LEISURE
THE BEGINNING: INDIAN RECIPES FROM MY HOME
A new cookbook by creative entrepreneur and Instagram food personality Naqiyah Mayat brings together local Indian culture and food memories in 240 pages of Indian family cooking at its best.
T
he narrative of South
later the shared experiences of
understanding and an overlap of
Africa’s Indian cuisine is
cooking for my children.”
food and culture, there are vast
set to get spiced up with
As a self-styled food
differences when it comes to
the release of Naqiyah Mayat’s new
personality, entrepreneur and
spices and methods of cooking,”
cookbook, The Beginning: Indian
mother of four, Naqiyah has
Naqiyah explains. “Growing up, my
Recipes from my Home, a glorious
taken the vivid memories from
mum used dry masala spice; but
walk through the modern kitchens
her Hindu upbringing and
Mohamed was raised on freshly
of South African Indian culture –
interwoven them with the fabric of
ground wet masala. So, when we
combining the spices, memories
her husband’s Muslim faith. The
got married, I discovered a way that
and traditions of both Hindu and
result: a tapestry of over 80 recipes
we could meet in the middle.”
Muslim kitchens.
that reflect a convergence of the
“For me, food has a magical
Naqiyah is an avid strategiser
two rich and diverse cultures.
when it comes to food – spending
way to connect and unify us. It’s
Mutton dhal gohst, red masala
at least 45 minutes each Sunday
the invisible thread that connects
chicken, crab curry, parata, roti,
morning planning a week’s worth
us all,” says Naqiyah. “From the
samoosas and masala tea are just
of meals and listing grocery
start, I wanted to publish a book
some of the delights to be found
items that need to be purchased
that harnessed the power of my
between the covers of this culinary
alongside it. Her book also gives
food memories – from growing up
treasure trove.
practical advice on meal planning
in a Hindu household, to the new
“Although my husband and
for your family, and special
discoveries that I had made when I
I come from a central point of
occasions: from menus and pre-
married into a Muslim family; and
‘being Indian’ and there is an
planning to tablescapes and décor.
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SILVER DIGEST // WINTER 2020
