Ammu is a collection of recipes from Asma Khan’s childhood, her Indian family kitchen. It is a celebration of where she comes from, of home cooking, and the inextricable link between food and love. It is also a chance for Asma to honour her ammu—mother—and to share with us the recipes that made her and rooted her to home.

This book is a joyful celebration of memories of food, and its power to heal, restore, and comfort. It includes her ammu’s comfort food from childhood, the recipes with which she was taught to cook, celebratory food for special occasions, and slow-cooked recipes passed through the generations of her family.

The recipes and the memories she shares all possess something that is universal: food is a way for us to have this conversation about how similar we all are—how it connects us and unites us beyond differing appearances, accents, races and backgrounds.

With stunning food and family photos, this cookbook is a must-have for cooks and lovers of Indian food.

Ammu: Indian Home Cooking to Nourish Your Soul is available at Amazon.com and Indigo.ca.  

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Honey and Soy Chicken Skewers

The combination of honey and soy sauce is so Calcutta! Bengali food is known for the “touch of sugar” that is added to savoury dishes to balance the flavours. The use of soy sauce was common in many households because of the Chinese influence, and soy sauce made locally in Chinatown in Calcutta was hugely popular. I have had a version of this kabab where the cook added a generous pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to the marinade: if you like your kabab spicy you can try that! The kabab can be grilled on a barbecue or cooked under your broiler. It’s delicious served with paratha or other bread.

INGREDIENTS

1½ in (4 cm) piece of fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves

6 tbsp light soy sauce

1½ tbsp white wine vinegar or fresh lime juice

1 tbsp clear honey

 

 

Serve 4

INGREDIENTS

1½ in (4 cm) piece of fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves

6 tbsp light soy sauce

1 ½ tbsp white wine vinegar or fresh lime juice

1 tbsp clear honey

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp Kashmiri chile powder or

mild chile powder

1 lb (500 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 in (2.5 cm) cubes

METHOD

Crush the ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle or a food processor, then add the soy sauce, vinegar or lime juice, honey, and spices to make a marinade.

Put the chicken in a bowl, add the marinade, and mix well to ensure all the pieces are coated.

Cover the bowl and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.

If you are using a broiler, it is better to use bamboo skewers: soak them in water for 20–30 minutes before threading the chicken. When cooking on a barbecue, I prefer to use metal skewers. Bring the chicken to room temperature before cooking. Divide the pieces among four skewers. Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers so that all the meat will be under the heat.

Ideally, the skewers should be 4–6 in (10–15 cm) away from the heat source. The chicken must cook all the way through, so it shouldn’t be too close to the heat source or the outside will burn, leaving the inside raw. Grill or broil the skewers for about 5 minutes on each side. Once the chicken is browned, cut a piece in half to ensure it is cooked all the way through.

Recipe reprinted with permission from Interlink Books.