Mrs Balbir Singh

In the latter part of her life, Singh combined her decades of experience with the then new desire of Indians for international cookery, without making a departure from the traditional, and always mindful to utilise produce and ingredients available in local markets, to present more than 300 recipes in her 1994, Continental Cookery for Indian Homes.

In 1961, she penned what went on to become her enduring legacy to India's culinary heritage, Mrs. Balbir Singh’s Indian Cookery, an internationally acclaimed book which became the center point of authentic Indian cooking for subsequent generations of homemakers and chefs alike. The book went on to sell hundreds of thousands of copies worldwide, and went through several revisions, recipe additions, and reprints over the years.

Although many of her recipes were award-winning, a particular recipe of Singh's was also an inspiration for the world's most popular Indian dish, Chicken Tikka Masala. Ethnic food historians and authors Peter & Colleen Grove discuss various origin claims of Chicken Tikka Masala in Appendix Six of their Flavours of History, in which one of their conclusions suggests that "The shape of things to come may have been a recipe for Shahi Chicken Masala in Mrs. Balbir Singh’s 'Indian Cookery' published in 1961."

In 1959, Singh was awarded the Indian Council of Agricultural Research's Award in recognition of her work highlighting the benefits of home preservation.

Born in the Punjab, Singh was a pioneer in teaching and writing about the art of cookery in India. Well known chefs, including author, food writer and broadcaster Simon Majumdar, a judge on the Food Network, regard her as the Julia Child or Mrs. Beeton of India. After graduating cooking school in London in 1955, Singh returned to India to start her cookery and homemaking classes in New Delhi that same year. She taught cookery for over four decades and became an expert on the history, culture and science of regional and local Indian cuisine. Her signature style of detailed recipes and precise methods were applied to dishes for all occasions including family meals, dinner parties, and celebratory feasts.

Mrs Balbir Singh (1912 – 1994) was an Indian chef, cookery teacher and cookbook author. Her formal cooking and homemaking classes began in New Delhi in 1955, and her award-winning Mrs Balbir Singh’s Indian Cookery book, was first published in London in 1961 to much acclaim and inspired future generations of Indian chefs and cookery authors.