Samayal

Description

This book is Viji’s tribute to the Tamil Brahmin kitchens of her childhood, brought to life with Sophie, a French food lover she met by chance at a farmer’s market. A conversation about okra turned into a friendship, and eventually, into this book.

Inside, you’ll find recipes that carry both flavour and meaning. Take the chocolate cherry cake — layers of rich chocolate sponge filled with light, whipped cream and tangy cherries, striking a perfect balance between indulgence and freshness. It’s one of many recipes where technique meets story.

Because in Tamil Brahmin homes, food has never been just food. In Sanskrit, it is called Annam — considered the very essence of the divine, the source and sustainer of all life. Meals are offered to ancestors, to the family deity, to unannounced guests, and to those in need, long before they reach the dining table. Ayurveda teaches that what we eat shapes the mind as much as the body, and spices like fenugreek, cumin, turmeric and pepper are valued here for purpose as much as taste.

This book brings that world into your kitchen — recipes rooted in tradition, passed down through generations, and told through the eyes of two women from very different corners of the world who found common ground in a humble vegetable.

Recognised with the Gourmand Award — Second Place, Best Translated Book in the World. The original English edition was also honoured with a Gourmand Award.