The Cardamom Trail: Chetna Bakes with Flavours of the East Kindle Edition

What a beautiful book! I knew about Chetna Makan from the Great British Bake Off. I was drawn to her bakes the entire time she was on the show. Her spices, her flavor combinations and the confidence behind her recipes captivated me. The stories that accompany the recipes in the book are delightful and make the food even more meaningful- and isn't that what cooking and sharing a meal is all about? Truly unique and adventuresome yet appealing to the familiar ingredients of my usual repertoire. Cardamom is one of my favorite spices. So many of my favorite spices are included in these recipes but I've never found them all in one place! Although I've just started trying the recipes the ones I've tried are spectacular. Note: I'm a new baker but with an experienced pallet. While the spices were familiar some of the combinations were delightfully new to me. The pictures are gorgeous and helpful. Clear instructions. Most of the meat dishes look adaptable to vegetarian ( which I am). The rest of the recipes look intriguing, achievable and yummy! I can't wait to try them all! - Bradetta (aka the Gingham Altar Gal)

Although I have 3 other books by Chetna, and loved them all, I was slow to buy this one because the cover left me with the impressions that it was a dessert-centric baking book. It definitely isn't. I was wowed as I poured over the wealth of imaginative savory baked goods and accompanying photos. Lots of photos! I confess that I just received the book today and haven't actually baked any of the recipes. These aren't your mother's baked goods, even if you were born in Asia! I will edit my review after I have tried a few.

This is for the very experienced baker who has all day to work on a recipe. Each recipe involves multiple, multiple steps and hard to find ingredients.

Most British bakers are all about sugar and white flour; Chetna adds a fabulous Indian twist that makes her goods exciting and flavorful. Very good information about how to use the various seasonings in other cooking as well. This is the best deal you will ever get for reasonable recipes (that can be prepared by any skill level baker) that are totally delicious!

The pear upside down cake alone is worth whatever you have to pay for this book.

The first thing I tried was the Degi Mirch pie, just as the recipe. It turned out great and my family loved it! And they are basically meat and potatoes guys. I made the cover cake - it turned out great! Beautiful book and lots of info about the spices used throughout.

I watched Chetna in the Brutus Bake Off series and became intrigued by her inspiring flavor combinations. I bought this for my Kindle as soon as I saw it was available. I think my family will be demanding her Cardamom Pear upside down cake again and again. I rarely make desserts and when I do I want a reliable outstanding recipe I can follow. Chetna succeeds in this. Bravo!

I love this book. I fell in love with Chetna from the only season of the Great British Baking Show on Netflix. I have seen every episode many time and was always intrigued by what Chetna was making. I would never be able to come up with the ideas and spice combinations. The ideas are great and the instructions are easy to follow. I have only made three things from this so far but have many more I want to make.

Love this book , what’s not to love about chocolate & mango tart , Degi mirch chicken pie or date walnut and nutmeg cake ? I loved Chetnas original ideas and bakes on the great British bake off and in this beautifully put together book her recipes come to life .Please take a moment to push the helpful button and make my time typing up and reviewing worthwhile 🥰

I love this book. I made the cardamom and pear cake, using a small load tin, tinned pears and having the recipe. It's amazing - so tender and light for a cake with almonds in! And the flavour balance between the orange zest in the cake, the pears and the cardamom are amazing. This could be my new go to cake bake. Fabulous warm with a cup of tea.

Excellent book, very interesting recipes, my husband loves it and can't wait to try out the recipes. I bought a second hand book so was very cheap compared to a new book. It arrived on time and looked brand new, very impressed and would buy a secondhand seller again.

The book is wonderfully set out, and takes the reader on a little tour of India’s popular herbs and spices. The recipes are unlike any I’ve seen, and I’ve already made the ‘Star Anise and Lemon Chocolate Mousse Cake’. It’s one of the most delicious desserts I’ve ever eaten. If I had one very small criticism, it’s that the background photos to the spice sections make it a tiny bit hard to read the text…but it’s a quibble. Chetna’s recipes are glorious.

Such a beautiful book! These days I usually turn to the internet for recipes but I am so glad to have this book in my kitchen because it is beautifully shot and has just the right amount of discussion about some of the more unusual ingredients and Chetna's memories of the food from her childhood to make this a good, comfortable, educational and heart warming read as well as an inspirational spring board into Asian cooking. I can't wait to try the recipes but even if I never make any of them, I just love wandering through its pages. The hardback edition is a high quality classy edition to any table.One word of caution, some of the ingredients seem a little unusual but Google usually gives alternate names for the item and then you realise most things are easily available, especially if you have an Indian supermarket near by