Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian. Renowned Indian cooking expert Jaffrey has compiled an enormous book of vegetarian recipes that comprise multiple culinary traditions beyond Indian traditions. For example, in her treatment of corn, Jaffrey describes some delightful papoosas , a cross between tortillas and tamales. She also offers a recipe for Punjabi makki di roti , a cornbread unfamiliar to most Westerners. Vegetarian dishes based on rice draw on Japanese, Vietnamese, and Korean traditions, but Jaffrey doesn't neglect popular Italian risotto.
Recipes employing wheat come predominantly from the Middle East.
Stuffed Chinese dumplings and Italian pastas balance less obviously familiar vegetarian treats. With all this diversity, it's surprising that the U.S. contributes just a meatless Texas chili. The sheer size and comprehensiveness of this book, along with the author's established reputation, make this a sound addition to any vegetarian cookbook collection.