Nadiya Hussain, the first ever Asian winner of the 'Great British Bake off' show is awaiting the launch of her first recipe book on 16 June. The book that will include the day to day recipes from Nadiya's kitchen (as it will be called), is perhaps the most awaited cookbook of the year, after Hussain was invited to bake a cake for the Queen on her 90th birthday. The book will contain a variety of family-friendly recipes based on those she uses to feed her own three hungry children. The Luton-born chef's simplified version of the Royal cake she baked for the Queen, will also appear alongside other tempting recipes such as Beetroot and Mackerel Crescents, Manchego and Chorizo Calzone and Salted Pretzel Fudge.
On the inaugural night of the Asia House Literature Festival on 4 May, during a tete a tete with Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Hussain discussed her journey from being a house wife with three children to becoming the culinary Goddess, author, columnist and a tv star. Her sense of humour, humility, especially her easy going approach to her religion, facing racism, growing up as Bangladeshi as well as being British- she discussed many aspects of her ordinary yet extra ordinary life. Ali-Brown, who is a well known journalist, author and columnist added a dynamic aspect of race relation and Indo-British angle to the whole discussion, making the conversation vibrant, diverse yet effortless and lucid.
Hussain grew up in Luton, has roots in Bangladesh, and believes that growing up, her memories during summer holidays with her grandfather in her native village were the fondest. Her grandfather who was a farmer, farming pink rice, would let her sit on buffaloes, as he ploughed through the paddy fields for days.
Nadiya is also due to release a children's book in September and a novel next year. The children's book will not only have a story but with every story the children will also learn a recipe to cook.
Nadiya's very own TV show tracing her culinary roots will be aired on BBC One soon. Described as an ‘exuberant’ food-inspired journey called the 'Chronicles of Nadiya', the two-part travel cookery show will feature Nadiya travelling to Bangladesh and cooking dishes from her childhood, sharing favourite meals with family and friends, learning new recipes and discovering what has changed on the food scene in Bangladesh since she last visited a decade ago before her wedding to a wonderful IT consultant, who has also been her beacon of strength through every ups and downs. It was him who had encouraged Nadiya to enter the Bake Off contest, despite facing severe criticism from the community.
