Upper Crust India

The Heart of the Matter

It’s all vegetarian. It’s all healthy. And it’s all Indian. The goodness of a meal that comprises these three facets is enshrined in The Heart of the Matter (THM)- a complete guide to adopting a new lifestyle, guaranteed to gladden the heart. Gitanjali Gurbaxani compiles her varied experiences into a culinary landscape that makes for a thoughtful and refreshing reference read. Starting off with an introduction to the importance of a vegetarian diet for a healthy life, THM goes on to describe various necessary food groups and ways to stay fit and active. We like the ‘Power Sleep’ benefit. The book is done in full colour, with many recipes with healthier alternatives, right from soups to snacks, mains to dal, chawal, roti, salads and ‘sweet endings’. Unfortunately the food images aren’t exactly appealing. What’s interesting though is the Healthy Tip, that’s a little note on every recipe to illustrate the advantage of an ingredient used. Did you know, paneer in moderation helps reduce weight as well as the risk of developing insulin resistance syndrome? That’s your tip with Rasogulle ke Kofte. Several other main course dishes are on offer, alongwith some tantalising snacks such as AM ke Seekh Kebabs. The variety of dais is something to try out, as also the Kachhi Kairi ka Malpua, among several other healthy sweets. About the author: Gitanjali is a reputed food consultant and stylist. Her endeavours in eggiess confectionery have led her to pioneer the field, and her passion for healthy cooking has resulted in several celebrated recipes.