Mother Tongue

LoveReading Says

A taste and flavour explosion of hybrid recipes is offered in this cookbook which also highlights how food can bridge cultural differences. Author Gurdeep Loyal is a: “second generation British Indian food writer and home cook, a descendant of Punjabi farmers and Leicester market traders with big appetites, born in the early 1980’s right in the very middle of Old Blighty”. The introduction connects food and identity, and the difficulties of being marked as ‘immigrant’ while being born and raised in the UK. Cooking allows the author to ignore labels, gathering his own identity around him to celebrate food. He sums up the meaning of this cookbook: “The irony of writing a book called Mother Tongue in a language that my own mum won’t be able to fully read is not lost on me. Yet what’s missing in her understanding of what these words say is countered by her fluency in the flavours, something that words can barely begin to convey”. He helps with practical recipe notes, flavour chords and keys, how to amplify your pantry, make spice mixes, and embed global ingredients to your palate. He says: “In my view, ‘authenticity’ should not be absolutely defined, because like food itself, ‘authenticity’ is ephemeral” he goes on to say: “Authenticity is an unending reel of culinary snapshots, an evolving spectrum that captures many transformative moments along flavourful journeys in generations of kitchens’”. I would point out that for the majority of these dishes, you need to have a large number of staple ingredients in your pantry… but, oh my, once you’ve started collecting, experimenting, and experiencing, you won’t want to go back! There are a huge variety of recipes here, from sarnies and snacks, through to feasting dishes, sides and sweets. I’m salivating as I again read through the recipes and fall into the stunning food photos! I loved travelling with Gurdeep through his food and travel memories. A LoveReading Star Book, Mother Tongue beautifully touches hearts and minds as well as appealing to taste buds! 

Liz Robinson

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