Read It Again Books not only has a collection of great used, rare and first edition books, there are other treasures to be found! Lately I have been trying to broaden my horizons in the genere of cooking and found a multitude of used cookbooks! I am originally from the south and if one were to go through my recipe box, mostly what they would find is good “meat & potato” dishes. Perhaps one of my favorite finds is “Indian Deliciously authentic dishes” by Shehzad Husain and Rafi Fernandez. There are over 170 authentic recipes with step-by-step detail along with photos showing the finished dish. This cookbook comes with a comprehensive introduction explaining and describing all the ingredients, techniques and equipment you will need to prepare the dish.
As a western cook from the south, I didn’t think I would be able to create this dish. After all, what is Balti style cooking and where would I find the indian spices. With a little research I have found that Balti translated means cooking bucket. This style originates from the northern Pakistan region of Baltistan. The people were nomadic who carried very little in the way of cooking utensils. The Balts developed a technique in that was quick, like a stir fry and cooked in a single pot. This style of cooking is greatly influenced by the cuisines of India, China, Iran and Afghanistan. If you are very interested in this style of cooking it might be a good idea to invest in a Balti pot or simply use an electric or stovetop wok. I used the latter.
Middle Eastern spices such as cardamon seeds or pods or masala are not going to be found in your average grocery stores. They can be ordered online or take a trip down to the river market in downtown Kansas City to the sidewalk merchants. For just a dollar a scoop it is well worth the trip. There also also Indian grocery stores around the metro area.
Although I have only tried a few of the recipes, so far my favorite is the Balti Chicken. Some of the spices in this recipe are cardamon seeds, cinnamon, cumin, masala, ginger root and onions. With every bite you will be able to taste each one of them!
Read It Again Books has many more used cookbooks at great prices along with cuisine from many other countries. Further, the owner Sue Moon has an abundance of experience with these styles of cuisine and lots of research to go along with it. For more information or if you have any questions you can contact her through the website or give her a call at 816-690-5660!
With that……….. I say Bon Appetit!
