Cafe Spice Namaste: New-wave Indian Cooking with over 100 Recipes [Hardcover]

Ostrich Tikka Toofan Mail, Fish in Banana Leaf with Green Coconut Chutney, Crocodile Ambotik, Indian Game Scotch Egg, Fried Bread in Saffron Milk. What is going on here? These aren't the kind of dishes you would ordinarily expect to find in an Indian cookbook. Then again, Cyrus Todiwala's Café Spice Namaste isn't an ordinary Indian cookbook. The vivid flavours and sometimes unexpected ingredients reflect a bold and fresh take on food that, in Britain at least, has sometimes seemed to consist of little other than mystery meat in various shades of fiery brown slurry. Cyrus Todiwala himself is from Bombay, but he freely draws inspiration from the whole immense diversity of Indian cuisine for the food he serves at his two highly praised establishments in London, both also called Café Spice Namaste. His recipes are a mixture of traditional, regional dishes (notably from Goa and the Parsee community) and his own creations, such as the ostrich and crocodile items. Yet even the latter have their roots in tradition. Crocodile (like ostrich) may be a modish ingredient these days, yet crocodile has always been eaten in India. This is an enticing and evocative mix of the old and the new: the flavours are exhilarating; the brilliant colours are those of India itself. --Robin Davidson

The first cookbook from this widely acclaimed, truly innovative chef

Cyrus Todiwala, chef and co-owner of Cafe Spice Namaste, is the most exciting chef working in Indian food today. Reviews have ranged from 'a chef of genius' (Harpers & Queen) to Time Out's declaration that 'If you only go to one Indian restaurant this year, make it this one'. Although classically trained, Cyrus is known for his innovative approach to Indian food. Alongside familiar dishes, he combines traditional techniques and flavourings with more unexpected ingredients to produce delicious recipes such as ostrich tikka, tandoori monkfish and langoustine with tamarind. In this, his first book, over 100 recipes range from starters and nibbles, through meat, fish and vegetarian dishes, to the superb chutneys and relishes - from chilli relish to the more adventurous wild boar pickle - for which the restaurant is also renowned. With its vibrant design and photography reflecting the colourful restaurant style, CAFE SPICE NAMASTE will revolutionize ideas of traditional Indian food and attract a whole new audience to the creative possibilities of this exciting cuisine. (19980827)