A BollyWood Affair by Sonali Dev, Recipe by Lee Majhen Todd
Lets get straight into it!
About the Author Sonali Dev
Born in 1972, starting her life on the west Coast of India, Mumbai, Sonali Dev has lots of books to her name (all about families) with her writing winning awards all over the world. The Dublin Literary Award. Shelf Awareness calls her “Not only one of the best but one of the bravest romance novelists working today.”
Marryng her husband in an arranged marriage, it was in 2006 that they moved to the United States.
Sonali now lives in Chicago with her husband, teenage children and what she calls the ‘worlds most perfect dog’.
I know that not to be true because by dog is the worlds most perfect dog!
Starting young as a writer, eight yrs. old, she wrote a play about mistaken identities for her neighbourhood Diwali celebration.
After getting degrees in architecture and writing, she migrated to America where she settled on her career in writing for magazines and websites.
As years passed, it seems she couldn’t stay away from telling stories about families and about her culture.
In 2014, A Bollywood Affair, the first novel, was published and was shortlisted for the Romance Writers of America
Sonali Dev
About the Book – Taken from Sonali Dev website:
A Bollywood Affair
Mili Rathod hasn’t seen her husband in twenty years—not since she was promised to him at the age of four. Yet marriage has allowed Mili a freedom rarely given to girls in her village. Her grandmother has even allowed her to leave India and study in America for eight months, all to make her the perfect modern wife. Which is exactly what Mili longs to be—if her husband would just come and claim her.
Bollywood’s favorite director, Samir Rathod, has come to Michigan to secure a divorce for his older brother. Persuading a naïve village girl to sign the papers should be easy for someone with Samir’s tabloid-famous charm. But Mili is neither a fool nor a gold-digger. Open-hearted yet complex, she’s trying to reconcile her independence with cherished traditions. And before he can stop himself, Samir is immersed in Mili’s life—cooking her dal and rotis, escorting her to her roommate’s elaborate Indian wedding, and wondering where his loyalties and happiness lie.
Heartfelt, witty, and thoroughly engaging, Sonali Dev’s debut is both a vivid exploration of modern India and a deeply honest story of love, in all its diversity.
Find her Instagram here, her Twitter here, her and her Website here!
A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev
My opinion
There’s a reason I’ve only written a short piece about the book, read on: and remember, it’s only my opinion.
I know I chose this book for Foodie Book Club and because of this, I’ve got to write about the book and author, but I have to say that it’s not something I’ve been looking forward to!
Not the author, Sonali Dev, who, on the research I’ve done so far sounds incredible – More about her later, but the book ‘A BollyWood Affair’ which I’ve avoided at all costs until now.
Avoided? It’s to do with my stubborn reaction to hype - which brings me out in what I call my ability to turn un-read pages faster than I want to read them, hives!
If you’ve read any of my writing, you may be aware that I try at all costs to be avoid over hyped stuff – TV programs, chefs, singers or bands and books.
And this book was so over-hyped when it came out, I stayed at least two arms lengths away from it!
I was not disappointed in my own judgment, so sorry Sonali, but I skimmed most of the book.
I just couldn’t get my head around any of the characters, or the story, and by that I mean I didn’t believe in any of the characters, and as for the story theme, it seemed it was a regurgitation of the old and in my opinion, overused - hate each other find out they love each other trope used a lot for chic flick books.
A really predictable version of the great Pride and Prejudice – and that’s without me even reading Sonalis book Pride Prejudice and Other Flavors!
And please, no one should give their penis a name, and be a hero in a book!
Because of the success of the book, I know I’m the exception rather than the rule, but hey, who cares about my opinion, Right?!
I give this book a 1 Egg rating.
Just 1 egg rating from me
Here’s the Recipe
I wanted to make a Croatian Curry to go along with this months read, but due to, well just life really, I was unable to get it together in time for me to post this, so instead, I think these Saffron & Pistachio Biscuits are perfect.
A bit of a posh biscuit!
By that I mean one of the ingredients is a little expensive and not usually found in a biscuit, however, if you’re willing to buy a few strands of saffron or have them in the cupboard for another dish, use soe in these biscuits.
I find saffron really strange!
For me, its more of a feeling in my mouth than an actual taste in the mouth.
I know, difficult to understand so I guess if you have a better description, just let me know.
What I do love about these fine little strands, is the delicate yet deep colour they leave behind in whatever they touch.
Letting them sit for a while in some hot milk before adding the infused milk to the biscuit dough, helps this happen and deepens the flavour even more.
How many of these biscuits can I eat?
More than I should and less than I would want!
I love them and they’re really popular with the lovely Mr G, but unless I want to end up blimp like, I don’t think I can make them too often.
some in these biscuits.
The saffron is an ingredient that has to be used in this recipe, but like most of mine recipes, there’s an option to change it up!
Instead of pistachios, chopped hazelnuts work really well too, and maybe almonds because of the firmness of the nuts.
You know I love a walnut, but I wouldn’t use in this recipe, I suspect the soft nut might affect the crispiness of the of the biscuits.
I might just have to make more batches using different nuts to find out, not a hardship by any means!
Go on, give it a go, and enjoy your sweet life!
Saffron & Pistachio Biscuits are perfect.
What You Need
150g Butter – Softened
130g Caster Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
¼ Tsp Saffron Strands
180g Plain Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tbsp Milk
100g Pistachios – Chopped into small pieces
One is never enough
How It’s Done
Place the milk into small container and heat it until just warm – See Tip Box
Place the saffron strands in the palm of your hand and crush them up into smaller pieces.
Place the crushed saffron into the warm milk and let it sit for 20 mins to let the saffron infuse its flavour into the milk.
Heat the oven to 180c and line a baking sheet with non-stick parchment or use a silicone sheet.
Place the softened room temperature butter into an electric mixer, along with the castor sugar and beat it until it becomes light and fluffy – See Tip Box
Add the flour, baking powder along with the saffron infused milk and with the machine on a slow speed, beat it until all of the dry mixture is incorporated and comes together into a firm dough – See Tip Box
Add the chopped pistachios and mix it again just until the nuts are mixed in and no more
Divide the dough into equal pieces a little larger than a walnut size, place on the prepared tray, around 2” inches apart, and use your fingers to flatten a little – See Tip Box
Place the tray into the hot oven and bake for approx. 18-20 minutes until the cookies are flat and golden brown.- See Tip Box
Once baked, remove the tray from the oven leaving the cookies to cook for 10 minutes on the tray before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely
Store the cookies in an airtight container – See Tip Box
Strands of aromatic saffron
Tip Box
Milk – The milk doesn’t need to be very hot, just warm enough to help it infuse with the flavour of the saffron
Beating – 1) Don’t miss this stage. In this recipe it’s really important to beat the butter and sugar really well at the beginning. As this recipe doesn’t use an egg, any air that’s needed has to be put into the dough with the beating.
2) When adding the flour and milk, don’t try to incorporated it too quickly. There’s a lot of dry ingredients. Mixing too quickly won’t work any quicker and may make the finished biscuit a bit tough.
Flatten the dough – 1) The dough will spread and flatten out during baking.
2) There’ll be more dough than will fit on just one tray, so bake in batches rather than adding too many balls of dough to one tray.
Baking – All ovens vary, so adjust the baking time accordingly.
Storing – Once cooled, the biscuits are crisp, the longer they’re around, the more likely they will become soft.
Addictive little biscuits
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