Shaken & Stirred

Author: Vikas Khanna,
Publisher: Dorling Kindersley (DK),
ISBN: 978024119874

Shaken & Stirred, a book from the celeb chef Vikas Khanna, is the right note to the tune of Indian society where alcoholic drinks are taboo in several spheres. This book is a dazzling collection of 101 non-alcoholic drinks, including some timeless classics and exciting modern recipes designed to lift the spirit of the room full of happy and appreciative guests. Narrated and categorised in unique style in this book is the step-by-step recipes of creative drinks for different occasions and times.

For every one of us, the most important aspect of eating or drinking is the pleasure. People enjoy scents and flavours in different ways at individual levels. Young children enjoy their morning comfort drinks, whether it could be coffee, fruity and milky flavours or anything of their all-time favourites. For the author, it was warm milk scented with cardamom, sometimes garnished with almond slivers. Vikas tasted flavours and tastes of foods and drinks from all around India during his childhood. What it still lingers on in form of nostalgia for him is perfumed cardamom chai in a clay pot and kokum-flavoured coconut milk served before a lavish spread of south Indian delicacies. So, this collection of drinks in Shaken & Stirred is fruition of those experiences and insights of the author.

Easy to put together, recipes collected in Shaken & Stirred clearly indicate the t ime taken and equipments required i n p r e p a r a t i o n process. Using notso- common fruits, vegetables, herbs, sauces and syrups to concoct interesting, healthy drinks, most of the recipes cited in this book possess helpful tips and variations for ingredients, which are not-so-easily available in the local markets. Narratives in the book describe separate spreads on ingredients used. Another unique characteristic is description of around 50 words providing details of each recipe including ingredients, historical background, suitable consumer, etc. In addition, most recipes in the book are incorporated with beautifully shot images to represent how the final drinks would look like.

–Jyaneswar Laishram