Rasika: Flavors of India Hardcover – October 10, 2017

I first borrowed Rasika: Flavors of India from the library but ended up purchasing my own copy to try out the recipes at home. The one recipe that caught my eye right away was the Mango Tarte Tatin. I was a little intimidated at first but the instructions were thorough and easy to follow. Only ingredient I needed to purchase was the mangos. Rest of the ingredients were common in every kitchen. The recipe resulted in a delicious dessert that was devoured by my family. I ventured onto Carrot Halwa and wasn't disappointed. Today was my second time making the Kashmiri Cinnamon Salmon with the Mint Cilantro Chutney and it was simply amazing! I was skeptical at first about how the cinnamon flavor would go with salmon. When I tasted the finished salmon, all the flavors just came together to create a sweet and tangy fish that was just delicious and the sauce was the perfect complement. The instructions for all the recipes are easy to follow and the ingredients are common in any Indian household. The book is filled with vibrant pictures and is visually stunning. I have many Indian cookbooks but this is by far my favorite to cook delicious and impressive dishes! I can't wait to try more recipes from here!

I am an experienced and fast home cook - I tend to race through recipes and this cookbook has given me the motivation to slow down and enjoy the process of bringing together new flavors to produce amazing modern Indian dishes. The restaurant is also one of my favorites - a must if you are in Washington D.C.

Rasika is a destination restaurant with an amazing staff. Each time I have been there, I have discovered new flavors and approaches that I wish I could create at home. Now that THE Rasika book has been published, I may have a chance to learn some of the secrets. The background behind the restaurants of Ashoka Bajaj is wonderful and makes me want drive up to DC and go to Rasika or Rasika West End. The recipes of Vikram Sunderam are presented clearly with beautiful photos. I appreciate his tips within the recipes. I doubt my Chicken Tikka Masala will ever taste as good as theirs. All the same, when not in DC, I can learn more about Indian cuisine and experiment with a variety of recipes while I dream about the next time I am at one of their restaurants.

I have really enjoyed reading this book. The photography is stunning. There are brief backstories on the owner and chef's journey that was interesting to learn. There is also a section on the ingredients and techniques. For a food lover who enjoys Indian cuisine, especially the creative dishes at Rasika, but has little experience with Indian preparations and spices, this is a wonderful and informative book. Some of the recipes are straight forward and I will certainly try them, others like the famous Palak Chaat, are more involved and I will leave to the professionals.

I haven't yet visited Rasika, but I love Indian cooking and this one had a number of dishes that I enjoy so I decided to try it out. Having an Indian grocery accessible will definitely help in creating the recipes, but you could also order things online if they aren't as accessible in your area.So far I have made the makhani sauce, paneer makhani, and the saffron pulao. They are a tad time consuming as you are cooking with fresh ingredients. It also helps to have a vitamix to puree the sauces to be smooth. There is mention of freezing things before adding cream or salt, so it may be advisable to double quantities if you're going to make many sauces. I found the recipes to be approachable, although there were a few hang ups I encountered along the way. Sometimes the directions were slightly vague and mustard oil is often marked not for consumption, though many people cook with them anyway. The results were good. I wish I could give this a 4.5 star rating. I had to doctor some recipes up with extra salt and I decreased the amount of water for the makhani sauce to have it a bit more thick and rich.The saffron pualo is nice. I like the technique to make it and will use that again without question in other recipes.I think the recipes are do-able and not as fussy as others have mentioned. It may depend on your comfort level and time to invest in making these foods.

I first saw this book in a library, & I salivated at the wonderful recipes inside. I'm a fan of Indian Cuisine, & this book is a keeper!!

This very good cookbook presents relatively easy recipes for some of Rasika's best dishes. I am a major fan of the restaurants and cook Indian food as a hobby. I found the explanations of the dishes and of the individual spices extremely helpful. Some are simple but wonderful, like the cauliflower and peas, which virtually anyone can cook well.

This is our favorite Indian restaurant in Washington DC. The food is delicious and creative. The ingredients called for can be hard to find but worth the effort. Some of the technique translated to the home kitchen is a bit wanting (failure risk). But totally worth the effort!