In a recent Waitrose Magazine feature Rukmini Iyer was highlighted as one of the culinary pioneers revolutionising the way we eat in 2022, and she has certainly transformed the cookery space with her ingenious million-copy-selling Roasting Tin series. This autumn sees the launch of her most personal book to date, India Express – Fresh and Delicious Recipes for Every Day.
The idea for India Express was inspired by a conversation with her parents, talking about the 24-hour train journeys they used to take when courting in India. After hearing about the amazing food they’d eaten on their trips, Rukmini travelled to India with them to recreate a journey, travelling from her mother’s hometown Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) to her father’s native Chennai (formerly Madras) eating everything in sight and learning family recipes from east to south. The ‘Express’ in the title reflects the original train journey inspiration for the book, as well as the speed and ease of the recipes.
Rukmini has created an amazing variety of Indian weeknight meals and weekend projects that need just a few store cupboard spices, all in keeping with her ethos of ‘minimum effort, maximum flavour’, these dishes are quick, easy, and utterly delicious. In India Express you will find chapters featuring easy weeknight one-tin and one-pan curries, everyday Bengali, and South Indian recipes from both sides of Rukmini’s family, snack and brunch ideas, and a weekend project section for more ambitious cooks. Discover simple yet speedy recipes that work for every day such as: Chilli Cheese Stuffed Parathas – Mushroom and Pistachio Biryani – Malai Prawns – Saffron, Almond & Paneer Festival Pulao – Mango and Cardamom Lassi.
The 75 vibrant and moreish recipes in the book are largely vegetarian and vegan, as that’s the home-cooked Indian food that Rukmini grew up. Authentic Bengali recipes include some classic prawn and fish dishes too and the recipes are all woven through with family stories.
Rukmini Iyer
‘I hope these recipes, from lazy brunches to easy weeknight curries and weekend feasts, will become a part of your go-to everyday repertoire, as they have in my house.’
