Happy Pub Day PAKISTAN + Mostly Desi Eid Gift Guide

PAKISTAN is officially here, and it's beautiful!

Happy pub day to my baby Pakistan! This dream has been in the works for the past seven years, and I can’t believe that it’s finally out in the world.

If you have already pre-ordered the book, thank you! If you are looking for other ways to support, I would love it if you:

· Spread the word. Please forward information about the book to anyone you think might be interested. When you receive a copy of the book or spot it at a bookstore, consider taking a photo and sharing it on your favorite platform. Plug it in your newsletter. Circulate the order link through your WhatsApp network. Here's also a slick promo video that you can share!

· Drop a nice, quick review on Amazon. Even if you didn't buy the book on Amazon, you can still leave a review! It goes a long way in setting the book up for long term success.

Writing and launching the book has been a transformational process. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for my agent, editors, family, friends, team, and so many others…the acknowledgements section of this book is very long! It really took a whole country to pull this book together, and I can’t wait for all of you to hold it in your hands, and cook from it.

Now, the Eid Gift Guide

Look at me peddling capitalism this holy holiday. I have mixed feelings about the corporatization of Ramadan and Eid especially given the truly abysmal state of the world. But here we are.

If you are looking to donate to a good cause, my longtime Insta friend, Laila Ayub, an immigration lawyer is raising funds for Project ANAAR, a small grassroots immigration legal services and advocacy organization providing free immigration legal services. At a time when support for immigrants and refugees is needed most, they are facing significant funding challenges. Donations during Ramadan and this upcoming Eid holiday will be a great way to support them.

For gifts you can physically hand over to loved ones, I have done my best to plug in South-Asian-owned small businesses here. If there are others you think I should know about, please drop me a line.

Delicious Things

Babos Kitchen’s Saffron Serenade Tea Blend: This magnificent tea blend of saffron, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and peppercorn crafted to tell the story of Sassi and Punnun in Balochistan will make the sweetest gift.

Olive Odyssey’s Ultimate Palestinian Breakfast Olive Oil Bundle: This bundle brings together three distinct Palestinian olive oils. Paired with zaatar and sumac, they will create an authentic Palestinian breakfast experience. Yes, please.

Paro Bundle (a mix of kitchari, dal and a jar of tarka): This a fun bundle for your busy friends who don’t always have the time to put together a home cooked meal on a weeknight.

Peepal People’s Flavor Trio: Peepal People’s hot sauces have become a cult favorite in the food world. This is a great gift for the hot sauce enthusiasts in your life.

Host(ess) Things

Kishmish’s Sehen Candle: With notes of gardenia, lily, cedar, and amber, I feel like this candle was made for me. Will somebody gift this to me, please?

One Pot Kitchen’s Hammered Woks: These hammered stainless steel woks in gold and silver by One Pot Kitchen are gorgeous!

Our Place Short Night and Day Glasses: I did plagiarize this recommendation from Zaynab Issa’s Bon Appetit’s gift guide but aren’t these cute?

Pyarful’s Tea Towels: How sweet are these mithai tea towels?

Tableware Small Plates (Pakistan only): I had a hard time picking just one because they are all so beautiful.

Beauty, Apparel and Accessories

Chai Break Tote (Pakistan only): I come from a line of women who were chai and cigarette girlies so really love this.

Delayr’s Sunset Huggie Earrings: I’m excited by this new jewelry line by former journalist, Sahar. I found these sunset huggies especially cute but am also very into this sweet basanti bracelet.

Khajistan’s Sweatshirts: I have my eyes on the Kabooty graphic and Hi Dear sweatshirts.

Seenaya’s Serum Discovery Set: Seenaya is a new cruelty free Pakistan-inspired skincare brand launched by mother and daughter duo, Saman and Maha.

The Gift of Print

Lastly, it would be a great honor if you would consider gifting my book during Eid. But also, did you hear that print is back? SAVEUR will be shipping out their new issue this month, and there’s a host of gorgeous indie print magazines out with food-focused content: Acacia, Figo Collective, and Synonym.

Other News

Events

I’ll be cooking up my favorite menu from the book - chole, aloo tarkari and suji ka halwa – for Milk Street Cooking School on April 4. You can purchase the tickets here, and apply the following codes to get a discount: CHOLE15 for 15% off with no usage limit, and CURRY50 for 50% off, but only for the first 20 uses:

Recipes

New palak pakoda (spinach fritter) recipe on the blog to try during the last week of Ramadan

Three recipes (lobia karahi, borani banjan and nankhatai) from PAKISTAN are up on Epicurious; and three more (Parsi style custard, borani banjan and Kabuli pulao) are up on the Bittman project, which also includes an excerpt from the Introduction.

Press

PAKISTAN made it to Eater’s Best Spring Cookbooks!

Hope you enjoyed this gift guide. Eid Mubarak friends! Thanks once again for being here.