Deepa's Secrets

June 19, 2017
Indian food without fragrant basmati or fresh-from-the-tandoor naan? Thomas had an epiphany about the role these sources of simple carbohydrates played in her husband’s diabetes after a doctor recommended that he adopt a low-carb diet, and she shares that epiphany and the recipes it prompted in this solid, informative cookbook. The results of Thomas and her husband’s dietary changes came quickly: the couple lost more than 20 pounds each in the first six months of their new “non-diet,” and eventually her husband no longer needed to take insulin. Thomas suggests grains, such a gingered faro with dried fruit and nuts, and eggs, as in a tofu and asparagus scramble. Recipes are fresh and simple, showing the influence of the subcontinent and California. Spicy keema beef, a holdover go-to from the couple’s Stanford student days, is a standout: ground beef and a mix of fresh vegetables and 14 spices are served with an Italian-inspired “New Indian Gremolata,” a versatile flavor bomb of chopped cilantro, mint, garlic, and jalapeño peppers. Engaging personal stories combined with artfully scattered notes and hints make this book reminiscent of the earliest Moosewood Cookbook in its tone and inviting narrative.

Starred review from July 1, 2017
It's rare that a former owner of a multimillion-dollar company discovers a passion for yet another enterprise. But Thomas (founder of Deepa Textiles)spurred by an interest in all things healthy, by a concern for her husband's dependence on insulin as a type 2 diabetic, and by the ayurvedic proverb When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need decided to hunt for edible foodstuffs sans the bad carbohydrates, with an Indian flavor. Avoiding all rice and breads, she here cooks up a memoir-cum-70-recipe-collection for healthier living, relying on the use of fresh spices and combinations thereof. In between her secrets (e.g., read labels carefully; maple syrup, for instance, might include sugar) and educational asides (did you know that mace is ground-up nutmeg shells?), she helps readers learn a new culinary language, with such choices as a masala omelet, ginger cabbage slaw, crackling okra, and aromatic fish in parchment. A testimony to the power of perseveranceand patience in assembling all the necessary ingredients, from scratch.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)