Indian Delights is a cookery bible and many women can swear that the tantilising recipes from this book – which was compiled in 1961 – helped secure their husbands and won over their in-laws.
CHARLENE SOMDUTH caught up with author Zuleikha Mayat at her Westville home this week to chat about the launch of her new book, Journeys of Binte Batuti(meaning the journey of somebody), at the Orient Islamic School today (Wednesday). The book documents her travels and experiences with food from countries across the world.
Mayet, a great-grandmother, is 89 years old. But she still drives and can whip up a storm in the kitchen, often for her energetic grandchildren.
She is a firm believer that women should not buy take-away food but spoil their families with home-cooked meals.
The culinary expert, who is well known in political, social and cultural circles, said she was not always clued up with regard to cooking and that Indian Delights had helped her hone her skills.
She grew up in Potchefstroom and her parents, Mahomed and Amina Bismailla, ran a family business.
“My mother hardly had time to cook let alone teach me. She was at the shop most of the time. My dad spent most of his days involved in sport and politics. The few cookery skills I acquired were from my sister.”
Mayat married in 1947 when she was 23.
“Back then I was consider ed too old,” laughed Mayat.
Her gynaecologist husband, Mahomed Mayat, who died in 1979, came from a family of “super cooks”, said Mayat.
“Fortunately I was not at all intimidated by this. I used the little knowledge I had to make the best meals possible. After four years of marriage I decided to form the Women’s Cultural Group. It was here that the idea to launch the Indian Delights book was born,” she said.
The success of Indian Delights saw the compilation of a second edition, Enlarged Indians Delights. This was followed by Super Indian Delights, then Best of Indian Delights and A Treasury of South African Indian Delights.
“All the recipes that featured in the books come from close family and friends. If we knew someone who made a certain dish very tasty, we contacted them for the recipe.”
But, it was not easy going.
“Each of the women had their own style of making their dishes and many did not give us the proper method and measurement of ingredients. I had to test every recipe to make sure we got it right,” she said.
This process helped her enhance her cookery skills and discover several kitchen secrets.
“Soon I was cooking and baking up a storm at home. This is what I wanted to give to other women. I am certain we achieved it. To date we have sold close to half a million copies of these books, without any advertising.”
Mayat and members of the women’s group used the proceeds to invest in social responsibility programmes.
“We gave out bursaries and interest-free loans to students wanting to pursue a tertiary education.”
For Mayat, nothing compares to a home-cooked meal.
“Women these days need to cut out the takeaways and get into the kitchen. My mother ran a business, took care of seven children and every night we had a home- cooked meal. It can be achieved.”
Mayat has travelled to 51 countries with her husband and in her latest book she focuses on her experiences in 20 countries.
“My husband and I hardly stayed in fancy hotels. We stayed in simple places where we could taste the ‘real food’.”
One of her fondest memories is eating a football- sized kebab in Spain, filled with nuts, raisins and eggs. “I have made it for my family and they loved it.”