6 Indian Cuisine Cookbooks Recommended By Experts That'll Change Your Cooking Game

Indian-ish by Priya Krishna is for the new-age host, someone who relishes the comfort of Indian home cooking but is not afraid to be innovative. Drawing inspiration from the recipes fed to her by her mother, Krishna adds global influences to each dish, which makes Indian food more accesible and playful. The book celebrates a kind of cross-cultural cooking that makes reference to the modern way of eating that most of us Indians have adopted — roti pizzas topped with paneer, pastas inspired by saag and lentil-based comfort bowls, which are wholesome yet hearty.

Asma Khan's Indian Kitchen is a celebration of her heritage, her family and the mothers and grandmothers who have inspired her culinary journey. Best known for her London restaurant, Darjeeling Express, Khan brings emotion to her recipes. Every dish represents kinship, heritage and resilience. This book has recipes from her royal Mughal ancestry and the kitchens of Kolkata, ranging from slow-cooked curries to fragrant biryanis, and the traditional desserts that we love.

In Classic Indian Cooking, Julie Sahni takes the reader step by step through the rudiments of the subject: blending spices, marinating, the preparation of gravies, the tandoor method of cooking, and the regional variations of the best Indian cooking. Her instructions are lucid and easy, her mathematical measurements precise and concrete, and there is scarcely a dish epitomized in her book, whether Mughlai korma, Punjabi dal, or South Indian sambar, that is not within the reach of those who have acquaintance, during their school days or afterwards, with algebraic calculation. But what separates Classic Indian Cooking from any other Indian cookery book is the teaching mentality which pervades the book.

Regarding hospitality and hospitality, Mridula Baljekar's Great Indian Feasts is a God sent for a second cookbook. As its name implies, it is devoted to the hospitality line of curry cooking as it appeals to great menu meals. The menu in Chef and food writer Mridula Baljekar is an award-winning menu which is culinary and gastronomical and extends and authenticates still further through the full-course meals which cannot be missed in day existence.

If there is one book which really sums up India’s diverse culinary heritage, it is surely Pushpesh Pant’s monumental India: The Cookbook. With more than 1,000 recipes, it is an encyclopaedic journey through the cuisine of the sub-continent — from the shores of Kerala to the deserts of Rajasthan.

For Pant, this book is not simply about recipes but about documenting India’s edible heritage. Each section goes into detail about the regional idiosyncrasies of ingredients, cooking methods and customs.

For those who want to savour the depth of Indian flavour without the health trade-offs, The Healthy Cuisine of India by Bharati Kirchner is a true find. Kirchner takes traditional Indian recipes and views them through the prism of wellness, emphasising balance, nutrition, and mindful eating. From lightly spiced lentil soups to low-oil curries and brightly colored vegetable dishes, her recipes highlight the natural healthfulness of Indian ingredients without sacrificing taste. Ideal for special entertaining where guests will be indulging yet eating healthfully.