The Bombay Cafe

by Neela Paniz and Helen Newton Hartung

Chef Neela Paniz opened up the Los Angeles based Bombay Cafe to bring back to life the delicacies of her childhood home in India. With this text, cooks around the world will be able to recreate her... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0898159350
• ISBN13: 9780898159356
• Release Date: March 1998
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press
• Length: 258 Pages
• Weight: 1.18 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Bringing the Magic home...

Bombay Cafe was my favorite haunt when I lived in Santa Monica. When I discovered that Neela had published a cookbook of her remarkable food, I bought it immediately. I am happy to say that this book includes many of my favorite dishes, written simply and clearly enough that I can faithfully reproduce everything I loved when dining at Bombay Cafe. In my experience, this is not something that 'restaurant' cookbooks commonly achieve. An excellent effort by an uncommon chef. Thank you, Neela!

Light and Creative twist to Indian cooking

This is one of the best cookbooks I have come across. I love the recipes - they are creative and light - like the Tandoori Chicken salad, or the Garbanzo beans sweet and sour salad. There are also some very Indian recipes that make you travel back in your mind to India - like the Railway station potato curry, or the Frankies. Most recipes are fairly easy to make.This is Indian cooking with a fresh approach, and a lot of style.I have tried and served so many recipes to friends, and the reactions are always - that tastes GOOD!

The best indian cookbook that I have

I ate several times on Bombay Cafe Restaurant in Los Angeles. My huge admiration for indian food begun when I first tasted Neela's "Lamb Vindaloo" (the recipe is not included in this book). Since this day I decided to learn how to cook indian food. I bought several indian cookbooks but this is the one that I use more often. Try the chicken frankies, the shrimp with dill and cilantro and the tamarind/date chutney and you will understand why this is a five star cookbook.

Decode the wonderous world of Indian flavors

Neela Paniz cooks like my mom: no fuss, no pretence, we are here to celebrate good food with fresh ingredients just as the nature intended. Her book has wonderful recipes (got to try her Chicken Curry) that are easy to follow, easy to make (even tho you do have to stock up on your spices), and the result is your reward. I love it when she noted in the instructions "Chop garlic and ginger in the food processor, set aside, and WITHOUT washing the bowl, puree the tomatoes". That just shows how sensible and forgiving her techniques are. I am used to making European style breads and most of them require 2 ~ 3 rises which takes a whole day. Her paratha recipe is so simple that finally I can make a bread the moment I want it in less than an hour. She has stories and helpful tips about cooking Indian. In the back of the book, there is a glossary on spices used in the book, their individual charactristics, and possible substitutes. Here and there you see special techniques that can cut down on the fat as well. If you like Indian food, do try this book.

The best approach to Indian cooking I have come accross

This book is a must for those who enjoy preparing and eating delicious Indian food. It is a perfect book for every one from every level of culinary experience. Both the trained "profesional" and the "once-in-a-while-chef" will greatly enjoy the ease and brilliance of the recipes. If you like eating, you'll love this book!