Recipes treasured by more than three generations of women The first volume of Samaithu Paar was published in 1951. More than just a cookery book, it was intended to serve as a manual for daily use. Over the years, those who did not find time to learn cooking in the traditional way from their mothers have used the three volumes of Samaithu Paar to set up home and manage kitchen all over the world. The Best of Samaithu Paar brings together 100 most-loved recipes chosen from the three-volume original. Maintaining the simplicity of language, easy-to-follow directions and the adherence to the smallest details, the recipes have been suitably revised and adapted using universal measures of cups and spoons and modern utensils and appliances in place of the more traditional ones. Recipes range from the basic idli, dosai, sambar and rasam to their many variations that are not so familiar to all Indians. The book also includes specialities like Moar Kuzhambu, Mysore Rasam, Pongal, Murukku and Jangiri, as well as pachadis and pickles. A must-have for all those who enjoy traditional Indian cuisine.

The first volume of Samaithu Paar was published in 1951. More than just a cookery book, it was intended to serve as a manual for daily use. Over the years, those who did not find time to learn cooking in the traditional way from their mothers have used the three volumes of Samaithu Paar to set up homes and manage kitchens all over the world. The Best of Samaithu Paar brings together a hundred most-loved recipes chosen from the three-volume original. Maintaining the simplicity of language, easy-to-follow directions and adherence to the smallest details, the recipes have been suitably revised and adapted using universal measures of cups and spoons and modern utensils and appliances in place of the more traditional ones. Recipes range from the basic idli, dosai, sambar and rasam to their many variations that are not so familiar to all Indians. The book also includes specialities like Moar Kuzhambu, Mysore Rasam, Pongal, Murukku and Jangiri, as well as pachadis and pickles. A must-have for all those who enjoy traditional Indian cuisine.

"Rasachandrika is one of the classics among cookery books in Marathi. Generations of housewives have begun their culinary career by reading and following this book. Now the secrets of Saraswat cookery would be available to a much wide readership through this English edition." --Back cover.

Foreword by SUNEETA RAO Traditional Vegetarian Recipes from My Mother’s Kitchen Komala Sista Rao, a former singer and mother of pop singer and stage actress Suneeta Rao, presents a compilation of her family’s culinary legacy – well-chosen, delectable vegetarian Andhra home recipes. The Andhra Cookbook breaks stereotypes of Andhra food being all about chillies or too spicy for most palates. Offering recipes with a depth of flavours and several ideas for novices and experts alike, this cookbook will encourage you to relish and experiment with Andhra cooking. With a wide selection of vegetable curries, dals, stews and chutneys, this book provides a keen insight into the region’s cuisine. It can also serve as a well-organised guide that includes detailed explanations about preparation methods and suggested menus to understand how to combine dishes. These recipes carry with them the creativity, labour and love of generations of women in the author’s family, finely crafted and perfected over the years. The excellent food photography inside will help you instantly connect with the rich and delicious world of Andhra cuisine. Komala Sista Rao was a professional singer in the early 1960’s – a respected name in Hindustani light classical, Bollywood music and an All-India Radio artiste. She married at the age of 23 and moved to Germany, where she lived for ten years, cooking traditional Andhra recipes to preserve the essence of her home, away from home. When she returned to India, her kitchen was always open to friends and family, for whom she cooked just as her mother had done for years. Always serving up the best of meals, she earned a reputation of being a sublime and original cook.

"The Death and Afterlife of Mahatma Gandhi is an explosive and original analysis of the assassination of the ‘Father of the Nation’. Who is responsible for the Mahatma’s death? Just one determined zealot, the larger ideology that supported him, the Congress-led Government that failed to protect him, or a vast majority of Indians and their descendants who considered Gandhi irrelevant, and endorsed violence instead? Paranjape’s meticulous study culminates in his reading of Gandhi’s last six months in Delhi where, from the very edge of the grave, he wrought what was perhaps his greatest miracle – the saving of Delhi and thus of India itself from the internecine bloodshed of Partition. Paranjape, taking a cue from the Mahatma himself, also shows us a way to expiate our guilt and to heal the wounds of an ancient civilization torn into two. This is a brilliant, far-reaching and profound exploration of the meaning of the Mahatma’s death."

It Is Believed That The Only Way The Khasi People Could Learn Of God S Word Was By Passing On The Stories Of Their Forefathers. The Alphabet Of The Great Khasi Tribe Of North-East India Was Born As Late As In 1842, When Thomas Jones, A Welsh Presbyterian Missionary, Introduced The Roman Script To Form The Essentials Of The Khasi Written Word. But Long Before The White Man Came, The Khasis Knew Agriculture, Trade, Commerce And Industry. And They Were Also Masters Of Storytelling. Theirs Was A Society Of Great Wisdom And Civilized Conduct At A Time When Brute Force Held Sway. For Theirs Was A Culture That Worshipped God Through Respect For Both Man And Nature. Perhaps That Is Why Khasi Stories Always Begin With When Man And Beasts And Stones And Trees Spoke As One . . . How Did The Great Storytelling Tradition Of The Khasis Survive So Long Without A Script? Putting Together Myths And Legends Peopled By Deities And Poor Folk, Speaking Trees And Talking Tigers, The Sun And The Moon And Everything Below Bilingual Poet And Writer Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih Describes How Fables Of Love And Jealousy, Hate And Forgiveness, Evil And Redemption Inform The Philosophy, Moral Principles And Daily Activities Of His Community Even Today.

Did you know legends have it that sambhar originated in the Royal Kitchen of the Thanjavur Maharashtrian Kings? Did you know that poli, pitla, rasa vaangi and daangar were introduced to Thanjavur by a small diaspora of the Maharashtrian immigrants to this province? The Thanjavur Maharashtrian Desastha community, whose origins can be traced to the latter half of the 17th Century, are known for their immense contribution in fostering cuisine, arts, music and literature. Classic Cuisine and Celebrations of the Thanjavur Maharashtrians introduces the reader to the foods and festivities of this diaspora. It also provides an introduction to the pujas, when and how they are performed, with a lot of interesting trivia. Festivals and food go hand in hand. The first part of the book features recipes for the naivedyas, while the second part is devoted to the signature recipes of the Desasthas. It features more than a hundred and fifty recipes ranging from fluffy pooran polis and crunchy ambodes, to a medley of modaks, varieties of mixed rice, kheers, traditional sweets, snacks, chutneys, powders, curries, sambhars and rasams. They contain no onion or garlic and are sattvik in nature. This book is an effort to encourage young home makers to revive traditions they grew up with, to help them relive their festive experiences during their childhood and introduce their children to it. “…As a person in the 8th decade of my life, reading this book gave me happy memories of my own childhood and the various dishes which I enjoyed in my youth particularly cooked by my mother…” “…The book has been written in a very reader-friendly manner so that for every festival, the complete set of dishes are described and various options are so beautifully explained that the recipes themselves may act as a trigger for every person to try her/his own creativity on the culinary front…” “…The colourful photographs enhance the value of the book and literally can lead to mouth-watering anticipation...” – Padma Bhushan N. Vittal (Retd) Central Vigilance Commissioner