Even with the vast number of recipes available on the internet these days, there’s nothing quite like leafing through a beautiful book full of recipes. It’s a medium that’s stronger than ever before, with cookbooks topping bestseller charts throughout the year. If you’re anything like us then you’ll have shelves upon shelves of them in your home – some kept in pristine condition, others earmarked, stained and scrawled over after years of use.
It’s this national love for cookbooks that has prompted us to start our very own cookbook club. Each month we’ll select a cookbook that we think stands out from the rest and ask you, the Great British Chefs community, to cook a recipe from it. We’ll publish a small selection of recipes on our site so, even if you don’t already have the book, you can still get involved and see how your cooking compares to everyone else’s. Apply to join the Facebook group here and take a look at this month's book (and recipes) below. We've also included the winning post from last month's book, as well as some of our other favourite entries.
As lockdown returns with a vengeance and we continue to find ways to keep ourselves entertained at home, the kitchen quickly becomes a little getaway from what 2020 has so kindly given us. Luckily, November's book is a real treat, with plenty of incredible recipes suitable for any day of the week.
Masala by Mallika Basu is one of those cookbooks that you reach for time and time again. Packed full of easy, accessible recipes that can be served at both special occasions and as a quick midweek meal, the dishes are full of fresh flavours, vibrant spices and beautiful ingredient combinations.
For a taste of what's inside, take a look at the three free recipes below – but buy a copy today and transform weeknight dinners into something special.
A rich nutty sauce provides the perfect backdrop to these gently cooked baby aubergines, which pack enough flavour themselves thanks to the tempered spices added at the end. Serve with plenty of flatbreads to soak up the sauce.
A beloved dish from the south of India, Dosa can actually be made from scratch relatively easily. Your first few might come out a bit wrong (just like pancakes) but once you get the hang of it there's no looking back.
Roast cauliflower is always a fantastic vegetarian centrepiece, but by smothering it in a spiced peanut butter mixture you can create something really special.
Last month you all got stuck into our second cookbook and we were seriously impressed with the results! Congratulations to Pavlos Kollias who took the top spot this month – he wins a prize! Take a look at his dish and all the other honourable mentions below.
Make sure you post photos along with commentary of the dishes you cook from Masala in our Facebook group to be in with the chance of winning.
