From Portugal to Tibet: five of the best new cookbooks for spring
This latest batch of cookbook releases takes us on a journey through the cuisines of Sub-Saharan Africa, Tibet, India and Portugal.
Five of the best new cookbooks for spring.
1. Saka Saka
Anto Cocagne & Aline Princet
In Saka Saka, chef Anto Cocagne and food photographer Aline Princet have taken on the colossal task of compiling a collection of recipes from across Sub-Saharan Africa, offering an introduction to the region’s many and varied culinary cultures.
Alongside 80 recipes, the book features African musicians, writers and creatives discussing their favourite dishes and offering insights into the flavours of countries including Cameroon, Mali, Burkina Faso and beyond. Throughout, the authors convey the vibrancy and history of Sub-Saharan Africa, looking at the how colonisation has affected its gastronomy and why sharing food and stories over the table is so important.
There are plenty of accessible dishes, including cassava and prawn fritters and a cooling papaya gazpacho, as well as a few featuring more obscure ingredients, such as odika-smoked chicken, which is prepared with a mango seed kernel, and cream of taro soup. There are also tips on how to stock up your cupboard with African essentials, as well as advice on preparing perfect pastes to flavour meat, fish or vegetables. £20, Murdoch Books.
2. Taste Tibet
Julie Kleeman & Yeshi Jampa
Named after the authors’ Oxfordshire food stall and restaurant, Taste Tibet reflects the nomadic food culture of the Himalayas, where Yeshi grew up. Expect comforting soups and stews, as well as the restaurant’s famous chicken curry, and learn the secret to perfecting hand-pulled noodles. £25, Murdoch Books
3. Nistisima
Georgina Hayden
The history and culture of fasting in Orthodox Christian culture is at the centre of this collection of traditional vegan recipes eaten during Lent across the Mediterranean, Middle East and Eastern Europe. Among the dishes are pistachio and cardamom halva, and manaqish-swirled buns. £26, Bloomsbury.
4. Ammu
Asma Khan
This book, from the brains behind London restaurant Darjeeling Express, is a collection of recipes and reflections inspired by Asma’s ammu (mother) and childhood home in Kolkata. Many recipes have been in the family for generations, including a spiced leg of lamb Asma’s mother prepared for her wedding day. £26, Ebury Press.
5. Portugal the Cookbook
Leandro Carreira
In his new book, Portuguese-born chef Leandro Carreira celebrates the diversity of his homeland’s cuisine, which has been influenced by centuries of cultural exchange with China, India, Africa, South America and more. Expect Algarve-style seafood dishes, as well as delicacies such as egg yolk candies. £39.95, Phaidon.
