One Spice, Two Spice: American Food, Indian Flavors

Floyd Cardoz, chef and co-owner of New York City's Tabla restaurant, is one of the most exciting innovators working behind a stove today. And now, for the first time, he shares the extraordinary recipes that have established his reputation. In them Cardoz is able to make the quantum leap between the American palate and his taste memories—the food of his childhood in Bombay and Goa. The collection, One Spice, Two Spice, is an amalgam of two cuisines by a man who has mastered the flavors of each.

This volume of more than 140 recipes is a gift to all home cooks who enjoy the flavors of India but are intimidated by the unusual and numerous spices required to prepare these dishes. Here, Cardoz renders those spices user friendly in a down-to-earth primer and glossary. Then, in the recipe notes, he shows you how to easily integrate these new flavors into everyday meals and dinner-party fare. The techniques—sautéing, panfrying, braising, poaching, and roasting—are not new. The results, however, are astonishing.

Imagine crisp panfried black pepper shrimp, meaty sea scallops seared and served in a satiny sweet-sour glaze, asparagus and morels sautéed in a spicy blend of shallot, ginger, and chile—all of which can be made in no time flat. Other recipes—steak rubbed with crushed peppercorns and coriander, cumin, and mustard seeds, duck bathed in an aromatic orange curry, lamb meatballs filled with an herbaceous combination of fresh figs, cilantro, and mint and then napped with a lush, lustrous green sauce—may require more marinating or cooking time, but the trade-off is Cardoz's three-star-restaurant cooking at home.

One Spice, Two Spice is more than a cookbook. It is a gateway to a different way of thinking about the food on your plate, and it brings Indian flavors into the modern American repetoire.

"In his debut cookbook, Cardoz, chef of the Danny Meyer — owned Indian fusion restaurant Tabla in Manhattan, successfully demystifies Indian cooking. He takes familiar foods like fish, meats and vegetables and adds a distinctly Indian touch, as in the Seared Scallops with Lime Jaggery Glaze. The collection of recipes is divided in 10 sections, which are organized by food type: e.g., soups, condiments (integral in Indian cooking), vegetables and chicken. With each recipe, Cardoz discusses his inspiration or the significance of the food in Indian culture. He explains that the recipe for Goan-Spiced Roast Pork Tenderloin, for instance, stems from the unique culture that was created when the Portuguese ruled Goa. Recipes reflect Cardoz's inimitable combinations, like the Duck with Black Pepper-Tamarind Jus and Venison Steaks with Coriander, yet most are surprisingly uncomplicated with accessible ingredients. The Roast Lamb with Mint — Black Pepper Sauce made with an aromatic spice rub and a sauce of tomatoes, mint, ginger and garlic is a standout as are such condiments as Boodie's Ketchup with cinnamon, vinegar and shallots and the Curry Leaf Lime Vinaigrette. One wishes only that Cardoz would have included desserts — it would have interesting to see how he applies his peerless cooking style to sweet endings. A 24-page color insert gives life to many of the creations." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Floyd Cardoz, chef and co-owner of New York City's Tabla restaurant, is one of the most exciting innovators working behind a stove today. And now, for the first time, he shares the extraordinary recipes that have established his reputation. In them Cardoz is able to make the quantum leap between the American palate and his taste memories-; the food of his childhood in Bombay and Goa. The collection, One Spice, Two Spice, is an amalgam of two cuisines by a man who has mastered the flavors of each.

This volume of more than 140 recipes is a gift to all home cooks who enjoy the flavors of India but are intimidated by the unusual and numerous spices required to prepare these dishes. Here, Cardoz renders those spices user friendly in a down-to-earth primer and glossary. Then, in the recipe notes, he shows you how to easily integrate these new flavors into everyday meals and dinner-party fare. The techniques-; sauté ing, panfrying, braising, poaching, and roasting-; are not new. The results, however, are astonishing.

Imagine crisp panfried black pepper shrimp, meaty sea scallops seared and served in a satiny sweet-sour glaze, asparagus and morels sauté ed in a spicy blend of shallot, ginger, and chile-; all of which can be made in no time flat. Other recipes-; steak rubbed with crushed peppercorns and coriander, cumin, and mustard seeds, duck bathed in an aromatic orange curry, lamb meatballs filled with an herbaceous combination of fresh figs, cilantro, and mint and then napped with a lush, lustrous green sauce-; may require more marinating or cooking time, but the trade-off is Cardoz's three-star-restaurant cooking at home.

One Spice, Two Spice is more than a cookbook.It is a gateway to a different way of thinking about the food on your plate, and it brings Indian flavors into the modern American repetoire.

Floyd Cardoz was born in Bombay and raised in that city and in the fabled trading center of Goa. He trained as a biochemist before he discovered where his real passion lay—in a restaurant kitchen. After culinary school in India and Switzerland, he moved to New York City. He worked in Gray Kunz's legendary kitchen at Lespinasse and rose to become chef de cuisine there. In 1997, Cardoz teamed up with New York restaurateur Danny Meyer to create Tabla, which was given three stars by the New York Times shortly after it opened.