THE CRITICAL REVIEW OF THE BOOK “ DE LEIJ-THE CULINARY ART OF KASHMIRI COOK BOOK”

This is my first book available on the internet absolutely free for the readers. One needs to thank the Authors-S.S.Kaul Kilam and Shyam Rani Kilam-Husband and wife –for this benefit for any individual who is interested to really learn and know about the Kashmiri Cooking and the dishes from the Valley. It was released by Kashmir News Network in August, 2002. I truly suggest the book for my readers for various reasons:

a)      Easily available over the internet

b)      Detailed explanation of the art of Kashmiri cooking is observed

c)       Good exposure has been presented in the book for the naïve readers and cooks

There is no cost attached for the book.

The Contents of the book are excellent and awesome headings have been carefully chosen by the authors. There are 215 recipes in total that has been shared by the authors. I am not going to enter into the full details of these recipes. However, I will be focusing on the positive points of the book:

a)      The book is really presenting the culinary art of Kashmir.

b)      It gives us details of the points picked up by the authors after careful research and thought from their end.

c)       There is an explanation that has been provided by the authors wherever it was required in the book.

d)      Traditional kitchen has been showcased and how it has to be used in explained in good depth.

e)      Religious sentiments and offering to the Gods to animals has been pin pointed in the book (which I was really searching for in each and every book that I read and study carefully as this is the much wanted point in any form of the religion and I liked it).

f)       The book is indeed meant for the forthcoming generations to maintain their culture

g)      The book discusses the subtleties required for cooking in the kitchens of both Pandits and Muslims of Kashmir.

h)      It showcases the maintenance of one’s own culture and traditions irrespective of the place and location.

i)        The photographs are traditional ones and give us the details restricted to the presentation and the cultural values of the Kashmiri Styles of cooking.