What a delightful little cookbook! First, she gives a great background of Kerala and of her own family. My fiancee is also a Keralite and this book has allowed me to make him many dishes that he hasn't had since he was last home. The pictures are bright, colorful, and visually enticing. The instructions are well thought out and the ingredient listings are logically ordered. In particular, I like how she groups spices under the heading "ground masala" and then in the instructions simply states "add ground masala". It makes it easy to know when to throw it in the mix because I put the ground masala together before I start cooking. This way, I don't have to sort through a list of spices that need to be thrown in quickly.My particular favorite recipes are the piralen, meen molee, and the vadala. Actually, the piralen is now a weekly staple for us because it is so quick and simple to make. Since my prior cooking experiences had been primarily Pakistani and North Indian dishes of a heavier nature, I was amazed at how light and refreshing South Indian cuisine can be. I have just purchased Curried Favors and I can't wait to dig into it!I will be using this book for years to come and look forward to cooking these Keralite delights for my own future children.Now, I am just waiting for Maya's North Indian cuisine cookbook (hint, hint :-)