Book Review Daastan-e-Dastarkhan

If you&rsquove wondered about Muslim cooking and foods, this book by a former Masterchef India contestant will answer all your queries. For starters, what is a Dastarkhan you might ask It traditionally refers to a yellow cloth placed on the floor on which dishes, sharing-style, are served. This book is anecdotal because the chef-cum-writer tells readers about his family, friends, and travels, correlating those with his love for food and providing recipes that make one&rsquos mouth water. There are 30 recipes to choose from that unravel the history and cooking techniques involved in the culinary heritage of Muslim communities in the country. The writing is evocative, and interwined with facts and statistics to give readers a complete picture. We don&rsquot know about you, but we sure are looking forward to trying the haleem (porridge-like, labour intensive dish that&rsquos completely worth the wait) and akhti (mutton curry with flour dumplings) in our kitchens. Also, vegetarians rejoice&mdashthis book includes plenty of green recipes.