Parwana: Recipes and Stories from an Afghan Kitchen

Afghan cookbooks are scarce in the United States and, despite two decades of U.S. military engagement in Afghanistan, Americans know little about the country’s food or proud history. Ayubi fled Afghanistan as a child and re-settled in Australia, where her family opened two successful restaurants. Food anchored her to the traditions and rich history of her homeland. Now, she writes to help others see Afghanistan as more than a war-torn country. As in Kochai Farhad’s Simply Afghan, there are family stories here. But uniquely, each chapter begins with an eye-opening history lesson followed by clear recipes built around a theme. Farhad explains why ingredients and techniques will seem familiar and gives insight into the generous spirit of the people. Aesthetically pleasing, the book includes bits of poetry, charming, Farsi handwriting, and vibrant photos of food and family. It is indexed, but browsers will appreciate the descriptive English recipe titles in the page corners.