Food From The Heart

Durban-based author Shubnum Khan honours the women in her family who, for decades, have expressed their love through cooking and sharing excellent food

- Shubnum Khan

I come from a family of women who cook. My mother had six sisters and almost every one of them was exceptional in the kitchen. Growing up, I took being surrounded by good food for granted, but I only understood this when I started to travel on my own. I had to cook for myself or eat out, and suddenly found that what I was eating lacked the depth I had grown accustomed to.

As a child, I quickly learnt that on visits to my mother’s family in their small farm town, I should dish up quickly and hide my plate under the table before my aunts could take over. A battle would ensue as they tried to wrest the plate from my grip to serve me even more rice and meat.