Lessons from Three Kitchen Legends

JULIA MAY HAVE BEEN THE FIRST TO INTRODUCE HER BELOVED FRENCH CUISINE TO AMERICAN HOME COOKS AND WHAT A TRAIL SHE BLAZED! WE CELEBRATE THREE PIONEERS WHO SHARED THEIR OWN CULINARY TRADITIONS, MAKING A LASTING IMPACT ON HOW WE COOK AND BAKE AT HOME. HERE'S TO MADHUR, ROSE, AND MARCELLA.

- EMILY TEEL

MADHUR JAFFREY has spent more than five decades demystifying Indian cuisine and inspiring a global love for its depth and vibrancy.

Born in Delhi, she learned to cook via airmail while studying theater in London, re-creating familiar dishes based on instructions (and many reassuring letters) from her mother. Later, in the U.S., as Madhur shared recipes with friends, they sought out Indian restaurants that would serve similar fare to no avail. For years she invited people to her home, justifying the time and expense by telling herself "someone had to let Americans know what authentic Indian food was like. I kept feeding people in large numbers until exhaustion finally put an end to what I considered rather discreet proselytizing," Madhur writes. "A better scheme occurred to me. I began writing down the recipes of my most popular dishes." Published in 1973, her seminal work, An Invitation to Indian Cooking, became a landmark, introducing Indian flavors to Western kitchens and creating a cultural bridge for generations of Indian immigrants living abroad. It wasn't the first Indian cookbook in America, but it is the one that connected with readers, earning a spot in the James Beard Foundation Cookbook Hall of Fame.

The book's success propelled Madhur to become a global authority on Indian food. She has starred in a BBC television show and authored more than a dozen more cookbooks. Now 91, she is unmatched as a culinary cultural ambassador.

MADHUR'S KITCHEN LESSONS

Demystifying Curry

Madhur invites American home cooks into the world of Indian cuisine by starting with a very simple lesson: There's more to Indian food than curry powder-a standard mix of cumin, coriander, fenugreek, red peppers, and turmeric. According to Madhur, "No Indian ever uses curry powder in his cooking. Cooking again and again with the same blend of spices would make all the dishes taste the same."