you already keep on hand, or with a quick trip to the market. We loved, for example, the Ali Gobi Mattar (Potatoes, Cauliflower, and Peas) which was filling and delicious (and vegetarian), and like to serve it with the simple Khamari Roti, a wheat flour flatbread. The Calcutta Haka Chile Chicken is especially child-friendly and quick (like a ginger chicken stir-fry) and a new family favorite. There are dishes for special occasions as well as casual meals. The book is a beautiful tribute, like an autobiography of the author’s relationship with her mother, built around recipes. Reading it and cooking from it are both a delight.