Book review: Chetna’s Indian Feasts by Chetna Makan

This book feels like Makan really knows how to give the people what they want

The incredibly sweet Chetna Makan was introduced to the public via The Great British Bake Off in 2014, and since then she has published six recipe books – the most recent of which is Chetna’s Indian Feasts. In it, she unveils feasting for all occasions, whether it’s a simple night in for two or a festive event.

This book feels like Makan really knows how to give the people what they want, through accessible recipes that start with a section dubbed ‘Friday Night Takeaway’, filled with dishes you might find on an Indian takeaway menu. The prawn vindaloo is one of them, giving a slight variation on a curry house classic.

Vegetarian recipes vastly outweigh any meat dishes – Makan explains that when she was growing up her father was vegetarian, and now her husband is too, so even though she eats meat it has never played a huge role in her life. A recipe for aubergine coconut rice shows how she knows her way around plant-based as she celebrates the aubergine’s flavour rather than hiding it away. A daal fry sees three different lentils and two tadkas (spices cooked in oil or ghee) to maximise the dish’s punch.

As Makan only moved to the UK in 2004, previously working in Mumbai, you get a beautiful balance to the book, with ingredients that won’t be too hard to find coupled with local’s knowledge and insight. She teaches that growing up in India, saag meant mustard leaves rather than the spinach served in UK curry houses, and so what we would call saag aloo, she would refer to as palak aloo.

Being a baker, Makan doesn’t forget to include dessert. A chocolate cardamom caramel cake is infused with Indian spices for a decadent feast, while a biscoff cheesecake delight is measured in two small portions under the section ‘Feasts for Two’. The double ka meetha shows how Indians make their version of bread and butter pudding.

While not groundbreaking, this book provides comfort cooking to the max. If you’re looking to please the public with warm, hearty meals, Makan is a great person to look to.

Chetna’s Indian Feasts by Chetna Makan (Hamlyn, £26)