Bismillah, Let's Eat!

August 1, 2024

Allibhai, a Canada-based fitness influencer known for her website the FitNest, makes her cookbook debut. She begins by providing a helpful list of tools and ingredients for stocking the pantry and having on hand for the book's recipes. While the majority of them draw on the author's Indian and Kenyan background, there are also plenty of fusion recipes that mix cuisine styles, such as grilled-cheese stuffed naan and butter-chicken pizza. There are also recipes that can be prepared with vegetarian variations. The book includes a great section at the end discussing Ramadan, what recipes might be most appropriate to help people through their fasting time, and how to break the fast. She also suggests celebratory recipes for Eid. VERDICT Librarians looking to add variety to their cookbook collections and readers who want to experiment with fusion recipes will find this a useful addition.--Carrie Byrd

Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 5, 2024
“I hope you’ll feel encouraged to try some new things—I think you’ll surprise yourself at how easy it really is,” writes fitness influencer Allibhai in her solid debut. Her Indo-East African heritage shines through a majority of the recipes, including East African biryani (a mixed rice dish and “the ultimate party food”), muthiya (veggie stew with dumplings), and kuku paka (coconut chicken curry with potatoes). She also includes an assortment of meals inspired by other parts of the world, notably one-pot pasta with chicken and sun-dried tomatoes, salmon teriyaki bowls, and roasted butternut squash and beet soup. Throughout, Allibhai makes modifications to her dishes to support a healthier lifestyle, incorporating sweet potatoes into brownies “to increase the fiber and nutrition content” and using cashews instead of dairy in tomato soup. Instructions are easy to follow and complete with helpful time-saving tips (marinated chicken tikka can be stored in the freezer for up to four months to be cooked another time). Muslim readers will especially appreciate Allibhai’s guide to a healthy Ramadan, where she notes that when breaking fast, eating slowly “will make such a huge difference in the way you feel for the rest of the night.” It’s an inviting collection of healthy and crowd-pleasing meals.

September 1, 2024
Reflecting the chef/author's Toronto home, international flavors infuse these offerings from Allibhai. She sprinkles recipes from her Muslim and South Asian (via East Africa) heritage with dollops of North American flavors and vice versa: saffron oatmeal, pita hummus pizza, healthy sweet potato chili. Readers can also expect a strong representation of traditional dishes, from masala chai and kachumber (side salad) to basic roti and naan. While Allibhai's recipes are generally approachable, she includes extra instructions for more complex dishes, with occasional step-by-steps with photographs and extra tips. She notes appropriate ingredient substitutes along with possible vendors for sourcing. Overall, her combination of global favors is tough to resist, with recipes like simple guacamole, carrot cake balls, and chicken enchilada soup adding up to a cuisine for every taste. Appended with a Healthy Ramadan guide and metric conversion chart.

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