“An unexpected joy of a book . . . it follows an emotional and culinary journey from childhood in pre-independence Uganda to London in the 21st century.”—The Sunday Times
Through the personal story of Yasmin Alibhai-Brown’s family and the food and recipes they’ve shared together, The Settler’s Cookbook tells the history of Indian migration to the UK via East Africa. Her family was part of the mass exodus from India to East Africa during the height of British imperial expansion, fleeing famine and lured by the prospect of prosperity under the empire. In 1972, expelled from Uganda by Idi Amin, they moved to the UK, where Yasmin has made her home with an Englishman. The food she cooks now combines the traditions and tastes of her family’s hybrid history. Here you’ll discover how shepherd’s pie is much enhanced by sprinkling in some chili, Victoria sponge can be enlivened by saffron and lime, and the addition of ketchup to a curry can be life-changing . . .
“Alibhai-Brown paints a lively picture of a community that stayed trapped in old ways until it was too late to change . . . [a] brave book.”—The Guardian
“For many of us food is the gateway experience into other cultures and lives. Yasmin’s personal story intertwined with the foods which mean so much to her touched me deeply. And made me hungry. You can’t ask for more.”—Gavin Esler, author of Brexit Without the Bullshit: The Facts on Food, Jobs, Schools, and the NHS
“It’s beautifully written, as you would expect, and utterly fascinating. There are some wonderful dishes here too.”—Tribune