Royal Indian Cookery

Manju Shivraj Singh, the niece of the last Maharani of Jaipur, invites you to share with her an individual taste of India. In this exciting collection of recipes, Manju has drawn from her childhood memories of the City Palace of Jaipur and has included recipes handed down from her mother and the Maharani. The final result is a magnificent choice of delicious and unusual dishes that capture the mystical qualities of Jaipur. To give you an insight into the Jaipur backdrop, the opening chapter is full of interesting information on the history of Jaipur, the lifestyle of the royal family and the celebration of festivals. As a lead up to the recipes, there is an introduction to the Indian way of cooking, which includes a comprehensive guide to spices and tips on how to master vital basic techniques, from making Indian cheese to gram masala. The recipes themselves are by no means prohibitively grand – a mother and working woman, Manju is well aware of the everyday demands of the busy cook. Her recipes therefore range from the more everyday, such as Madras Engg Curry, Prawn Fritters and classic Tandoori Chicken, to more elaborate dinner party dishes, like the aptly named King’s Curry or stunning Whole Fish Stuffed with Chutney. The choice of vegetable curries and dals, made from every type of pulse, will delight vegetarians and meat lovers alike. And the accompaniments that turn an Indian jeal into a memorable event are there to be tried – cooling yoghurt salads, freshly hacked unleavened breads and fruity chutney are the perfect foil to hot spicy curries. As a bonus, you can enjoy the experience of a traditional Indian wedding, with Manju’s specially selected wedding feast: white fish cooked in delicate cream and saffron sauce, an impressive barbecued leg of lam marinated in spices and yoghurt and a traditional wedding dish of sweet rice, are just a few of the delectable dishes featured in the banquet. Anyone who is at all interested in Indian food cannot be without this intriguing book – apart from gaining a collection of wonderful recipes, you will discover a delightful part of Indian life.