‘Indian Flavors Every Day’ book review: A handy guidebook to whip up a gourmet meal

One of my earliest childhood memories is traveling to Lucknow, India, with my parents. We went to the city in Northern India, where both my parents went to college, almost every year during December or January when school closed for the winter. I remember the permeating smell of food on the streets of Aminabad, which at that time I found nauseating. This one time, we were at a restaurant and the lights went out. I could tell our food was ready before it reached the table by the sudden waft of butter chicken.

My father likes to say this is a contrived memory. But I didn’t enjoy spices-laden Indian food as much as he did (and still does) so I clearly remember how I felt at that moment. There is no way I’m making that up. My parents like traveling to India, more than any other part of the world. It’s because the food is so good, they say. It’s agreeable with the Nepali palate. As a child, I was more of a fan of western food like donuts, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas et.al. Butter chicken, tandoori, biryani, naans, and rotis weren’t my thing.

But as I grew up, I started liking Indian food, not the heavy-on-oil curries but the dum biryanis, garlic naan, kebabs, and such. During the Covid-19 lockdowns, I even took to trying to recreate some of my favorites. I made Hyderabadi biryani and the once abhorred butter chicken too. Though YouTube provides a plethora of recipes to whip up some delicious food, I find I enjoy having a hard copy of recipes. Seeing the ingredients list and cooking steps in pointers makes me believe I can make the perfect dish. I’m a whimsical cook and a dish never tastes the same twice. And this is where cookbooks come in.

‘Indian Flavor Every Day’ by Maya Kaimal is a handy guidebook to have if you want to cook some hearty meals with the least amount of effort. The book has everything you need to make cooking joyful and possible with a handful of essential ingredients. She also runs you through some basics, like the kind of spices to have in your pantry and what alternatives you can use in case you run out of something. There is some great advice on food prep and storage as well.

There are many vegetarian, gluten-free, and wholesome meal recipes. Indian Flavor Every Day has both simplified classic dishes and new twists. The author, who is the founder of the Maya Kaimal brand of prepared foods and sauces, guides you through the foundations of bringing out brilliant Indian flavors in your food. Peppered with colorful photos, the book, which is Kaimal’s third cookbook, has everything you could ever wish to make and savor—from crunchy snacks to spicy noodles and curries.

This is a book I sit down with, even when I’m not in the process of making anything. It’s just fun to read her suggestions and look at all the wonderful photos. More often than not, I’m inspired to try something new. Indian Flavor Every Day making restaurant food accessible and healthy.

Indian Flavors Every Day

Maya Kaimal

Cover design by Ian Dingman

Cover photographs by Eva Kolenko

Publisher: Clarkson Potter Publishers

Pages: 239, Hardcover