A beautiful cookbook showcasing how British Indian food varies around the UK depending on the migration history of the region; from Nepali influences in Kent to Punjabi cuisine in the Midlands.
Packed with recipes, stories and authentic voices from each of the communities covered, Sarah Woods, finalist of BBC One’s Britain’s Best Home Cook and herself a second-generation Punjabi, has brought together this collection of dishes and provided a rare and privileged glimpse into desi kitchens from all over modern Britain.
“The term ‘desi’ describes a person of birth or descent from the Indian subcontinent that lives abroad and Desi Kitchen seeks to tell the food story of the Indian diaspora across modern Britain,” says Sarah.
“I wanted to write a book that people want to learn from, to cook from, feed and feast from – something authentic and meaningful.
“Food is about past, present and future and forms part of the fabric of a person’s culture and identity. It’s about balancing preservation and evolution.
“There are classics alongside twists that reflect the blending of different cultures; which is what desi identity is all about. However, it’s important to provide that community-specific cultural context, too.
“Much like a good curry, we’ve got layers and complexity, dual regionality, diversity and storytelling. Desis are entering a period of redefinition, and my book aims to be a celebration of who we are and what we contribute.”
Recipes include:
Whole roast tandoori chicken dinner (Birmingham punjabis)
Neeps and tatties keema pie (Glaswegian Pakistanis)
Sticky mango chicken wings (Harrow’s African Indians)
Fish tacos in thepla flatbread (Leicester’s Gujarati Indians)
Kottu roti (London’s Sri Lankans)
Carrot and kale bhajis (Mancunian Bangladeshis)
Welsh rarebit with curry oil (Welsh Bengalis)
After her TV debut on BBC One’s ‘Britain’s Best Home Cook’, Sarah Woods left her corporate role at a leading pharmaceutical company to pursue a career in food. She honed her cooking skills at Ashburton Chef’s Academy in Devon, prior to taking the leap. During the Covid lockdown she established a thriving desi food collection business, hosts regular supper clubs and pop-up restaurants in her home town of Wilmslow, in Cheshire. She has a passion for making authentic Indian home cooking accessible to all. Follow her on Instagram @myhomecook
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