Sweets play a central role in all festivals and celebrations of India and every part of the country has special desserts that are prepared in specific ways. In The Sweet Kitchen: Tales and Recipes of India’s Favourite Desserts, chef and food writer Rajyasree Sen delves into the stories behind some of these iconic sweet dishes and asks questions about the origins of others. Among the tales she tells are the following—Is sandesh only made in Bengal? Is the gulab jamun strictly Indian? Was the kaju barfi created through divine intervention? How did sweetshops support the independence movement? How did the Persians, Mughals, French, Portuguese, British, and others influence sweet dishes in different parts of the country? Why do most communities not use yoghurt in their desserts?—and more.
Weaving together stories, historical records, and recipes, the book takes a fascinating look at the desserts we have eaten for countless Diwali, Christmas, Eid, and Navroz celebrations through the centuries.
Rajyasree Sen is a chef, columnist, and food writer based in New Delhi. She has always had a keen interest in the history of food and her restaurant, Brown Sahib, was known for its Bengali and Anglo-Indian cuisine, which Sen grew up eating in Calcutta. She has been writing on food for various international travel and food shows, and was the food columnist for the Wall Street Journal in India. She writes for the Economic Times and Newslaundry, and is the co-host of Newslaundry‘s pop-culture podcast, The Awful and Awesome. She is also the head of communications for an international hospitality chain in New Delhi.
Read More