I just wanted to share the cookbooks that I use most often. The first two are my favorite everyday cookbooks, though they can be used for special occasions as well. The last is for hearty and luscious special occasions.

  • Lite and Luscious Cuisine of India, Madhu Gadia (1997): This is my staple Indian cookbook. Ms. Gadia is not just an excellent chef, she's also a licensed dietician. She takes all kinds of Indian dishes and makes them easy to make (although prep time can be high in some cases) and extremely healthy. She cuts down on the use of oils and ghee (clarified butter), but never skimps on spice or flavor. If you want a great everyday cookbook that has vegetarian as well as meat dishes, check out this book. I swear by her chicken curry; alu gobhi; tandoori murgh; and baked fish with black pepper.
  • Jacques Pépin's Simple and Healthy Cooking (1994): Full of fantastic, healthy and simple to prepare meals, this is a staple for weekday cooking and contains plenty of special meals for friends and loved ones. My favorite recipes from this book are: catfish sauté with vegetable medley; hominy, cliantro and cumin stew; blackened swordfish; and curried scallops oriental.
  • Jacques Pépin's Table: The Complete Today's Gourmet (1991): This is a fantastic book to pull out for that extra special dinner for two or special guests. You'll probably use all of your pans, utensils and prep spaces, but the food is worth it. The dishes here are also pretty rich, as opposed to the other cookbooks on the list. My favorites are: melon in port wine; chicken chasseur; poulet au vin rouge; wine merchant steak; pommes persillade; and grapes and raisins in lime cookie cones.