From Publishers Weekly

The host of TV's Top Chef, Lakshmi (Easy Exotic) puts her own culinary skills to the test in this glossy, cosmopolitan cookbook. Here, in vibrant colors, are her own palate-shaping memories in the form of recipes and short but highly personal essays. Like Nigella Lawson, Lakshmi's sex appeal is part of her draw as a food personality, and this collection obliges with adorable family photos as well as glamour shots of the model/actress nibbling on her creations. The global cuisine runs the gamut from a Southeast Asian–style Warm Peanut Salad with Tomato and Cilantro to Persian Chicken Soup with Omani Lemon and Dill to fried chicken battered with Rice Krispies. Keralan Crab Cakes and Pineapple and Pomegranate Crumble are among the fusion dishes that blend cuisines with intriguing results. Interspersed throughout are plenty of South Indian classics, reflecting Lakshmi's own heritage. Lakshmi has an inventive knack for flavor combination, but some of her recipes, like a Barbecued Shrimp with Chili Honey Butter, don't quite live up to the hype. Nevertheless, this book will certainly be well received by Lakshmi's growing fan base as well as home cooks looking to mix it up in the kitchen. (Oct.)

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As host of Bravo's popular Top Chef, Padma reaches millions of viewers each week and returns to the page with recipes for sophisticated international cuisine that are easy to prepare. Inspired by her travels to some of the most secluded corners of the planet, Padma shares with cooks the origins of her latest exotic recipes. But you'll never have to feel as though you've just traveled the world in order to prepare them. Padma makes it simple to impress your guests with more than two hundred elegant and savory dishes such as Hot and Sour Fruit Chaat, Tangy Jicama Salad, Purée of Roasted Aubergine, Couscous with Merguez Sausage, South Indian Spinach and Lentil Soup, Red Snapper with Green Apple and Mint Chutney, Roasted Citrus Chicken, Barbecue Korean Short Ribs, and Honeycomb Ice Cream. From appetizers to entrées, soups to desserts--Tangy Tart Hot & Sweet is the perfect book for anyone who wants cooking to be easy, elegant, and unforgettable.