Books for Cooks

“660 Curries”

By Raghavan Iyer (Workman, $22.95)

If you’re curious about curries beyond bottled “curry powder” and takeout, then “660 Curries: The Gateway to Indian Cooking” is for you. Author Raghavan Iyer’s cookbook began as a quest to re-create the curries of his mother’s southern Indian kitchen. After a disappointing start with Durkee curry powder while in college in Minnesota, he eventually traveled through India gathering wisdom and recipes from family, friends and strangers. Iyer begins with the building blocks of Indian flavors, draws readers into traditional curries and then uses his cross-cultural experience to create contemporary dishes with Indian spices and herbs.

Look inside today’s food section for the recipe for Cashew Chicken with Cilantro Sauce.