what cookery books are you hoping for at Christmas? Or would recommend?

[paneerandpeas]

My family want to know what I would like for Christmas, I'm trying to come up with a short list of cookery books for them to chose from (I want a list so there's an element of surprise).

I cook lots of Indian food, I have Rick Stein's book and Made in India and love them both.

I'm thinking so far
Persiana
Maybe the Dal cookbook
One of Edd Kimber's books
I saw a new Nigella book in the supermarket the reviews on Amazon look mixed

So what are you hoping for? Or have you bought any books recently you'd recommend to others?

If you don't have the original Madhur Jaffrey's Indina Cookery, I'd get that.

www.abebooks.co.uk/Madhur-Jaffreys-Indian-Cooking-Jaffrey-Barrons/16785667705/bd?cm_mmc=gmc--gmc--PLA-_-v01&product=COUK9780812027006USED

It's very old, 1980's I think, but some great recipes in there.

I've been using it ever since it came out - it accompanied her TV series.

It's Middle eastern rather than Indian, but seeing as you mentioned Persiana, do you have Jerusalem (Ottolenghi)? Fab book :)

I'm asking for veggiestan (veggie Middle Eastern) and the new Anna Jones one.

Deep down I hope that DH notices my Ottolenghi obsession and gets me NOPI, but I know he won't as he wouldn't risk getting me the "wrong" cookbook
I could ask for it, but it would be more for food porn than as a cookbook, as it looks quite faffy, too much hassle for me to cook from often, and is probably quite meat heavy (I'm veggie)

If you're into Chinese, I can thoroughly recommend Every Grain of Rice by Fuchsia Dunlop :)

I am just hanging about for inspiration. Looked in the bookshop this morning and totally uninspired.

It definitely doesn't have to be Indian (but can be), I have quite a few Indian cookery books and a collection of recipes from visits/friends/online, the two I mentioned are the ones I use most for actual day to day recipes.

I don't have the Madhur Jaffery book you linked magimedi but I did have another of hers which you've just made me realise I lent to my sister quite a while ago!

I don't have Jerusalem HuevosRancheros but do have another Ottolenghi book, I think its just called Ottolenghi actually, which I haven't used a lot but enjoy reading so Jerusalem may be a contender (I have a December birthday as well so the list can be long!). I quite fancy a Mexican cookery book and you're name suggests you might be into Mexican food, any suggestions?

Mexican food made simple by Thomasina Miers is good.

Definitely Mexican Food made Simple :)
We did it in the cookbook club on here quite a while back and it was a huge hit, I love it

I have the dal cookbook and it's good, but not good enough for a Christmas present!

My favourite middle eastern book of late is the jewelled kitchen. Jerusalem is brilliant.
Mexican made simple is a great cookbook too.
Do you have any of the Anna jones books- they're veggie but beautiful and frequently here despite being omnivores.

I too am hoping for nopi for Christmas. And maybe the new nigella- but reviews have been hit and miss for that, so I'm holding out. Momofuku is a contender too.

I want Kitchen Diaries 3 by Nige. £10 for 560 pages of joy.

I've just bought the Food Lab as I couldn't wait and it really is superb - not a different recipe in it. I've had perfect poached eggs following the method several times this week!

For Indian I use my Anjum Anand loads, along with Madhur Jaffrey. I have the vegetarian Anjum Anand one and it's really creative, I'm sure her meat ones are good too.

Wiry- I have kd3- it's unquestionably the most poncey of the three and wonderful for it. I'm cooking the baked gnocchi with spinach and Gorgonzola sauce from it today. Mmmm

I just got the new DK Curry book. Divided in to sections from lots of different countries with a few recipes from each area. Lots of inspiration.

I would 100% recommend Persiana. I absolutely LOVE it. Really great recipes. I also have and love Nigella's new book - and in fact all of her others too! I particularly love her book 'Kitchen'. Felicity Cloake's books are also fab :)

I need to have a good look at Simply Nigella but i'm pretty sure i want it!

Madhur J's World Vegetarian
Plenty

Are there lots of veggie recipes in the Mexican Food book huevos? I'm veggie too and try and avoid books that are mostly meat.

I'm hoping for some bread books and maybe an Ottolenghi. Or even JO's Ministry of Food for a basics book for DH, who loves to follow a recipe exactly rather than get inspired by something and go off piste like I do.

Made Ottolenghi's chocolate babka when I was going mad getting his books out of the library and it was so delicious it got me hooked on his food.

I love all the Diana Henry books

rick stein Venice to Istanbul is on my list. Considering Nigella too.Kitchen is probably my most used cook book but I didn't rate the last one as much.

Mixed reviews for ottolengi too.But I love food from the med think rick's book might be a bit more classic. Although I think some recipes might be duplicate of my Greek classics book vefas kitchen which I strongly recommend.

I like the sound of Thomasina's book too. JO's America is my second most used and that has quite a lot of Mexican inspired dishes in it.

Another one who wants kitchen diaries 3. I already have kd2, his fruit book, his veg book and taste. I admit to almost treating them as fiction rather than cookbooks though.

There's nothing better than a cold day, a fire and reading some Nigel slater.