A cookbook primer for many cuisines from around the world

In addition to the many cookbooks on my shelves there is a growing selection of books about cooking, dining and the culinary professions

By: Faith Bahadurian
   In addition to the many cookbooks on my shelves there is a growing selection of books about cooking, dining and the culinary professions. They reflect what the publishing industry must surely be calling "an explosion of interest" in this subject.
   Some of my favorites in this genre are by the culinary husband-and-wife team of chef Andrew Dornenburg and Harvard M.B.A. Karen Page. Their first book, "Becoming a Chef, " won a 1996 James Beard Book Award for Best Writing on Food. It provides an insider’s view of how great chefs are being made today. That was followed by "Culinary Artistry" (1996), a favorite reference of chefs due to its musings on the sensory and artistic aspects of cooking, creating a menu, and its useful charts on seasonality and food and flavor pairings. And yes, recipes too.
   "Dining Out" came along in 1998, famous for its cover photo of then-New York Times restaurant critic Ruth Reichl, her face obscured by a wide-brimmed hat.
   But Mr. Dornenburg and Ms. Page’s latest book, "The New American Chef" (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2003), may be the most useful yet for the home cook. The book serves as a primer on 10 ethnic cuisines from around the world. Content is drawn from nationally known chefs and authors, so the book has many voices.
   Introductory material includes a discussion on developing your own "Culinary Compass," organized along two spectrums: North (traditional) vs. South (experimental) and Eastern vs. Western cuisines. The adventuresome home cook will likely wander all over the map, trying out a variety of points in the compass, but a chef will usually find a comfortable spot on the compass that works for him or her professionally.
   Say you wake up feeling like having some Indian food (Or Moroccan,
Spanish,
French, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Thai or Vietnamese). Turn to that
section
of the book and get a quick induction into that cuisine, not just its
traditional preparation, but how top chefs (often but not always native to
the
country in question) are preparing that food in America today. Each section
also discusses the essential flavor palette, stocking the larder, and key
techniques, such as braising for French food (by Daniel Boulud).
   The information is well organized, so a quick read and a trip to the Indian grocery (or a well-stocked Asian or gourmet market) will have you cooking up a simple Indian meal by nightfall. Two recipes from the Indian section are below. While they are not difficult, they give a sense of the incredible mastery of spices Indian cuisine is known for, and of the possibilities that lay beyond.
MURGHI MASALA TIKKA
(Chicken Tikka in Green Spices)
from "The New American Chef"
Recipe by Neela Paniz,
owner of Bombay Café, Los Angeles
Serves 4.
   
10 cloves garlic
   A 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
   4 to 6 serrano chilies, coarsely chopped
   1 bunch cilantro, roots trimmed
   1 tablespoon ground coriander
   1 tablespoon ground toasted cumin seeds
   ½ teaspoon cayenne
   ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
   ¼ teaspoon mace
   
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
   1 teaspoon salt
   1 tablespoon corn oil
   Lime wedges for garnish
   
1. For the marinade, combine the garlic, ginger, chiles, and cilantro in a blender and blend into a smooth puree, adding a little water as needed. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the rest of the spices.
   2. In a large bowl, season the chicken pieces with the salt. Coat well with the marinade. Set aside for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or marinate in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours.
   3. Stir the oil into the marinade, mixing well. Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers. Grill or broil for 6-8 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Serve with lime wedges.
SPICED BASMATI RICE
WITH FRUIT AND PINE NUTS
adapted from "The New American Chef"
Recipe by the late Raji Jallepalli,
who owned Maison Raji, Memphis.
Serves 6.
   3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
   ½ cup minced onions
   1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
   ½ teaspoon minced garlic
   3 whole cloves
   3 cardamom pods
   One 2-inch cinnamon stick
   2 cups basmati rice, rinsed and drained
   1 teaspoon turmeric
   2 ½ cups water
   ½ cup coconut milk (not sweetened)
   Coarse salt
   ½ cup golden raisins
   ¼ cup finely diced dried apricots
   ½ cup pine nuts, toasted
   
Heat the ghee in a heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, ginger, garlic, cloves, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick and sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and turmeric and sauté 3 minutes, or until the rice is shiny.
   Raise the heat and add the water, coconut milk and salt to taste. Bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the raisins and apricots. Cover and cook, without lifting the lid, for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat (without lifting the lid) and allow the rice to steam for 5 minutes.
   Remove the lid and stir in the pine nuts. Remove the whole spices if you wish and serve.