Indian Takeaway: One Man's Attempt to Cook His Way Home

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2008-09-16 rating:
I had high expectations...
I really like Hardeep Singh Kohli and I love food; so this book should have been right up my alley. Having asked himself the question, `Why did I feel the need to apologise for being British in India and apologise for being Indian when in Britain?', Hardeep plans a journey to India in order to `find himself'. The blurb would have you believe that he does this by cooking typically English foods such as Yorkshire Pudding and fry ups, and using them as a means to connect with Indian people and as a result to learn more about himself and his feelings about having a dual nationality.

Unfortunately, the blurb is a bit misleading. Just to give you an idea of what I mean, I quote from page 208 (more than two-thirds of the way through the book) `I have been rather remiss in preparing the foods of Britain.' Yes, you have haven't you! I really don't like to be pedantic, but this book is more like a guide to long train journeys across India. The writing fails to convey any real connections made with people he met during his journey; he moves impassively through the landscape, failing to `find himself' at any of the stops along the way.

There are some nice anecdotes, but these mostly relate to his childhood in Glasgow, the tale of the stolen Victoria sponge was a particular highlight. There was also a lovely segment about shopping for turbans and a few more observational interludes like that would have made all the difference.

It's a shame. I wish I'd have liked it more.

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