Chaat

September 21, 2020
Chef and Chopped judge Chauhan partners with food writer Eddy to reminisce on their travels via India’s vast railway system, where food and beverage carts and markets offer passengers a quick bite or a drink. They collect a bounty of recipes, in four sections broken out regionally, beginning in the north, where Gajar ka Halwa (carrot pudding with saffron and pistachios) is served up in the junction station at Amritsar, and the popular street food, Nadir Monji (spicy, crispy-fried lotus root), gets paired with tamarind and green chutneys in Srinagar. To the west, there is the renowned Bombay sandwich of Mumbai, a panini-like affair filled with cheese, potato, beet, and other vegetables, while in the southern port of Mangalore—where, Chauhan says, “Each visit has left an indelible mark upon” her as a chef—coffee is boiled with basil, cardamom, and ginger to create the sweet and spicy Chukku Kappi. Ending in the east, Chauhan returns to her hometown of Ranchi to rediscover a favorite childhood treat, the “universally beloved” puchkas (semolina puffs stuffed with potatoes and chutney, and spiked with a cilantro-lime “spicy water”). Food photographer Linda Xiao does an outstanding job bringing color and texture to each plate and frothy glass. An entire country’s quick eats come to the home kitchen in this transporting collection. Agent: Jonah Straus, Straus Literary.

November 1, 2020

The scenery, colors, people, and food, this book, like India, has it all. Though it includes memories of train travel and charming photos, allowing it to be read almost as a travelog, this cookbook is focused on chaat, the varying and delicious snacks found at railway stations throughout India. If you've been to India, the recipes and images will reignite your memories, and if you haven't, they'll provide inspiration until the real thing can be experienced. An introduction, including a history of trains in India, and an overview of chaat, which are generally healthy and vegetarian, provides context for the recipes to follow. The book by chef Chauhan and food and travel writer Eddy is organized geographically, North, South, East, West, with four subsections for each, which allows readers to explore recipes by region and glean the differences in Indian cuisine. A brief overview is included for each section providing context, history, and personal experiences. VERDICT Randomly open any page and discover something delightful or browse start to finish to uncover chaat and cuisine varieties by region. Either way, home cooks and travelers will be inspired.--Zebulin Evelhoch, Deschutes P.L., OR

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