NRI wins World Cookbook Award | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

NRI wins World Cookbook Award

None | ByIndo-Asian News Service, London
May 25, 2006 11:00 AM IST

UK-based chef Mridula Baljekar has won the award in the Best Asian Cuisine Cookbook category.

Great Indian Feasts, the latest cookbook by Britain-based celebrity chef Mridula Baljekar, has won the 'Gourmand World Cookbook Award' in the 'Best Asian Cuisine Cookbook' category.

HT Image
HT Image

Baljekar, who runs the popular Spice Route restaurant in Windsor, near London, received the award at a star-studded ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, which was attended, among others, by the Malaysian royalty.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

"I am absolutely overwhelmed and highly honoured by this award," said Baljekar, whose book came from the stable of John Blake Publishing and hit book shops in October last year.

Books from 65 countries were in the running for this year's prestigious Gourmand awards and were judged by a panel of high profile judges.

To be a 'best in the world' cookbook, usually entails a strong author, excellent publishing standards and user-friendliness.

"So the best books have a balance between the authors, publisher and reader. The best are usually obvious when you compare thousands of books," said Edward Cointreau, founder of Gourmand Awards.

As cookery writer, Baljekar has several other titles to her credit, including "500 Indian Recipes", "The Low-fat Indian Vegetarian Cookbook", "Curries of the World", and "Secrets of an Indian Kitchen".

Baljekar says she owes much of what she has learnt about Indian food to her grandmother when she was growing up in her native Assam.

"The kitchen was always very much my grandmother's domain," recalls Mridula, "even though we had helpers, she loved to do all the cooking."

Rather than sticking with purely traditional themes, Mridula, according to her website, "spends much of her time creating new recipes, in which she blends the traditional with the contemporary, and aims to make Indian food quick, easy and healthy, and yet retain its traditional flavours".

Unveiling Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch now!

Get Current Updates on India News, Election 2024, Arvind Kejriwal News Live, Bihar Board 10th Result 2024 Live along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On