A Spicy Touch, Vol. 2: Contemporary Indian, African, Middle Eastern, and Oriental Cuisine

Christy Conte is a business analyst and entrepreneur in Ajax, Ontario.

If you have always savored exotic cuisines but hesitated to try your
hand for fear the whole endeavor was beyond you, this may be the book
for you. Nimji has assembled another collection of recipes from India,
Africa, the Middle East, and the Orient. Like her first effort, Vol. 2
manages to capture authentic flavors without resorting to complicated
traditional techniques. It is ideal for the neophyte.

Nimji has provided eight sample menus, a glossary of terms, and a page
of helpful hints. (Want to know how to get rid of strong food
odors?—hint 1 should motivate at least a few diehard curry avoiders.)
This collection ranges from the simple (Chicken Piri Piri, French Toast)
to the comparatively complex (Tuvar Daal Bhath, Lentils Biryani). In all
cases, directions are spelled out clearly.

The book has only a few drawbacks. Frequent references to recipes in
Vol. 1 are not helpful, especially when one expects guests within 45
minutes. Another (and this is hardly within Nimji’s control) is the
scarcity of ingredients. Masoor, fenugreek leaves, and tuvar daal may be
in plentiful supply in Toronto or Montreal, but what about in North Bay
or Moose Jaw? For anyone within driving distance of an Indian market,
however, this is a great introduction to the rich and subtle cuisines of
the East.