Follow the route of the Darjeeling Express train from Bengal, through Calcutta, where she grew up, and along the foothills of the Himalayas to Hyderabad. Khan's cuisine reflects that of the Mughal Empire, which used a subtler range of spices than common in later Indian cooking. I love how the text is laid out, the way that things are explained, and also the beautiful photography! Platters of dishes boasting texture and intense flavour encourage you to gather for a traditional dawaat (feast).

In this book, Asma reveals the secret to her success, telling her immigrant's story and how food brought her home. When one is reviewing a cook book, one usually tries to make 2 or 3 recipes from the book, but with this one I decided to go all out. I recognise so much of the food in this book from my childhood it sadly never had the chance to learn from my mother but now I can through what Asma has shared with us. The book begins with Asma’s introduction to this personal history, before discussing a number of techniques essential to elevate your Indian cooking, from the proper browning of onions to the use of chillis and spices.Asma always wanted to share her family’s history and traditions though a cookbook, even back when she didn’t own – or want to own – a set of scales. Her culinary heritage was a rich one, born to paternal and maternal royal ancestry – each with their own cuisines. The title to be read and discussed is sign-posted and on sale for the whole of the previous month (with a discount for those who make it known they intend to come) and everybody is welcome, whether first-timer, part-timer or regular-timer. Many of the recipes are vegetarian and feature classic feasts such as mattar paneer (pea and paneer curry), aloo dum (spicy potatoes) and raan (a spiced leg of lamb) alongside lesser-known recipes unique to Asma's royal family.

The recipes are homage to Asma's royal Mughlai ancestry and the busy streets of Calcutta and are split between simple mid-week meals, family feasts, feasts for friends and even celebratory feasts. While it is great to know what the recipes are recommended for, I would prefer that the cookbook be organized by chutneys, dal, meat, desserts, etc to make it easier to find the kind of recipe you are looking for. Dabei verliert sie jedoch nie ein Ziel aus den Augen, das sie antreibt und aus ihrer persönlichen Geschichte resultiert. This piece has another purpose: to express deep pride in a longtime friend whom I’ve seen evolve from an at-home host with aptitude into a super-successful professional restaurateur who’s currently a bit of a darling of London’s culinary scene – with her very own episode of Netflix’s Chef’s Table in the pipeline to boot. Asma was voted 'Female Entrepreneur of the Year' at the Asian Restaurant Awards 2018, as well as 'Entrepreneur of the Year' at the Asian Women of the Year Awards.

I joke, of course, because one of her many great achievements is the impressive training of her all-women kitchen team, a personal endeavour to support and lift up “second daughters”, traditionally undervalued in Indian culture – the team are perfectly capable of faithfully cooking Asma’s recipes and running the kitchen in Asma’s absence). One of the things I love about visiting Asma is her love of telling stories, in fact, she’s a real talker and sometimes I wonder how she has time to also supervise the cooking! Since then, Darjeeling Express has become Londoners' Soho go-to for great cooking from her team of female chefs. Asma has interspersed her recipes with family anecdotes, which I think adds to the content of the book. I saw Asma on chef's table and was inspired and uplifted by her story and I couldn't wait for this book to come out.

Before I talk about anything else, I just want to make it known that I am a very big fan of Indian food! So when she opened her London restaurant, the first name that came to mind was that of this glorious train. In 2015, she opened a pop-up in Soho to much acclaim, and Darjeeling Express the restaurant opened its doors in June 2017, perfectly positioned in Kingly Court in central London. In this book, Asma reveals the secret to her success, telling her immigrant’s story and how food brought her home.

With rare exceptions such as bank holidays, the book group meets on the first Wednesday of every month at 7. Alongside brilliant color photographs, Khan uses clear directions and measurements; and, thanks to online resources, feasting like a royal Mughal can happen anywhere. This is more than just a collection of delicious and accessible recipes, it is a celebration of heritage, culture, community and quality. Khan, owner of London's acclaimed Darjeeling Express restaurant and a subject of Netflix's Chef's Table documentary series, shares a delightful collection of personal recipes sure to entice lovers of Indian food. Divided into chapters devoted to dinners-a-deux, family meals, cooking for friends, and celebratory feasting, the book draws both from Asma’s diverse – and noble – family heritage (Rajput, Bengali and Bihari, with close links to Hyderabad) and her time in cosmopolitan (then) Calcutta; a city of notorious epicures, where good food is universally adored and embraced irrespective of its origin.