Indian restaurants aren’t particularly hard to find in the United States, but it’s actually quite difficult to find fine dining establishments serving dishes from the subcontinent. Washington D.C.’s Rasika, which is the project of restaurateur Ashok Bajaj and executive chef Vikram Sunderam, is one of those few and serves some of the best Indian food in the country. Their new cookbook is a treasure trove of recipes and stories and provides the secrets behind some of their most famous dishes, including their legendary palak chaat, a combination of crispy fried spinach enlivened with tamarind sauce. The James Beard-recognized restaurant is known for its bold, layered flavors and beautiful presentations, but home cooks can lay their worries to rest as recipes are generally straightforward and easy to prepare, and that is particularly true of the vegetarian and vegan dishes, of which there are many. It’s a must-own for anyone interested in Indian cuisine and is a fine addition to any cookbook shelf.
