Sweet Saffron and Cardamom: Spiced Desserts from an Immigrant Kitchen

by Ashia Ismail-Singer, Christall Lowe (Photographer)

Overview

We all need a little sweetness sprinkled with a touch of spice.

Ashia Ismail-Singer, author of Ashia’s Table and Food for Sharing, is back with a collection of spice-infused desserts and baking from culinary traditions across the world, delivering 90 homemade delights to share. With her characteristic artistic flair, Ashia’s recipes are impossible to resist and guaranteed to impress, drawing inspiration from her Memon Indian heritage and immigrant upbringing that brought her family across continents.

Dishing up sweet treats that zing with cardamon and perfume the air with orange blossom, this divine cookbook is guaranteed to take your baking to that next level with the greatest of ease. Western classics are reinvented with a spiced twist and sit alongside Ashia’s unique take on Eastern staples such as baklava, lassi and halva.

There are quick and easy bakes for weeknight cravings, desserts to impress your dinner guests, and show-stopping cakes for the most memorable occasions. Try chai masala popsicles for a refreshing summer treat or pistachio and almond cake as a festive mid-winter indulgence.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781623716042
Publisher:	Interlink Publishing Group Inc
Publication date:	08/05/2025
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.75(h) x (d)

About the Author

Ashia Ismail-Singer is of Memon Indian heritage. She was raised in Malawi and the UK and now lives in New Zealand. One of four sisters, food has always played a big part in her life and she believes it is one of life’s simplest and greatest pleasures. Ashia was taught to cook by her mother, learning the traditional Indian way—without shortcuts. But she has since simplified and adapted recipes, combining influences from other countries she lived in or visited. She is a regular contributor to several food and lifestyle magazines and writes regularly for New Zealand House & Garden. Ashia lives in Auckland with her family, and works as a school nurse. She is author of Ashia’s Table, Food for Sharing, and Sweet Saffron and Cardamom.

Christall Lowe is a New Zealand-based recipe developer, food writer, and award-winning food and travel photographer. She is author of Kai: Food Stories and Recipes from my Family Table, sharing her Māori family traditions and foods.

Editorial Reviews

A joy to cook from as well as to read, this is a great addition to any cookbook collection ... exquisite photography ... recipes are simple, filled with comfort, and easy to execute ... Fans of Indian cuisine will love the rice dishes, robust chutneys, and many vegetarian options, like pea and paneer curry and mung dhal. Ismail-Singer’s observation that home is wherever family is reflects the beauty of her recipes and her life journey.

Booklist on Ashia's Table

[A]n an excellent book for those willing to try fusion Indian cuisine.

San Francisco Book Review on Ashia's Table

Ashia Ismail-Singer’s vibrant cookbook shares Indian recipes that are influenced and intensified by family and regional tastes ... Welcoming and informative, Ashia’s Table stresses that Indian cooking shouldn’t seem complicated or intimidating. Engaging memoir elements wend in, and the text is brightened with family snapshots. An elegant collection of recipes that’s suited to pass on to next generations, Ashia’s Table brings new elements to Indian cuisine, preserving traditions while ‘creating food that spans generations, geography, and ethnicity.’

Foreword on Ashia's Table

[A] heartfelt tribute and solid introduction to Indian cooking. Food writer Ismail-Singer ably proves that ‘Indian food does not have to be complicated’ in this excellent debut packed with simple yet satisfying recipes inspired by her heritage. A descendant of Memon Muslims in western India ... many of the dishes on offer... showcase a tantalizing blend of traditions ... Thanks to her straightforward instructions, even those less versed in cooking Indian cuisine will find her recipes—including those for more time-consuming dishes such as chicken biryani and gulab jamun (fried dough balls soaked in syrup)—easy to execute.

Publishers Weekly on Ashia's Table