Cuisines of India: The Art and Tradition of Regional Indian Cooking

Ecco, HarperCollins, New York, 2001

"This book reminds us what so few cookbooks accomplish and that is this; Recipes are rarely inventions. They are purposeful and hopeful markers in the migrations of people, foods and the events of histories. Ms Chandra joins a handful of great teachers in the pantheon of writers who have delivered not only a way to cook truly delicious foods. She has given us the record of why they are delicious." - Norman Van Aken, New World Cuisine: Latin America

"I'm a big fan of Smita Chandra already, so I'm very glad to see another book of hers. Leafing through the pages, I can't decide whether to keep reading or put the book down and head to my local Indian grocery store so that I can stock up and start cooking. These recipes are maximally tantalizing. And the notes are great, too." - Deborah Madison, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

"Smita and Sanjeev Chandra provide the home cook with an intriguing cultural and culinary history of the regions of India. Invaluable as both a rich resource about a society that few Americans comprehend and an indispensable compilation of flavorful recipes, this book is destined to become a necessary reference in every serious cook's kitchen." - Charlie Trotter, Charlie Trotter Cooks at Home

"A welcome introduction to the multi-spiced history, stories and regions of a civilization as richly varied as its cuisines."  - Betty Fussell, The Story of Corn

"This book is filled with wonderful recipes and fascinating stories of India, its people and regions." - Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef

"I learned a lot from the refreshing and very user-friendly Cuisines of India. Smita Chandra masterfully weaves comprehensive information on Indian spices with comprehensible recipes and beautifully composed, heartfelt stories of her native land." - Danny Meyer, Co-Owner, Tabla and Bread Bar

"Smita Chandra's new book is full of clearly written recipes for a wealth of Indian dishes both familiar and uncommon, and her introductory notes are urbane and informative." - Colman Andrews, Editor, Saveur 

Indian Grill: The Art of Tandoori Cooking at Home

Ecco Press, New York, 1999

"Learning how to turn your backyard grill into a surrogate tandoor is reason enough to own this wonderful book. But Smita Chandra’s incisive observations of modern Indian food – what to eat when, who eats what where, what’s hot and what’s not–give you a hundred reasons more. A must for Indian food lovers." - David Rosengarten, author of The Dean and Deluca Cookbook and host of the Food network’s Taste

"Indian Grill by Smita Chandra is a fascinating take on Indian cuisine. The author who lives in Toronto, applies the concept of the Indian tandoor oven to the backyard grill. Some dishes are grilled, then stirred into sauces; others are served with intriguing raitas or chutneys. The simplicity of the well written recipes, the fascinating history and information, and the unusual flavours will restore a jaded appetite." - Lucy Waverman, Toronto Globe and Mail

"For more elaborate grilled chicken that's certain not to be boring, try one of these recipes." - Jane Dornbusch, Boston Herald

"Indian tandoori cooking is traditionally done in a clay oven over charcoal, with the Indian seasoning that's increasingly popular in this country. It's a style that just begs to be adapted for kitchen or backyard grilling, and that's what the Indian-born writer, who teaches Indian cooking in Toronto, has done. "- Morning Star - Wilmington, N.C.

From Bengal To Punjab – The Cuisines Of India

Crossing Press, California, 1991

Another impressive new author, more extraordinary Indian recipes from a young woman now living in the Toronto area. Many of these recipes have been handed down to Chandra by relatives, who told me that while her family in India had a cook, they preferred her mother’s cooking, so he ended up doing little more than cutting and chopping. She remembers having chats about food with her mother at the breakfast table lasting so long that when her father came home for lunch, he would find them still deep in conversation. 

"Her grandmother’s almond milk, sweet spicy and peppery is so outstanding, it immediately signals to you that the book you have in your hands is a gem. Corn curry and corn dumplings are outstanding unusual recipes for a vegetable that has become more interesting than ever, with new sweet varieties on the market.
She has great potato recipes, says people love her spicy chickpeas with onions and tomatoes and her chicken with yogurt and cardamom is a good example of Kashmiri style cooking. 
The insights of Indian life and culture, and personal stories like the first time Chandra ate non vegetarian food at the age of 16 when she left home to attend college, add to the interest of this book." - World of Cookbooks

"Other than Julie Sahni’s and Madhur Jaffrey’s books, there are few good Indian cookbooks available here. Chandra’s collection of family style dishes is an approachable introduction to the cuisine, including a variety of simple regional recipes. The headnotes are good, and while most of the ingredients called for are readily available, Chandra includes a shopping guide for those essential spices that may be more difficult to find." - Library Journal

"Chandra’s family recipes blend with regional fare to form the foundation for a collection which distinguishes between the flavours and cuisines of different parts of the country.  Many recipes are introduced with anecdotes as to their origin or importance in Indian cuisine. The book lacks the flashy colour photos of many Indian titles, but its diversity is exceptional." - The Bookwatch

"Over the past several years, Indian cookery has made inroads into the American food scene. And people are beginning to discover there’s a lot more to it than curry. For those not well acquainted with Indian cooking, this is a good introduction to a wide ranging cuisine. As the title suggests, styles vary from region to region and Canadian journalist Chandra does her best to reflect these differences in her choice of fare. Easy to follow recipes cover everything from drinks to side dishes and desserts, and take in both meat and vegetarian foods. Chandra prudently describes different cooking methods and ingredients; recipes for producing such basics as coconut milk, ghee (clarified butter) and cottage cheese are provided. This is also a good source for anyone seeking lighter fare with less emphasis on meat. At least one problem faces cooks though: some ingredients, chiefly spices and herbs, will not be quickly or simply obtained without access to Asian or Indian markets. An alternative: avail yourself of the mail order list Chandra offers; substitution or omission is not an option. " - Publishers Weekly