A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That: A mother’s secret spice: Love, had humble beginnings, starting when Jayshri Ganda wanted to document the recipes her mother, Laxmi, cooked for the family. Indian cooking was, traditionally, handed down through generations who learned and perfected the recipes through observation and experimentation. Beginning with just a notebook, the idea evolved into a cookbook that became an instant hit, flying off the shelves and winning two Gourmand Best in World Cookbook awards in 2018.
When she moved to New Zealand, Laxmi continued to cook her traditional Gujarati dishes, but had not passed on the recipes to her daughter in the traditional way, cooking them side-by-side. Jayshri herself did not fully appreciate the significance of the recipes, growing up in a country that didn’t even have Indian restaurants during her childhood, and not appreciating the skill and complexity of Laxmi’s cooking until she was older.
Sample recipes can be found at https://www.gujaraticookbook.com/pages/recipes
Seeking to capture the recipes, so they could be passed down in the family, meant an arduous process of trial-and-error, translating Laxmi’s instinctive understanding of ingredients, their combinations, and transformations into the measures, instructions, and timings that make up the familiar, modern recipe. Making each recipe several times over a period of months to perfect the instructions, as the collection grew the idea of publishing them as a cookbook was born.
A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That cookbook, takes its title from the intuitive approach taken by Laxmi as she cooked, adding ingredients at key points to create delicious dishes that were bursting with flavor and love. And while the Ganda family thought that the cookbook might sell among friends and fans of Indian cuisine, the sales were beyond their wildest expectations. The first print run quickly sold out, with waiting lists quickly forming for a re-print.
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The book soon attracted wider attention, with two nominations and wins at the worldwide 2018 Gourmand Awards for cookbooks. Laxmi and Jayshri have also found themselves becoming culinary celebrities, being invited to demonstrate their dishes at cookery shows.
A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That started as a project to capture Laxmi’s recipes for future generations, as Jayshri puts it, “memories around food will always keep the heart warm and belly full.” Having re-invented the bonding experience of Gujarati food, Laxmi and Jayshri are already seeing the next generation using the recipes to cook as a family. The Gandas hope the book will help others find and explore Gujarati cuisine, experiencing the rich flavors — and love — that goes into each dish.
Purchase a copy of this award winning book from https://www.gujaraticookbook.com/
Media Contact
Company Name: A little bit of this, a little bit of that – Gujarati Indian Cookbook
Contact Person: Jayshri and Laxmi Ganda
Email: Send Email
Phone: +6421733364
Country: New Zealand
Website: http://www.gujaraticookbook.com/