Cooking the Books, Spring 24
The introduction to Amrikan, the debut cookbook from Khushbu Shah – former restaurant editor for Food & Wine magazine (not to mention the youngest and only person of color to hold that esteemed position) – is some of the most illuminating and thoughtful writing on being a “diaspora kid” put on paper.
The introduction to Amrikan, the debut cookbook from Khushbu Shah - former restaurant editor for Food & Wine magazine (not to mention the youngest and only person of color to hold that esteemed position) - is some of the most illuminating and thoughtful writing on being a “diaspora kid” put on paper. Shah convincingly argues within these first few pages and throughout her book that adaptation is the superpower for Indian American families, if not all immigrant communities. With her recipe of Masala Shakshuka, we see the bridge between North Africa and the Middle East to the flavors and cooking techniques of India, thanks to the addition of garam masala, Kashmiri chili, and turmeric, its fragrant tomatoey-oniony-egginess scooped up expertly with naan in place of the standard pita. Such a good omen when the very first recipe of a book brings the author’s vision and voice into such vibrant singularity.
Alice Zaslavsky, a former Aussie middle school teacher who's now a celebrated-author-cooking columnist, imbues such down-under good vibes and bright optimism into her Better Cooking: Life-Changing Skills & Recipes to Tempt & Teach, that it can catch you off-guard. Packed with the same color and verve of her award-winning international hit, In Praise of Veg, Zaslavsky knows how to deliver friendly recipes with familiar flavors but with a quirky tweak here or a genius twist there. Armed with the POV of cooking for a busy family of four, there’s no shortage of time management hacks for parents or entertaining large groups, yet with no sacrifice to flavor or technique. Her Chocolate Cloud French Toast is a bombshell - fluffy challah stuffed with chocolate soaked in luxe custard - that makes memories every time you bring it to the table. A riot of a book that's hard to resist.
When you are the CEO and founder of an organization called the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, as Kon Karapanagiotidis is, a cookbook titled Philoxenia | A Seat at My Table: Vegetarian and Vegan Greek Kitchen Recipes could not be more aptly named. Philoxenia is ‘the love of strangers; eagerness to show hospitality” and could serve as Karapanagiotidis’ mission statement as much as his book title. Crediting his mother, Sia, as the source of these 90 recipes, Kon brings a humble appreciation and irrepressible love for family structures and dynamics, proudly letting us into his own, while uplifting others with his storytelling and respect for culture. Spanakopita is a tentpole dish in Greece, deservedly rendered here in four pages of step-by-step photos of Sia’s hands masterfully tending to the dough and laying in the verdant filling. It's rare to come across so much heart in a collection of recipes. For Karapanagiotidis, we merely have to look across the table to find it.
Working in Ina Garten’s kitchen can teach you a thing or two. In NYT Cooking contributor Lidey Heuck's case, it helped her find her own path in food and media. With Cooking in Real Life, Heuck gets to the bones of straightforward, everyday cooking. Many of the recipes kindly call for one pot or bowl, saving us from a penance of dishes for a homemade meal. No fussiness or preciousness can be found in her recipes, which instead strive for crave-ability, simplicity, texture, and taste. Take her ingenious Spaghetti with Sweet Corn Pesto, the creaminess coming from the corn and spicy breadcrumbs boosting the crunch factor to 11. If you’re often stumped with what to make for dinner amidst the rough and tumble of your daily routine, Lidey has your back.
Jang: The Soul of Korean Cooking from Mingoo Kang, the chef of the highly lauded Mingles restaurant in Seoul, is a ground-breaking effort. Taking us on a deep dive into jangs, the three mother sauces of Korean cuisine: gochujang, doenjang, and ganjang, Kang tells us about the artisans and traditions behind them, as well as their modern applications. With recipes ranging from Asparagus Bibimbap to Ssamjang Cacio e Pepe to Dover Sole with Doenjang Caper Sauce, Kang’s creativity is a thrill to behold, page by page. For more traditional fare there are plenty of essential dishes from the Korean canon that are made with such respect that they feel totemic. A deserved international sensation, Kang’s recipe for Yangnyeom Chicken (Korean Fried Chicken) beckons us to discover the complexity and malleability of jangs. It’s been ages since there has been a new book on Omani-Zanzibari food, and British-born Dina Macki’s electric Bahari does not disappoint. Crossing the oceans from Oman to Zanzibar, up the Swahili Coast and over to India, Iran, and far beyond, Macki showcases her ancestor’s roots and incredible cuisine. With every recipe here packed with fragrance, spice, and acid, Omani food is a living history lesson. From cardamom za’atar tea (omani chai) to sweet saffron vermicelli with an omelette (sewiyya) to sesame coconut flatbread (mkate wa ufuta), there's much to take in that stirs the hunger for travel, let alone stomach pangs. A love letter to her family, Macki’s extraordinary writing ties the past of Oman and Zanzibar to our present world, just like the comforting, complex sweetness of the Mandazi (coconut & cardamom beignets) that spark her memories and imagination.
