Silk Roads

More about the book

Anna Ansari is a remarkable home cook who transforms simple ingredients into culinary magic. Her writing is equally impressive—witty, intelligent, and refreshing. This cookbook offers a vivid and enlightening journey along the world's famous trade routes, retold through recipes. Ansari, an Iranian-American cook and writer, takes readers on a culinary, historical, and personal odyssey across the Silk Roads. With a blend of essays, family photography, and 90 recipes, she brings to life the diverse flavors of the Silk Roads. From the walnut groves of her father's Iranian childhood to bustling Central Asian markets and modern Chinese neighborhoods, the book showcases delectable dishes from Baku to Beijing. Readers will discover Azeri-Iranian stews with crispy-bottomed rice, dill-infused noodles from Uzbekistan, Georgian cornbread, Uyghur lamb chops, and various dumplings, including fat, spiraled oromo and delicate dushbara in saffron broth. Additionally, refreshing drinks, sharbats, and American-inspired desserts like apple pie with quince and sticky persimmon pudding are included. This collection of delicious recipes, intertwined with histories and family stories, is a delightful read for anyone seeking culinary inspiration.