Cooking Like Mummyji: Real British Asian Cooking by Vicky Bhogal

    • Categories: Dips, spreads & salsas; Cooking ahead; Indian; Vegetarian
    • Ingredients: butter
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Notes about this book

  • debbyc on July 23, 2023

    This book is not the same as the 2003 version, and contains some new recipes.

Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Stuffed peppers (Shimla mirch parkhe)

    • Ro_ on February 24, 2026

      Nicer than I thought it would be, but overall it's all very soft - would be nice with something to add a crispy element, or maybe some beef mixed in with the potato?

  • Red split lentils (Masoora di dhal)

    • Ro_ on March 12, 2021

      Nice, but not my favourite ever dahl. Pretty average.

  • Coriander green masala tandoori roast chicken

    • Ro_ on June 06, 2023

      Simple enough, and a nice dish, but not exceptional. It needed more fresh coriander I think. I've made more flavourful Indian roast chickens. Was nice with a yoghurt raita though.

  • Bindi Massi's baked millennium chicken

    • Leo on June 15, 2024

      This was really easy to prep and extremely tasty. She mentions potatoes in the description but there are none in the recipe. I will try with some par cooked potatoes next time which would make it a perfect one pot. Served with some yogurt and a salad.

  • Sizzling steak fillets

    • Ro_ on July 10, 2023

      I cut my beef into big chunks and made kebabs, with the marinade. It was really nice: tasty without being overpowering. Would repeat.

  • Coconut fish dream

    • Ro_ on April 13, 2023

      I really liked the creamy curry sauce, it felt very indulgent with the coconut cream. I don't know if it's personal taste but I think overall I would have enjoyed it more with something other than fish, possibly chicken. The fish didn't mesh that well with the sauce and it was all very soft.

  • Chilli, lime and coriander rice

    • Ro_ on January 31, 2020

      Couldn't really taste the lime or coriander, only the chilli came through.

  • Cucumber yoghurt (Tharwala dahi)

    • Ro_ on August 01, 2020

      Delicious. Works as a dip, a dressing for tinned oily fish or as a side to a curry.

  • Simple lemon achaar

    • Ro_ on July 01, 2023

      I didn't care for this - no spices really came through, the taste was mostly just strong lemon, I didn't even get much ginger. I was hoping for something more pickly and spicy, akin to the lime pickle you can buy in shops. I wonder if the jar I used was too big though, the big pieces of lemon didn't all sit in the ginger, not sure.

  • Carrot pickle (Gajara di achaar)

    • Ro_ on May 04, 2023

      This was a nice, zingy recipe for fresh carrots. It isn't especially pickly, more spicy and sweet, but I enjoyed it and would make again.

  • Oven-baked cherry tomatoes with saffron

    • Ro_ on April 25, 2023

      It was a little unhelpful that the recipe didn't give an indication of how long to cook the tomatoes. I was hoping they'd start to get a little charred looking, but they never did, they were just super soft and mushy by the time I took them out. Overall I didn't think this dish was anything to write home about.

  • Fingerlicking potato wedges

    • Ro_ on April 04, 2020

      These were nice but not really next level. The cooking method (parboiling in skins before slicing up and finishing in oven) didn't give me noticeably different results to what I usually do for potato wedges which is just slicing them up and doing them in the oven directly. Maybe a bit fluffier but not hugely. The spices were nice but not oustanding - however I didn't have pomegranate seed powder so had to just double the quantity of amchur.

  • Maharajah's mash

    • Ro_ on April 25, 2023

      This was a lovely creamy mash. I wasn't sure about having the raw onions in there, but I let them sit in the hot mash for a good 20 minutes before reheating at the end, which I think helped a lot, and actually I really liked the texture they gave. I think one teaspoon of chilli flakes was a little too much though, I'd use less next time.

  • Speedy tuna sabji

    • Ro_ on May 04, 2023

      I served this with a jacket potato as suggested, and a carrot pickle on the side. It was OK, nice for a change, but not something I'll repeat. I would have liked it to be saucier, and have deeper flavour.

  • Fishcakes with bite

    • Ro_ on February 06, 2023

      These were nice, but slightly dry - the potato comes through more than the fish. I liked the crispy batter on the outside though. Don't skimp on salt and seasonings.

  • Pan-fried sardines with garlic yoghurt

    • Leo on June 15, 2024

      This is worth a try. Never managed to get the sardines to go crisp but it doesn't matter. Excellent for a quick supper. Lemon slices should be listed as an ingredient.

    • Ro_ on February 24, 2026

      Agree with other comment - couldn't get sardines crispy because they just break up in the pan as soon as you touch them, but it was nice enough for a quick dinner.

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Reviews about this book

  • Kitchn

    ...Bhogal's style is wonderfully approachable and most of the recipes are uncomplicated, so you should find yourself making and sharing Indian meals in no time at all.

    Full review
  • ISBN 10 0743239822
  • ISBN 13 9780743239820
  • Published Oct 06 2003
  • Format Paperback
  • Page Count 224
  • Language English
  • Countries United Kingdom
  • Publisher Simon & Schuster
  • Imprint Simon & Schuster Ltd

Publishers Text

If you think you know Indian cooking, think again. This book from a fresh, young talent reveals a little-known cuisine with roots both in the Indian sub-continent and in Britain. 'I have often thought it such a shame that the Western world is not let in on the secret of real Indian home cooking, as though it is a sort of long-standing trick, our last remaining jewel,' says Vicky Bhogal in the introduction to Cooking like Mummyji. 'Our home food is much simpler than what you find in Indian restaurants. We use very little spices. The same ingredients are generally used for everything, but, like musical notes, can be combined in many different ways to create beautiful melodies.' Vicky Bhogal is passionate about British Asian food. In over 100 recipes she reveals its secrets. Many of the names of her dishes will be familiar to afficionados of high-street Indian restaurants, but they will find Vicky's versions surprisingly fresher, healthier and more delicious, with simpler, more vivid flavours. Her cooking is also a good deal friendlier and less complicated than the recipes of most Indian cookbooks. Along the way Vicky makes some sharp, fun observations on British Asian culture and we encounter some of her family members and learn their favourite recipe. And since Vicky's family and friends have lived in the UK for two generations now, Indian cooking techniques have been applied to their favourite British ingredients with some surprising results, for example an Indian version of Fried Eggy Bread, Baked Beans with Spring Onion Sabji, Pasta with Yoghurt and Chilli Drizzle.

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