Veggie Blog

Book Description
World Gourmand Award winning author Viji Varadarajan offers some interesting facets in the life of the ancient Tamil Brahmins of South India. The food cooked in a Brahmin home was sathvic paying special attention to the balance and nutritive value of the dishes prepared. The ladle of plain rice with cooked dhal served over the steamed rice and the topping of a dollop of homemade clarified butter/ghee; the balance of plain and spicy food, and the benefits of yogurt as a final course to set right any imbalance in the food eaten for the day. Different spices played an important role in the dishes; fenugreek as a digestive aid, cumin for its multiple usages, dried legumes and beans as nature s tiny capsules of proteins, pepper for colds and coughs, turmeric as a healer of wounds in fact, every ingredient used in the Tambram cuisine has a purpose that goes beyond taste and texture. The word curry is originally derived from kari a Tamil word for a preparation of a dry vegetable with spices. Gradually the British added water and meat to curry and hence it came to be known as the Madras Curry. Hence curry/kari is basically a brahmin word for a vegetable stir fry. First published in 2001 this newly formatted book comes with a complimentary yogurt cookbook that won The Best Single Subject in India and The Best Health and Nutrition Book in the world. Her unique Samayal book has already won her The Best Vegetarian Book in India.

Book: Samayal The Pleasures of South Indian Vegetarian Cooking by Viji Varadarajan
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Indian vegetarian cooking is anything but one-note, and The Spice Box: A Vegetarian Indian Cookbook by Manju Shivraj Singh offers a useful reminder of how much variety can come from familiar staples. Originally published by Crossing Press in 1981, this older cookbook moves from appetisers to sweets while putting four types of main dish in the spotlight: rice, vegetables, legumes and eggs.

What makes this cookbook interesting?

Its appeal lies in the everyday building blocks of an Indian vegetarian kitchen. Rice can be a comforting centrepiece or a supporting side; legumes turn modest ingredients into hearty meals; vegetables change character with different seasonings and cooking methods. Egg dishes bring another option for readers who include eggs in their vegetarian diet. This is not an egg-free or vegan cookbook, so dietary restrictions matter when choosing recipes.

The spice box as a cooking idea

A spice box is a practical way to keep frequently used seasonings close to hand. Cumin, coriander, turmeric, mustard seeds and chilli may all play different roles, rather than simply making every dish taste “spicy”. Whole spices can be toasted or briefly heated in oil when a recipe calls for it; ground spices need more care because they can scorch. Use the method printed in the recipe instead of treating all spice mixtures alike.

Who would enjoy it?

This title is worth exploring for home cooks who like older regional cookbooks and want ideas for vegetables, pulses and rice beyond a handful of familiar curries. The surviving book description is brief, so a prospective buyer should check the condition, contents and seller photographs of a particular copy. The original paperback carries ISBN 0895940531. Used copies have been listed by second-hand sellers, but stock is not guaranteed.

Making a balanced vegetarian meal

The NHS vegetarian-diet guidance identifies beans, lentils, eggs, nuts and other foods as useful protein sources and stresses variety, iron and vitamin B12. That broader nutritional advice applies to the way you put meals together; it is not a special health claim made by this cookbook. Consider a vegetable dish, a pulse-based dish and a grain, adjusting portions to your needs.

Book: The Spice Box: A Vegetarian Indian Cookbook by Manju Shivraj Singh

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Book Description
Intensely flavorful and inherently healthy, Mediterranean food is one of the world’s most appealing cuisines. Mediterranean cooks know how to make eating a pleasure. They do it simply—with olive oil and garlic; with herbs and spices; with tomatoes and eggplants, peppers and squash, figs and peaches, and other seasonal produce. And of course there is crusty bread and local cheese, the freshest yogurt and endless wine.

In this authoritative and anecdotal cookbook, award-winning author Martha Rose Shulman captures the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean region in more than 500 delicious vegetarian dishes that will appeal to everyone. The book represents years of meticulous research gleaned from Shulman’s travels through France, Spain, Italy, the Balkans, Greece, Turkey, North Africa, and the Middle East. She presents authentic contemporary variations as well. You’ll dine with her in Greek olive groves, feast on torecipes handed down from mother to daughter for generations, and she offers her own matoes and fresh sardines in Croatia, savor coffee gelato in the streets of Bologna. At every turn in the road there is a new culinary reward.

Whether you are a vegetarian or a dedicated meat eater, Shulman’s recipes are substantial enough to satisfy any appetite. Included are such tempting creations as Majorcan Bread and Vegetable Soup, Provençal Chick Pea Salad, Pasta with Ligurian Artichoke Sauce, Greek Cauliflower Gratin with Feta and Olives, Balkan-Style Moussaka, North African Carrot “Compote,” and Sweet Dessert Couscous with Citrus and Pomegranate. There is also an entire chapter devoted to the renowned “little foods” of the Mediterranean: tapas from Spain, antipasti and merende from Italy; meze from the eastern and southern Mediterranean, and more. In addition, the book features a glossary of useful cookware and indispensable pantry staples and the best online sources for hard-to-find ingredients.

Book: Mediterranean Harvest by Martha Rose Shulman
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Delicious Jamaica! Vegetarian Cuisine by Yvonne McCalla Sobers introduces a side of Jamaican food that is sometimes overlooked: an island cooking tradition with plenty of room for vegetables, legumes, herbs, roots, fruits, and bold seasoning. Originally published in the 1990s, the book is built around the mix of cultures that have shaped Jamaican cuisine over centuries.

What makes this cookbook distinctive?

The original description points to African, European, Asian, and Indigenous influences and to the combinations of spices and ingredients that emerged from them. The promise is not simply to remove meat from familiar recipes, but to celebrate food with its own history and character. The author brings that perspective to a vegetarian collection rather than a generic tropical-themed cookbook.

National Library of Jamaica bibliographic records identify the book as Delicious Jamaica!: Vegetarian Cuisine, published in 1996 by Book Publishing Company, with ISBN 1570670218. That identification helps distinguish it from other books about Jamaican or Rastafarian cooking.

What flavours might interest home cooks?

Jamaican cooking commonly features thyme, scallion, allspice, ginger, Scotch bonnet pepper, coconut, beans, and starchy vegetables. The wider cuisine also includes dishes such as rice and peas, callaloo, and fried plantain. These are examples of regional food traditions to explore, not a claim that every one of these dishes appears in Sobers’s book.

For a cook unfamiliar with these flavours, one useful starting point is learning how herbs, warming spices, heat, and acidity work together. You can create satisfying meat-free meals without relying on an imitation-meat product to supply the character of the dish. Beans and vegetables bring substance; seasoning does the rest.

Vegetarian, vegan, or something in between?

Check ingredients in each recipe. Vegetable dishes may use butter, dairy, or other animal-derived seasonings, and some shop-bought sauces contain fish or meat ingredients. Choose substitutions that preserve the intended flavour while matching your own diet. Because Scotch bonnet peppers can be very hot, add them cautiously if you are new to Jamaican cooking.

This is a book for readers who enjoy cooking as a way of learning about places and people. It can be particularly interesting alongside other regional vegetarian cookbooks, where ingredients and techniques tell stories that a simple ingredient list cannot.

Is the original still available?

Yes, specialist booksellers list used copies and some new copies of the 1996 paperback. Availability and prices can change, so check the edition and condition when ordering.

Related on Veggie-Blog: Can You Lower Cholesterol Naturally? and Vitamin Deficiency: Who Is at Risk.

Book: Delicious Jamaica! Vegetarian Cuisine by Yvonne McCalla Sobers
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When time is short, a vegetarian lunch should not require a long list of ingredients or an hour in the kitchen. On The Go No Cook Vegetarian Recipes V.1 addresses that problem directly. The original book description says it contains 30 simple vegetarian lunches, many intended to be prepared in under 20 minutes without conventional cooking.

What is the idea behind this book?

The focus is portability and speed: food for days when you are working, studying, travelling, or simply do not feel like using the stove. Rather than asking readers to learn elaborate recipes, the book promises straightforward combinations for quick lunches. It is described as the first volume in an On-The-Go No Cook Vegetarian Recipes series.

The original sales description calls the dishes easy, healthy, and relatively low in calories. Those are promotional descriptions, not independently verified nutrient analyses. Readers should judge any meal by its ingredients, portion size, and whether it keeps them satisfied.

What makes a satisfying no-cook vegetarian lunch?

Convenience works best when the meal includes protein and fibre. A wrap filled with hummus, canned chickpeas, and crunchy vegetables; a bean-and-tomato salad; or a wholegrain sandwich with cheese and salad are simple ideas inspired by the no-cook approach. These examples are not reproduced recipes from the book.

For a meal that travels well, think about texture as well as nutrition. Pack dressing separately, keep crisp vegetables away from wet fillings until serving, and add nuts or seeds at the last moment. Canned beans, ready-to-eat grains, washed lettuce, and sturdy containers can reduce preparation time considerably.

Food safety matters even when nothing is cooked

No-cook does not mean no food-safety precautions. The FDA guidance on produce safety advises rinsing fresh fruits and vegetables under running water and keeping perishable, cut produce refrigerated. Use an insulated lunch bag with a cold pack if food will spend hours away from a refrigerator. People at higher risk from foodborne illness should take extra care with unpasteurised products and raw sprouts.

Can you still buy the original ebook?

The book is documented in the older Veggie-Blog catalogue, but I could not establish a current purchase listing for the original Kindle edition. The historic Amazon link is retained below for readers who want to check it themselves.

Related on Veggie-Blog: Vitamin Deficiency: Who Is at Risk and Antioxidant Foods.

Book: On The Go No Cook Vegetarian Recipes V.1
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