I have a friend who is a dyke from Amsterdam - let me clarify that.

It isn't that she holds back the flood waters.

More that she likes girls more than is strictly speaking necessary.

More, for example, than Whitaker would.

She comes around for dinner a lot and she is a very politically correct dyke. Last Monday she presented me with something. 'What's that?' I asked suspiciously? 'A zucchini' she replied. Well, I did know that, really. But for all I know, being a dyke means -

Well anyway. Now I had this zucchini and I had to do something with it.

Enter Madhur Jaffrey's triple x tome 'A thousand and one things a girl can do with a zucchini', that is to say a zucchini and like things. Only 650 actually, but that's quite a lot when you come down to it.

I will put a couple of recipes in the Indian section of my writing tomorrow. ( )

This cookbook is somewhat hit-or-miss. A massive collection of vegetarian foods representing culinary traditions across the world, most of the recipes here are fairly easy to put together and generally tasty. The book is slightly skewed towards Indian food, which shouldn’t be too surprising given Jaffrey’s Indian heritage and the fact that most of her cookbooks are Indian-food-specific.

The main thing about this book is the sheer quantity of recipes in it. We’ve had it for several years now, and still have tried but a fraction of the recipes available. We’re occasionally let down by something that turns out a bit bland (we’re a spice-happy couple), but most of what we make is excellent. In addition to recipes for entrees, soups, sides, and appetizers, Jaffrey also provides instructions on how to create a number of spice blends, condiments, and sauces. Quite possibly the best thing in the book is her Trinidadian Pepper Sauce, a fiery condiment made of habaneros that we can’t live without a jar of in the fridge.

Although there are some bummers in the bunch, this book is definitely a staple in our kitchen – we probably cook from it at least once a week, and it’s great to always have something new to try. Vegetarians are certain to find new and tasty dishes here, and there’s plenty of hearty meals in here for carnivores, too. ( )

This is one of a handful of cookbooks I keep coming back to again and again. It is very comprehensive, with recipes and cooking instructions for any vegetable, grain, or legume you care to name, ranging from trivially easy to complex. While Jaffrey is Indian this book covers a wide range of cuisines, and many recipes are pinned down very precisely -- not just a recipe for Salvadoran pupusas, but a recipe she learned from a specific woman on her travels; not just a Greek recipe for spinach and rice, but one from a specific restaurant.

I'm not vegetarian myself, but this book rarely lets me down. ( )

After 5+ years, time and time again, this is my favorite cookbook. I keep coming back to it when other cookbooks have fallen victim to garage sales. It has a wonderful selection of recipes from around the globe. Ms. Jaffrey's delight in cooking and sharing make learning about global cuisine fun and useful. For a vegetarian, you will never grow bored ... lots of wonderful ideas. ( )

I go back to this book again and again... I've never made something from it that I didn't like!