Indian Grill (Hardcover, 1st ed)

In the last decade, Indian food has grown ever more popular throughout North America. Now, in this one-of-a-kind cookbook, Smita Chandra introduces the ancient art of tandoori cooking, modified for a kitchen or backyard grill. Since most home chefs in America don't have access to a tandoor -- a large clay oven sunk into the ground and layered with glowing charcoal -- Chandra spent years perfecting traditional tandoori recipes for the home grill. In Indian Grill, she presents a complete range of over 100 dishes, from vegetables and chicken to seafood and lamb, with accompanying raitas, chutneys, and dips. Other chapters are devoted to appetizers and drinks, basic sauces, soups and salads, and rice. Recipe headnotes offer the reader a culinary history, evoking the beguiling tastes, smells, and sights of India.

Among the mouth-watering recipes are Machali Masala (grilled breaded salmon steaks marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, herbs, and spices); Achari Kabobs (lamb marinated in pickling spices, onions, and vinegar); and Thayir Pachadi (cucumber with grilled potatoes, onions, and tomatoes in yogurt); as well as many others. Vegetarians, who often have little choice at barbecues, will find a sumptuous selection of vegetable dishes, such as Baingan Kashmiri (baby eggplant coated in a sweet-and-sour tamarind fennel sauce served with grilled apples).

Ideal for both the summer backyard barbecue and the indoor kitchen grill, Indian Grill is a fresh, flavorful, and healthy take on Indian cooking, tandoori style.