Madhur Jaffrey MasterClass Review

Madhur Jaffrey Teaches Indian Cooking

This review is for you for all MasterClass and Indian cuisine fans! Since our last masterclass review, of you have been asking us for Madhur Jaffrey MasterClass, so without further ado, here are our thoughts on this journey through India.

With more than 30 award-winning cookbooks and a James Beard Foundation Cookbook Hall of Fame Award, Madhur Jaffrey may be the greatest living authority on Indian cuisine. Now she shares those vast and storied traditions with you. Learn 30 authentic recipes: vegetables, breads, South Asian meats, street foods, and more. Blend and layer spices and bring it all together -from the perfect bite to full menus of vibrant flavor.

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An Icon of Indian Cuisine

In the realm of international culinary ambassadors, Madhur stands alone. Her 1973 debut cookbook, An Invitation to Indian Cooking, transformed the West’s understanding of Indian flavors and feasts. In the decades since, her friendly affect and clever recipes have been a constant companion to home cooks around the globe. She is responsible for introducing millions - if not billions - of people to the complexities of Indian cuisine.

Madhur grew up absorbing the sights, sounds, and flavors of India’s deep culinary traditions with her family and as she ventured to the country’s unique and diverse villages and regions. She’s spent the past five decades sharing those stories and recipes with a global audience, crafting more than 30 cookbooks, seven of which are James Beard Award winners.

Now she’s sharing her experience and India’s vast culinary traditions with you on MasterClass. Explore a world of flavor and spices, learn 30 authentic recipes with step-by-step instructions, and experience the cultures and culinary traditions of one of the world’s largest countries.

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Madhur Jaffrey MasterClass Plan

01 - Meet Your Instructor

Madhur Jaffrey is the leading authority on Indian food in the West. Having written more than 30 cookbooks, Madhur’s expertise is undeniable. Here, you get to see how Madhur got to 30 cookbooks and what you’ll gain from that expertise.

02 - Spice Fundamentals: Roasted Cumin and Garam Masala

Madhur explains how spices can be altered to create depth, the same way a painter uses paints. A simple action like roasting or combining spices can completely transform them, giving you different “shades” of a spice.

03 - Exploring Spices: Potato A Thousand Ways

In this lesson, Madhur teaches students the infinite possibilities of spices and demonstrates four ways to use them to transform simple boiled potatoes into something truly special.

04 - Demystifying Curry: Goan Shrimp

This lesson dispels myths around what curry means. Madhur demonstrates a delicious shrimp dish and shares three more dishes that would generally be classified as curry: a Keralan fish dish, a mixed-vegetable kurma, and a classic butter chicken.

05 - South Asian Meats: Aloo Gosht

South Asian food encompasses more than just Indian cuisine. In this lesson, Madhur demonstrates a Pakistani Aloo Gosht and shows you her famous lemony chicken with cilantro, plus her own take on baked lamb kebabs.

06 - Essential Indian Vegetables: Cauliflower With Asafetida and Cumin

Indian vegetarian food is among the best in the world. Here, Madhur shares a hearty cauliflower dish with cumin and asafetida. Using an okra dish and an eggplant bharta, she walks you through the various types of vegetables in Indian cuisine.

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07 - The Magic of Rice: Basmati and Biryani

Rice is an ancient staple of Indian cuisine and culture. This lesson covers the simplest cooking method and traditional presentation of basmati rice alongside a showstopping dish, lamb biryani.

08 - Indian Breads: Chapati

There are hundreds of Indian breads and pancakes. To get started, Madhur shows you how to make a classic chapati to eat with other dishes in her class. Madhur also speaks to the variety of Indian breads—from lentil pancakes to stuffed paratha.

09 - Comforting Legumes: Dal

The humble yet mighty lentil is a cornerstone of the Indian plate. Madhur shows you how you can take two simple types of dried lentils and turn them into a delicious and comforting dal dish. She also shares a recipe for a chickpea dish.

10 - Embellish Every Morsel: Tamarind Chutney (Condiments)

An Indian meal is not complete without embellishments. Madhur shows you how to turn a block of dried tamarind into a delectable tamarind chutney. She also shows you how to make cauliflower pickle, chili pickle, and classic cucumber raita.

11 - Lip-smacking Savory Street-Food: Dahi Puri Chaat

Chaat, the word for street food in India, comes from a word that means “to lick”—and street food is one of the most exciting parts of Indian cuisine. Madhur shares how to make Aloo Puri Chaat, a perfect party appetizer to get the flavor flowing.

12 - An Indian Feast: Sample Menus

In India, nothing comes between flesh and food. Here, Madhur dives into the connections between touch, texture, aroma, and flavor. She demonstrates how to eat with your hands and shares sample menus using the dishes taught in her class.

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Packed with Flavor

After you meet your instructor in the first class, you will dive right into the heart and soul of Indian cooking, the spices. After that, Madhur starts going through various recipes one by one. She begins by teaching you how to elevate plain old potatoes with an exciting mix of spices. Then there are a few lessons on meats, curries, vegetables, and more.

Throughout her class, Madhur makes a lot of interesting points that uncover the hidden science of Indian cooking. She'll teach you how Indian cooks use spices the way a painter uses paint. By combining spices, they can create different flavors, colors, and experiences.

One thing that you'll learn in Madhur Jaffrey MasterClass is that improvisation is key to Indian cooking. Once you understand how the various spices and ingredients work together, you can create new dishes by mixing and matching.

Like in Indian cuisine, spices play a vital role in this class.

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Final Thoughts

Despite being one of the shortest MasterClasses, Madhur Jaffrey MasterClass still has valuable lessons to teach you. Packed with flavor, this MasterClass will take you on a journey throughout India, from the balance and fragrant dishes of the north to the spicy and exciting dishes of the south.

If you have a passion for Indian food or you’re an adventurous cook who wants to expand your repertoire, then this is a great class for you.

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