Vegan or not, Richa Hingle’s first cookbook, “Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen: Traditional and Creative Recipes for the Home Cook” is worth exploring. Though exotic and richly developed, Richa’s plant-based, highly-spiced Indian recipes are neither too complicated, nor made with ingredients too obscure to find, to make them unapproachable for the home cook. Complex flavors and textures, hallmarks of Indian cuisine, are, of course, the big draw to the 150 recipes in this book, but so, too, is the book’s generous number of author-contributed full-color images. Though equally adept at writing, recipe development, food blogging and food photography, Richa, who was born in India, has no formal culinary training. Writes Richa, “Most of what I cook comes from learning from Mom, cooking after I moved out of my parents’ home, creative taste and texture combinations and inspiration from other cookbook authors and bloggers.” The use of healthier ingredients, traditional Indian spice for flavor and simplified cooking techniques, makes “Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen” a book lovers of Indian food will want to use often. For purchase information, or to view additional recipes (including desserts), visit Richa’s blog at VeganRicha.com.

Sue Ade is a syndicated food writer with broad experience and interest in the culinary arts. She has worked and resided in the Lowcountry of South Carolina since 1985 and may be reached at kitchenade@yahoo.com.