September Cookbook club - fresh India/made in India and sainsburys magazine

[Cookingongas]

Hi all,

I've started a new thread so anymore people wanting to join can see what we're covering.

So September books are meera sodha made in India and or her new book fresh India.

As well as that we're covering the sainsburys magazine this month.

And the reason I started the thread is because I've made my first recipes from fresh India today.

The hilltop salad and the sticky mango paneer kebabs. (Picture attached)

Both recipes are highly recommended! All in the prep and cooking took about half and hour. The paneer marinade is particularly lovely and the dressing on the salad very well balanced. I'm very impressed with my first dive into the book. Can't wait to do more from it.

Looks great cooking, my copies of both books are due to be sent by Amazon tomorrow so fingers crossed I can dive in soon. I am staying with my gran next week though and she is a zero spice/fresh herbs kind of gal so a proper go may have to wait a little bit.

Signing in, I've already made mango chutney from MiI and have my eye on the lemon pickle in FI.

Brilliant thanks, I'm just back from Holiday tonight so will start cooking this week I've had a look on Amazon and am going to order made in India her website is great too.

I got Fresh India yesterday and have made the following:

Beetroot pachadi
Sweet potato vindaloo
Uttapam

I loved the uttapam. I've made dosas before and they took ages but these rice pancakes were as quick as boiling rice. Delicious flavour and great texture. The sweet potato curry was nice too, with great colour though less taste than I was expecting. I was not keen on the beetroot pachadi though. Throughout the book the author gives dessicated/fresh coconut as substitutes for each other. I was a bit sceptical but had no fresh in and gave dessicated a try for the coconut and yoghurt based sauce here. Very little coconut flavour came through, unsuprisingly. A bit of coconut cream helped when I warmed it up for lunch but I'll not be rushing to remake.

I made katchumber salad from Made in India too and loved it. I always make raita to go with curries and know katchumber will bevome a regular too.

Ooh French I fancied the uttapam- they'll be on the list this week.

Yesterday I made made in Indias chicken and coriander samosas. The filling is divine- my favourite of the three ( I've tried all) but I find the filo a bit overpowering. Perhaps I'm using too much pastry but it always seems too thick.

I picked up my library reservation on my way home tonight! Will start reading tomorrow.

I made the signature South Indian breads from fresh India ( something paratha can't remember the name) last night, and they were the most delicious breads I've ever made. Yes labour intensive, but so worth it. She really sums it up well in that they do manage soft, flaky, crispy at the same time. My favourite recipe of hers so far.

I also did her mums chicken curry from made in India- I've made it many times and as always it was lovely.

I still need to get into Fresh, but I made the pistachio curry again from MIA / with cashews. Love it!

Going to go through Fresh tomorrow...

Cookingongas, those parathas look amazing!

Have had Made in India a while and last night made whole roast masala chicken with the suggested ferrari potatoes and spinach with black pepper, garlic and lemon. All three dishes were really tasty.

As there were only two of us I started by halving the potato receipe but it didnt look as if it would be enough so I made the full quantity for four which gave enough for three people (we managed to finish it though ).

I have also made several other things from the book including mum's chicken curry, cinnamon lamb curry and creamy chicken and fig curry, all of which were really good.

I am very tempted to get Fresh now

Ooh those parathas look good! Might give them a go this week.

I started well but due to a horrible week at work hardly did any cooking last.

So the week before last we tried the Gujarati corn on the cob curry and the Punjabi potato curry from Fresh India, have to say neither were the great successes I had come to expect from Made in India. My daughter loved the corn on the cob but I found the sauce quite pastey and like it could have done with a good squeeze of lime or something. The potato one was okay but I didn't read the recipe properly before deciding on it and fennel is probably my least favourite spice, I wanted to follow the recipe properly but I think would have enjoyed it much more if I used cumin instead!

I also made the chicken in pickling spices from Made in India, this was delicious, I loved all the different flavours and didn't even mind the odd hit of fennel in this because it was balanced with the other spices. I don't think I'd make either of the veg curries again but definitely would the chicken.

I'm on annual leave this week so back in cooking mode. Tonight I made Momos from Fresh India, they were yummy and I felt really quite clever . They are pretty labour intensive but a nice treat I think, and I have some dough and filling left for lunch tomorrow. The dipping sauce is delicious but the quantities made way more than we needed.

I made Mums Chicken Curry from MiI tonight, delicious. DS2 loves the pistachio cashew curry and thought this was even nicer, have to say, I agree.

Paneer- do give them a try. I was very impressed. Absolutely lovely.

I've been meaning to try the momos- I'll get them on my list.

Pantah- mums chicken curry is beautiful isn't it? So well balanced. I might have to make it again too -for the 100th time-

I made wild pheasant curry (though with venison) from Made in India and garlic nans from Fresh Indi pa kast night. The nans were good, though I've never had a nan failure before. The curry was a bit underwhelming tbh though that may be my use of a slow cooker.

Bit late to the party but wanted to say I made mums chicken curry was delicious although i think I prefer Madur jaffreys cardamon chicken from curry made easy. Also from Sainsbury magazine I made the pistachio plum pudding which was amazing. I adapted it and used it as a recipe in one of my cooking classes I teach and went down a storm. Not sure if we are doing October but really fancied doing the reprint up to date version of Ottelenghi.
Anyone else??

Naans from fresh India were good.... I need to make more from there now!

I would be up for Ottolenghi too.

Ottelenghi always a favourite so happy to do any of his here.
I've continued cooking from MiI since we first did it but have been lax in the recording of it this month, lots on for us culminating in Cub Camp for the last weekend of Sept so apologies.

New thread for next month
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/food_and_recipes/2747353-October-Recipe-Book-Club-Ottolenghi-The-Cookbook-Any-Supermarket-Magazine?watched=1