The Way Mum Used To...

Nothing evokes memories more than food. Whether it be a smell that transports you to your childhood and images of your mother in the kitchen, or a taste that takes you back to a time that makes you smile. Food has that power.

Many traditions of food centre around a legacy, and this cookbook initially started out as me handing over my recipes to the next generation of cooks in my house in the same way that they had been handed over to me by the generation before me. My recipes have either been given to me by family members, my mother, grandmother and mother in law, or acquired from family recipes of friends. Every recipe has a story and more importantly, the recipes have played an important role in creating memories.

The book went from a series of handwritten recipes in an exercise book to something more formalised, when it dawned on me that most Indian cookery books are written by celebrity chefs usually following on from a televised trip to India. However, there are no cookbooks that really encapsulate genuine Indian home cooking. My recipes are designed to cater for the needs of every day cooking at home with simple nutritious dishes, to allowing you to create more elaborate spreads for a dinner party. I have tried to give a snapshot of the vast variety of cuisines that can be found across India but simplified so that the recipes can be easily followed. Cooking authentic Indian food at home has become much easier today with all ingredients available in supermarkets. Once you realise how easy it is to grind your own spices and create your own cooking pastes and sauces, you will regret ever having reached for a jar of cooking sauce.

However, the real essence of this book is about creating a communal eating experience with family and friends and hopefully to share the memories that I have from 50 years of home cooking, and for you to create your own memories.

Enjoy
Renu