Silk Roads

Genre

Non-Fiction

World All Languages

Blurb

Silk Roads: A Flavour Odyssey with Recipes from Baku to Beijing

This is the story of the world’s most famous trade routes, retold through recipes.

In this rich and delicious cookbook, Iranian-American cook and writer Anna Ansari takes us on a culinary, historical, and personal odyssey across the Silk Roads.

Weaving together essays, family photography and 90 recipes, Ansari brings life to the flavours of the Silk Roads – from the walnut groves of her father’s Iranian childhood, across Central Asian markets brimming with fragrant melons and thronged with fat-tailed sheep, and into the neighborhoods of modern-day Chinese cities.

Discover delectable dishes from Baku to Beijing – Azeri-Iranian stews served with crispy-bottomed rice, dill-infused noodles from Western Uzbekistan, Georgian cornbread, Uyghur lamb chops and all kinds of dumplings, from fat, spiraled oromo to tiny, stuffed dushbara in a delicate saffron broth. Plus, you’ll find refreshing drinks and sharbats, and American-inspired desserts like apple pie with quince, sticky persimmon pudding, and walnut-studded spiced blondies.

Press and Reviews

“An incredibly rich book, full to the brim with history, wisdom and stories, all written in the warmest, most relatable voice. I don't think I'll learn…”

– Helen Goh, co-author of Sweet and Comfort

“Anna's love and celebration of ingredients, and her collection of recipes are a wonderful thank you and homage to the incredible people that she has met…”

– Andrew Wong, chef and author of A. Wong The Cookbook

“It is extremely hard to write scholarly, well-researched text which is as readable as good fiction and really funny. Anna does this both in her histories…”

– Rukmini Iyer, chef and author of The Roasting Tin series

“Anna Ansari is a rare kind of home cook who is able to turn the simplest ingredients into pure magic. She’s also one of the best…”

– Meera Sodha, author of Made in India, Fresh India and East