Renowned London restaurateur and author Camellia Panjabi has launched a groundbreaking new cookbook titled 'Vegetables: The Indian Way', published by Penguin Random House. This comprehensive culinary guide represents a significant departure from conventional recipe books, offering readers a deep exploration of India's diverse vegetarian traditions.
Beyond Recipes: A Holistic Approach to Vegetables
The book immediately distinguishes itself through its unique organizational structure. Rather than following typical culinary categories, Panjabi has arranged the content based on where vegetables grow: under the ground, under water, on the ground, on shrubs and vines, and on trees. This innovative approach reflects the author's deep understanding of botanical relationships and nutritional science.
In the introductory sections, Panjabi, now in her 80s, shares fascinating historical context about the refugee beginnings of restaurants in India and includes anecdotes about liquor laws. She also details her extensive journey with restaurants both in India and abroad, having worked with the Taj Group for three decades where she introduced revolutionary concepts like Golden Dragon and street food to The Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai.
Nutritional Wisdom and Cultural Heritage
The book's first chapter, simply titled 'Vegetables,' expands on Panjabi's categorization system, explaining how Indian cooking intuitively combines vegetables from different growing environments. She notes how root vegetables, being carbohydrate-dense and containing minerals and amino acids, are often paired with leafy greens that benefit from sunlight exposure and contain folates and vitamins.
"Our elders used to be more curious about how a variety of foods were served at a meal, including pickles and fresh chutneys," Panjabi observes. "They each had a purpose. Modern Indians relying on takeaway or part-time cooks don't consider these aspects."
Each of the 30 vegetables featured in the book receives detailed introduction covering health properties, cultural beliefs and practices, and even contraindications, accompanied by lush photographs. The collection represents decades of research and recipe testing with chef friends to ensure authenticity and reliability.
Eclectic Recipes and Cooking Philosophy
The cookbook features 120 diverse recipes collected from across India's many regional kitchens. The culinary journey includes everything from beetroot transforming from raita to halwa, potato preparations from Maharashtra, Bengal and Tamil Nadu, caramelized turnip curries, makhana kheer, and kaju makhana curry. Particularly noteworthy is a cauliflower bhaji recipe that utilizes the vegetable's tender leaves, minimizing waste while maximizing flavor.
"When was the last time that we considered cauliflower to be a stunning main course?" Panjabi questions, pointing to recipes like gobi pulao or Manchurian included in the book. "We need to look at vegetables, chillies and unripe fruit dishes differently."
The recipes are precise yet approachable, with Panjabi emphasizing that they serve as blueprints rather than rigid instructions. "For those who are cooking for the first time, it may be advisable to follow a recipe. After that I think people can adapt it to their taste," she advises.
This publication comes thirty years after Panjabi's first cookbook, '50 Great Curries of India,' and arrives at a time when there's growing global interest in vegetarian Indian cooking. Panjabi attributes this trend to various factors including economic considerations, health awareness, and the fact that younger generations haven't had the opportunity to learn traditional cooking methods from their grandmothers.
"Indians by and large don't know their food actually because it is too large a subcontinent to say 'I know the food of India'," Panjabi remarks, highlighting the need for educational resources like her book.
Through 'Vegetables: The Indian Way,' Camellia Panjabi continues her legacy of transforming how people perceive and experience Indian cuisine, building on her reputation as the restaurateur who popularized Indian food in London through establishments like Chutney Mary, Veeraswamy and Bombay Brasserie.
