Aai's Recipes: Traditional Indian cuisine from Maharashtra

In the Marathi language of Maharashtra, India, Aai is the word for mother. Prepared by the mother-daughter team of Usha Gupte and Swati Gupte Bhise, this cookbook shares recipes from the cuisine of Maharashtra, and specifically the Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu (CKP) tradition in which they were nurtured.

The unique history of the CKP people and their vast and varied cuisine is reflected in the variety of offerings, from vegetable, sprouted bean and rice dishes to meat and fish preparations and, of course, a good selection of sweets. It provides an explanation of the spices used in the recipes as well as techniques for preparing tadke (tempering the spices) and for vaadni (or preparation of the serving plate).

Inside, the book features more than 70 recipes ranging from quick and easy preparations such as Palak (Spinach) and Besan Ladoo (Sweet snacks) to more complex recipes such as Chimbhori cha Kaalvan (Crab curry) or Khaja che Kanavle (Flaky layered pastry). It is a well-rounded introduction to CKP cuisine, featuring well-known pulaos and curries as well as CKP hallmarks such as Kadve Vaal (Bitter field bean curry) and Pithla (Basic comfort food). Many of the recipes feature ingredients and spices commonly used in Indian cuisine, as well as more exotic Maharashtran ingredients such as colocassia leaves, drumstick vegetable and Bombay duck.