Bingo 9: Fiasco
My Two Souths is not a bad cookbook; however, it seems to present itself as a hybrid between the American South (Atlanta GA) and the Kerala region of India (southern costal area). For me, as a fusion cuisine book, this one is a fail. Adding turmeric and garam masala to turkey pot pie is not really new or interesting, and I have no idea why it’s especially Southern (in either sense). Adding black pepper to dessert, likewise, how is this Southern? Rhubarb pie? Not Southern. Tomatoes might be an option in both Souths, but how exactly is tomato and cheese pie a specifically Southern use? Carrot cake using cardamom and clove sounds relatively normal for carrot cake (although the omission of cinnamon might be interesting). I will not be trying the Nutella and smoked paprika cookies. That just does not sound like a nice combo to me. And how is that Southern? Just adding a coriander and cumin spiced syrup to chicken and waffles doesn’t really seem to achieve the hybrid that the book suggests its representing either. I was also kind of disappointed in how meat-forward and generally heavy this book is. I can’t speak for the Kerala side, but Southern US cuisine can be veggie forward, and is not necessarily (though admittedly can be reputed to be) nothing but cream based deep fried everything.
What make the frustration here worse is that there are occasional instances of things that sound pretty neat; for example, I want to try the sorghum hot toddy. “Toddy” is apparently a colonial corruption of a Hindi word for palm sap, and sorghum is a native to the US South sweetener. Likewise, for the pasayam with raisin and cashews. Lentils for dessert sounds intriguing, and the recipe looks kind of like rice pudding (except with lentils). This sounds like something both different and also familiar. I like the idea of sweet tea (tea leaves, sugar, orange rind, and fresh mint), but I’d probably adjust for my Midwestern palate’s level of sweet. The DIY maraschino cherries also look worth a try. Don’t get me wrong, the jarred ones are a necessity for certain things, but this version looks like it might be a more adult, more subtle option.
There’s also a few spots where the recipe seems a little incomplete. The red quinoa and avocado grain bowl is spiced quinoa, raisins, and avocado. That’s a side salad, not a meal like the book represents. Then there’s the mango curd sub-recipe that calls for mango puree, yogurt, and sugar. That’s it. How exactly is that a curd? I’m also not sure I buy the Texas toast with mint chutney and carrot as a thing. Mint and carrot as a combo, sure, but Texas toast specifically seems like it would need something else.
There’s a lot of promise in the premise (the subtitle is “blending the flavors of India into a Southern kitchen”) but for the most part, it doesn’t get met.