REVIEW OF THE BOOK “THE PLEASURES OF KASHMIRI COOKERY-SARASWAT STYLE”

I cannot tend to forget the book titled “The Pleasures of Kashmiri Cookery-Saraswat Style” in my life. I had to search for this and worked really hard to procure a copy of it. There was not even a single copy available through online shopping in India as well in abroad. There was no copy of it present in any library in Delhi NCR. Fortunately, through the American Online Library, I discovered that the copy of it is available at the National Library in Kolkata. I had to request the Librarian-Shri Sanjib Roy-who agreed to get the copy of the book sent to me via the courier ( with help of my colleague who was present at Kolkata for some official work and promised me to meet Mr.Sanjib and give him the total amount of the money for the copy of the book). After one week exactly, I received the packet through courier. That’s my story for the SERIOUS PLEASURE of mine to know more about the Kashmiri food.

The author of the book is Anu V.Wakhlu. The book had been published by Hind Pocket Books; New Delhi in the year of 1995.The ISBN is 81-216-0387-0. The cost of the book is Rs. 200. It was printed at Kapur Art Press, Mayapuri, New Delhi.

The book is not very complicated one and devoid of photographs. It is again a collection of recipes only. However, the author mentions five festivals of Kashmiri Pandits and the dishes prepared in honor of Gods and Goddesses (including the family members, relatives and friends). One can see the images of Chinaar leaves in the book!

In the Contents, the author shares the following points:

1.       33 Mutton recipes

2.       14 Fish recipes

3.       6 Poultry recipes

4.       14 Recipes of Cottage Cheese

5.       2 Recipes of Dals

6.       6 Rice Recipes

7.       7 Chutneys and 1 Raita

8.       3 Desserts

9.        5 Baked/Fried Snacks

10.   2 varieties of Teas

11.   2 Pickles

Positive points in the book:

1.       There are 3 recipes prepared from pheasant or PACHCHIN shared in the book.

2.       There are few recipes prepared from DEMNI (stomach of the goat or sheep or lamb) given in the book.

3.       Few recipes are shared in the book which are absent in other books on Kashmiri cooking like Thule Chaman.

Negative points in the book:

1.       Details of the recipes of the dishes prepared at the times of ceremonies, festivals and special occasions are missing in the book.

2.       No photographs in the book.