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Korma, Kheer & Kismet: Five Seasons in Old Delhi
Pamela Timms finds her inspiration when the disorderly, not-so-grand and yet honest gullies of the old city, Delhi, offer her a sweet escape into the world of aroma and vibrant flavours. Numerous explorations change her perceptions about cooking and food forever, and she embarks on a journey to explore the stories and the undisclosed ingredients of the much-loved street food of Old Delhi. She discloses the anonymities surrounding several recipes. This journey takes Pamela straight to the heart of the city, where she is not only opened up to new ways of cooking and creating brilliant taste, but is also welcomed into the lives of people who are in this noble business. She rejoices festivals with them, gets acquainted with their families, finds recipes for some of the best Khorma, Kheer and beyond, and makes treasured friends, soon to gather that Old Delhi has become no less than a home.
184 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
June 19, 2018
Timms is a Scottish journalist and food blogger who moved to India in 2005 when her husband got a job as a foreign correspondent. She delights in the street food stalls of Old Delhi, where you can get a hearty and delicious meal of mutton curry or fried vegetable dumplings for very little money. Often the snacks are simple – the first roasted sweet potatoes of the season or a big bowl of rice pudding made with buffalo milk and flavored with cardamom – but something about snatching sustenance while you’re on the go can make it the best thing you’ve ever tasted. It takes some searching to avoid the “pizza-fication” of Indian cuisine and discover an authentic hole-in-the-wall. Timms relies on local knowledge to locate hidden treasures and probes the owners until she gets recipes to recreate at home.
There isn’t a strong narrative to the book, but the food descriptions are certainly mouth-watering. Timms also captures the “magnificent mayhem of the spice market” and the extremes of the climate – a Delhi summer is like “being trapped inside a tandoor for three months of the year.” I reckon “Mr Naseem’s Sheer Khurma” will be fairly easy and so worth trying as a light dessert to follow a curry feast. Made with whole milk, ground rice, dried fruits and nuts, it’s a sweet custard traditionally used to break the Ramadan fast.
There isn’t a strong narrative to the book, but the food descriptions are certainly mouth-watering. Timms also captures the “magnificent mayhem of the spice market” and the extremes of the climate – a Delhi summer is like “being trapped inside a tandoor for three months of the year.” I reckon “Mr Naseem’s Sheer Khurma” will be fairly easy and so worth trying as a light dessert to follow a curry feast. Made with whole milk, ground rice, dried fruits and nuts, it’s a sweet custard traditionally used to break the Ramadan fast.
May 10, 2021
Glorious.
June 23, 2016
A travelogue, memoir, food journal, recipe book- all rolled into one.
I found this book not just interesting but quite appetising.
During the time I was reading this book, I was perpetually hungry and craving for the tasty traditional Indian food described in this book. I cooked more often and ate larger portions. The most important thing is that now guided by Pamela Timms' experience, I now possess the culinary road map for Old Delhi. The coming months are going to see me visiting Old Delhi solely for culinary purposes
It is really remarkable a foreigner to venture into the crowded and chaotic lanes of Old Delhi. Pamela does mentions that the Timms family was expecting something exciting and exotic from India. No one could have guessed, though, that the imminent adventure would come in the shape of culinary discovery, mysterious recipes and gastronomic delights of Chandni Chowk.
Predictably, people of Old Delhi opened up there hearts and homes to her but not everyone shared their closely guarded recipes as they are their trade secrets. Some did share though, and we get them in this book. Others, Pamela observed and experimented in an attempt to recreate the taste and flavour of these age old recipes.
Evidently, there is adventure in food: whether you are eating out or rustling up something in your own kitchen,
I found this book not just interesting but quite appetising.
During the time I was reading this book, I was perpetually hungry and craving for the tasty traditional Indian food described in this book. I cooked more often and ate larger portions. The most important thing is that now guided by Pamela Timms' experience, I now possess the culinary road map for Old Delhi. The coming months are going to see me visiting Old Delhi solely for culinary purposes
It is really remarkable a foreigner to venture into the crowded and chaotic lanes of Old Delhi. Pamela does mentions that the Timms family was expecting something exciting and exotic from India. No one could have guessed, though, that the imminent adventure would come in the shape of culinary discovery, mysterious recipes and gastronomic delights of Chandni Chowk.
Predictably, people of Old Delhi opened up there hearts and homes to her but not everyone shared their closely guarded recipes as they are their trade secrets. Some did share though, and we get them in this book. Others, Pamela observed and experimented in an attempt to recreate the taste and flavour of these age old recipes.
Evidently, there is adventure in food: whether you are eating out or rustling up something in your own kitchen,
December 20, 2021
Can’t travel the world, but I can dream about it. I backpacked through India a few years back and spent time in Delhi. Korma Kheer Kismet, written by Pamela Timms, looks at Old Delhi’s gastronomic heritage. I love Pamela’s writing. She creates fantastic scenes with her words. I also adore Pamela’s passion for discovering regional and meeting the people behind these supposedly iconic dishes. Korma Kheer Kismet is a lovely read, one that I will certainly read again before my next trip to Delhi
March 10, 2016
Hardback, gorgeous cover, an Aleph publishing (I love their books) and all about food and the city I grew up in: I'm definitely going to have a bias for this one.
Lovingly written, it's hard not to get swept away in the enthusiasm with which Pamela Timms researches and writes the book focusing not just on the food but also the city (or rather a certain part of the city) and the people responsible for the food.
Korma, Kheer, and Kismet is the perfect guide book should you want to visit the MUST EAT AT places in Old Delhi, but even if that's not your aim, and even if you don't want to try the numerous recipes that are printed at the end of each chapter, the book is a wonderful read that romanticises everything and everyone, but then Pamela does have a hearty approach to the entire idea of exploring the region's food that is known the world over, and as a result of this, the dirt and the crowds, even though mentioned, are sugar coated with words that would entice seasoned travellers to see this part of the country.
In the end, my only warning to you would be not to read the book on an empty stomach, and just like it reignited my love for food and the city of Delhi, it will surely leave you salivating for the delicacies that are mentioned between the pages.
Lovingly written, it's hard not to get swept away in the enthusiasm with which Pamela Timms researches and writes the book focusing not just on the food but also the city (or rather a certain part of the city) and the people responsible for the food.
Korma, Kheer, and Kismet is the perfect guide book should you want to visit the MUST EAT AT places in Old Delhi, but even if that's not your aim, and even if you don't want to try the numerous recipes that are printed at the end of each chapter, the book is a wonderful read that romanticises everything and everyone, but then Pamela does have a hearty approach to the entire idea of exploring the region's food that is known the world over, and as a result of this, the dirt and the crowds, even though mentioned, are sugar coated with words that would entice seasoned travellers to see this part of the country.
In the end, my only warning to you would be not to read the book on an empty stomach, and just like it reignited my love for food and the city of Delhi, it will surely leave you salivating for the delicacies that are mentioned between the pages.
August 16, 2014
Warning : DO NOT EAT ON AN EMPTY STOMACH :) So much nostalgia for me in the book, the roads and stories of old Delhi. A world which never fails to charm me. Brilliantly written, each page revokes memories and makes me want to weave some more. Each chapter makes you want crave the dish being talked about. A book I strongly recommended to everyone
May 22, 2017
All those of us who have grown up in India have great memories of street food and its accompanying camaraderie, our times with friends and family while eating golgape or wolfing down samosas, it's only with the advent of social media that street food across cities has been photographed, written about and talked about so much. Against this background, Pamela timms' delicious book comes as a treat for millennials and others who might have or not frequented these places she passionately describes. Another trend that blights books, newspapers and online publications these days is the couch potato journalism trend. Email interviews are literally the norm and there is massive quoting of tweets and generous reproduction of published interviews from other media. Again, timms, while doggedly and perseveringly researching and searching for stories, sources and clues for sometimes up to a year shows us that nothing makes up for going out there to research and write good stories. I would here, also like to express my admiration for her spirit and courage, I doubt I'd have the guts to go at unearthly hours to strange men's houses in Puraani Dili to watch them make chaat and Kormas. Kudos!
October 4, 2020
I didn't think I'd enjoy this book as much as I did. Having recently moved to Delhi, and being a person who's fascinated with history, this book was a hug. In these strange pandemic times, I watched the scenes she describes come alive in front of me, and making me yearn for street food and exploring the tiny bylanes of Old Delhi. Her observations have the level of familiarity and detail that would be difficult even for a local person. I enjoyed this book very very much!
January 2, 2015
I picked up this book because I've read her blog in the past and have had an opinion on her Delhi jaunts :) Plus I was in Delhi last year almost doing something similar - a food trail where my husband and I joined some really knowledgeable friends on an old Delhi tour to savour all the authentic food.
A lot of the names Pamela talks about brings fond memories to mind and nostalgia hit me like a ton of bricks. The writing is simple and the book is immensely readable. My mouth was watering through the book, however, I thought it could do with a lot more. I'm sure there are so many more stories associated with Old Delhi and the food. I thought it needed a little more digging in :)
I thought she ended abruptly when I finished the book, but now, I like what she came away with.
Good read. Do read and most importantly, do go to purani Dilli and live the experience!
A lot of the names Pamela talks about brings fond memories to mind and nostalgia hit me like a ton of bricks. The writing is simple and the book is immensely readable. My mouth was watering through the book, however, I thought it could do with a lot more. I'm sure there are so many more stories associated with Old Delhi and the food. I thought it needed a little more digging in :)
I thought she ended abruptly when I finished the book, but now, I like what she came away with.
Good read. Do read and most importantly, do go to purani Dilli and live the experience!
July 15, 2016
I have been reading the book Khorma, Kheer & Kismet: Five seasons in Old Delhi.
Last few weeks I have been gliding on a puffy cloud of nostalgia.
The years spent in Delhi, the sights, the smells, the memories that each season brings with it: Mostly about food. The seasonal food.
Whether it is the purple-tinged walkways due to the abundance of Jamuns from the trees, to the roasted Shakarkand ( Sweet Potatoes) to Falsa berries, to the crackle of gachaks to the super sweet hot Jalebis!
Pamela Timms weaves her stories of Old Delhi so delicately that it oh so gently tugs at your heart strings.
Last few weeks I have been gliding on a puffy cloud of nostalgia.
The years spent in Delhi, the sights, the smells, the memories that each season brings with it: Mostly about food. The seasonal food.
Whether it is the purple-tinged walkways due to the abundance of Jamuns from the trees, to the roasted Shakarkand ( Sweet Potatoes) to Falsa berries, to the crackle of gachaks to the super sweet hot Jalebis!
Pamela Timms weaves her stories of Old Delhi so delicately that it oh so gently tugs at your heart strings.
August 14, 2014
As always, like any other book on food: DO NOT READ THIS WITH AN EMPTY STOMACH! Or even, half empty, that is. Having said that, this is a delightful account by Timms of the the history of some of the best street food of Old Delhi - with the cultural background.
March 13, 2017
A wonderful book, full of the sights and sounds of Delhi and its food that I love. The author is very brave in courting (and mainly luckily missing) Delhi belly. The food sounds yummy and makes me want to go back to Delhi soon.
December 7, 2020
Picture this. A cozy Sunday afternoon. A steaming cup of your favourite beverage- tea, coffee or hot chocolate lies on the table next to you. You pick up a book and curl yourself up in in the reading corner of your home. Cozy right?? Well, reading this book gives you all these feels and much more.
We Indians are known for our love for food. Every greeting is always succeeded by: Had lunch?/ Oota aayitha?/ Saaptacha?/ Khana khaya? And this simple sentence is enough to bring a broad smile to our faces. Every town has its very own Khao Gali or Food Street that piles up the choicest of street foods, the mere sight of which is enough to set our taste buds tingling.
I happened to come across book 27 by Pamela Timms, Korma, Kheer and Kismet, on a friend's page. The cover looked so appealing that I knew I had to read it. The book is filled with stories, anecdotes and experiences that the author has encountered through her food expeditions in the lanes of Old Delhi. Each experience is so lovely that it leaves a glow of warmth in your heart.
Pick this book up if you love travel, food and all things nice. Pick this up because in these dreary times where such long travels may seem out of question, you can still travel with your mind and have a lovely experience. Loved this read indeed!!
#booksof2020 #bookstagram #book27of2020 #readersofinstagram #booklove #kormakheerandkismet #pamelatimms
Thank you Krishna Sruthi Srivalsan for the book recommendation!
We Indians are known for our love for food. Every greeting is always succeeded by: Had lunch?/ Oota aayitha?/ Saaptacha?/ Khana khaya? And this simple sentence is enough to bring a broad smile to our faces. Every town has its very own Khao Gali or Food Street that piles up the choicest of street foods, the mere sight of which is enough to set our taste buds tingling.
I happened to come across book 27 by Pamela Timms, Korma, Kheer and Kismet, on a friend's page. The cover looked so appealing that I knew I had to read it. The book is filled with stories, anecdotes and experiences that the author has encountered through her food expeditions in the lanes of Old Delhi. Each experience is so lovely that it leaves a glow of warmth in your heart.
Pick this book up if you love travel, food and all things nice. Pick this up because in these dreary times where such long travels may seem out of question, you can still travel with your mind and have a lovely experience. Loved this read indeed!!
#booksof2020 #bookstagram #book27of2020 #readersofinstagram #booklove #kormakheerandkismet #pamelatimms
Thank you Krishna Sruthi Srivalsan for the book recommendation!
May 9, 2017
What a sumptuous little book. Pamela Timms eats a LOT of street food in Old Delhi and lives to tell the tale.
Her descriptions of good food in the streets of Delhi make me wonder why I never followed the street food trail while in Delhi. Hell, I don't think I ever went to Chandni Chowk at all (except the Darya Ganj Sunday book market) and Chawri Bazaar was just a metro station as far as I was concerned.
But Pamela Timms seems to have spent a lot of her time in Delhi, doing something you don't typically find expats doing - eating from road-side stalls and streeet vendors (GASP!). Some of the things she eats and relishes - korma, kheer, jalebis, kababs and even just plain bread.
And by the way, this is not just a "foreigner in India eating exotic food" tale. She connects Delhi's street food to its history (well, going back to the Mughal era anyway), its climate (the seasonal differences in the available food) and its geography (Old Delhi food versus New Delhi food). She tries to dig up the recipes for all the food she's eating (and of course none of the vendors are willing to tell her!) and even becomes close friends with the owners of a lot of the places she loves.
Overall, her book is like Daulat ki Chaat (a light cloudy little snack that she describes in the book) - goes down easily and tastes really good!
Her descriptions of good food in the streets of Delhi make me wonder why I never followed the street food trail while in Delhi. Hell, I don't think I ever went to Chandni Chowk at all (except the Darya Ganj Sunday book market) and Chawri Bazaar was just a metro station as far as I was concerned.
But Pamela Timms seems to have spent a lot of her time in Delhi, doing something you don't typically find expats doing - eating from road-side stalls and streeet vendors (GASP!). Some of the things she eats and relishes - korma, kheer, jalebis, kababs and even just plain bread.
And by the way, this is not just a "foreigner in India eating exotic food" tale. She connects Delhi's street food to its history (well, going back to the Mughal era anyway), its climate (the seasonal differences in the available food) and its geography (Old Delhi food versus New Delhi food). She tries to dig up the recipes for all the food she's eating (and of course none of the vendors are willing to tell her!) and even becomes close friends with the owners of a lot of the places she loves.
Overall, her book is like Daulat ki Chaat (a light cloudy little snack that she describes in the book) - goes down easily and tastes really good!
September 13, 2017
After some rather depressing, the world-is-so-messed-up reads, it was pure joy reading this lip-smacking, funny memoir of Timms's foodie adventures in Delhi. Her full-throated faith and wonder in the power of food is life-affirming. And I am in deep awe of how she trawled through crowded, crumbling, overwhelming Old Delhi with her merry band of fellow-foodies (one of whom is a good friend of mine) , determined to hunt down the authentic (but failing in the face of stoically-held family secrets) recipes for the world's best mutton korma, kheer, daulat ki chaat, jalebi, chirote, chole poori...
Sampling: "Cautiously, and with no hope or expectation beyond silencing my growling stomach, I broke off a small piece of the bread and scooped up some of the chickpeas. It took a couple of mouthfuls before I noticed the extraordinary texture of the kulcha-buttery, flaky shards, as if the finest Parisian feuillete had been combined with a perfectly spiced nugget of soft potato. Then the chole-melting, nutty, vibrant pulses-spicy, yet soothing. A third element on the plate brought it all together-a sour tamarind sauce cutting brilliantly through the buttery bread and creamy chickpeas, making the whole dish sing its heart out."
This book had me suspended in a permanent state of hunger.
Sampling: "Cautiously, and with no hope or expectation beyond silencing my growling stomach, I broke off a small piece of the bread and scooped up some of the chickpeas. It took a couple of mouthfuls before I noticed the extraordinary texture of the kulcha-buttery, flaky shards, as if the finest Parisian feuillete had been combined with a perfectly spiced nugget of soft potato. Then the chole-melting, nutty, vibrant pulses-spicy, yet soothing. A third element on the plate brought it all together-a sour tamarind sauce cutting brilliantly through the buttery bread and creamy chickpeas, making the whole dish sing its heart out."
This book had me suspended in a permanent state of hunger.
October 12, 2023
Very evocative writing. Bravo for venturing into Street food and loving it. What I didn't like are 2 things: 1. her obsession to force ordinary street cooks to part with their secret recipes, so that those can be published to the world. Why! 2. impolite intrusions into private lives and almost voyeristic descriptions of personal quarters of the ordinary people in old Delhi (Daulat ki chaat makers, why!). These kept annoying me throughout that I couldn't focus on the actual writing.
May 23, 2019
The book talks about delicious foods in Delhi & the recipes for making them. For those who are native there - it's a treat of a lifetime.
It gives a vivid description of foods along with a wide range of delectable delecacies.
Highly recommended for foodies.
It gives a vivid description of foods along with a wide range of delectable delecacies.
Highly recommended for foodies.
June 15, 2021
Such a lovely read; I thoroughly devoured this in one day! Pamela Timms takes us through her delightful food memories as she painstakingly set out to chronicle the mysterious and incredible street food of Old Delhi. A true treat to read!
June 20, 2017
Narrationwise - The Korma was bland, Kheer was watery and Kismet was not on the side of the reader !
Okayish at best !!!
Okayish at best !!!
August 16, 2021
Hmm..yes, but also, no?
January 22, 2023
pure bliss.
February 22, 2017
So Old Delhi has always intrigued me. Its like a time capsule, and almost instantly transfers you to a world long gone by. The food there plays a major part in this time travel. The book focuses primarily on that bit and lets you take a big bite of Purani Dilli ka khana. The author is very candid about her experiences there and does not sugar coat the travails of travelling through the area. Eating in Old Delhi is not just about the food but also the people who make it available, and Pamela's descriptions are spot on.
A good book to cuddle up with .Make sure you have your favorite snack at hand, because reading this book will surely whet your appetite .
A good book to cuddle up with .Make sure you have your favorite snack at hand, because reading this book will surely whet your appetite .
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April 17, 2016“Korma, Kheer & Kismet” by Pamela Timms is a marvelous account of her stay in Delhi and her love affair with the food of the city. My first thought after reading this book was one of deep, deep regret. Because if Madam Timm’s glorious ode to the food of Delhi were in my hands a few months ago, then my recent trip to Delhi would have been a more scrumptious affair. As someone who loves the history and food of Delhi, it was heartening to read how the author embraced the city, the people and the food. Each chapter in the book was a sensory treat for people who call Delhi meri jaan. I could taste the Mutton Korma at “Ashok & Ashok’s”, I could smell the kulche and bhature she ate from some of the famous and dingy restaurants in Old Delhi. I could feel my mouth water as I turned each page and was glad to read about her experience of discovering “Daulat ki Chaat” (rich man’s dessert), which was something I had recently tasted myself. There were so much flavor, so much nostalgia and so much deliciousness packed into the book that I couldn’t help feel a deep sense of longing for the city of my mother's birth. As soon as I finished reading the book, I desperately wanted to cook something, and I decided to make one of the simplest recipes “Coriander and Chilli Roti.” This delicious Roti deep fried in Ghee is usually served with the Mutton Korma in the restaurant in Delhi. I can only imagine how the crispy roti would be a perfect way to enjoy the dark flavors of the Korma. And while I am ashamed to admit, I did not make the Korma or fried the roti; I felt that it still tasted good. I served the roti with pickle, curd, and Aloo Tikkis and happily found myself in food coma mentally walking through the lanes of Delhi. A fantastic book for food and Delhi lovers alike.
July 15, 2015
A very quick and entertaining read about the expat author's discoveries of the street food of Old Delhi. She tried everything and anything and how she never got Delhi Belly is a mystery to me - or maybe she just didn't share that with us?
This was a quick read which left me very interested in this food - it also left me hungry.
My only complaint about it is that the pages are littered with Indian food and event names which I had never heard of, but which the author seemed to assume the reader would have a knowledge of so, consequently, I spent a lot of time looking things up on Google.
If you're into food, you'll like this one.
This was a quick read which left me very interested in this food - it also left me hungry.
My only complaint about it is that the pages are littered with Indian food and event names which I had never heard of, but which the author seemed to assume the reader would have a knowledge of so, consequently, I spent a lot of time looking things up on Google.
If you're into food, you'll like this one.
January 8, 2015
Food memoirs could be either of completely unfamiliar locations and cuisines, or of familiar ones. For me this one fell in the latter category, which is perhaps why I did not enjoy it as much as I thought I would. The author is no doubt passionate about old Delhi, its culinary heritage and the people behind it, and the descriptions ring true.
In one chapter on festive (Diwali) cooking, the author in fact leaves Delhi for Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. Then there are descriptions of her landlords and rental homes. The latter are funny, the former somewhat fake. There are also recipes of some of the dishes she tried to recreate in her own kitchen.
In one chapter on festive (Diwali) cooking, the author in fact leaves Delhi for Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. Then there are descriptions of her landlords and rental homes. The latter are funny, the former somewhat fake. There are also recipes of some of the dishes she tried to recreate in her own kitchen.
October 9, 2014
How fitting that I finished Timms' book just as the harsh heat is retreating and those of us who don't have sinusitis can look forward to the cold cold winter. I read this book over a couple of days, putting it down reluctantly when life beckoned and always picking it back up with joy. Quite enjoyed the enthusiasm Timms brings to her food journeys, and though I don't think I'll ever try out the recipes, I do like these little stories that lead up to how they were found. And here's to finally finding and eating that elusive daulat ki chaat this winter.
February 25, 2016
This is a delightful account of discovering the street delicacies that abound in Old Delhi and then tracing their back story. Even for someone like me, who has gorged on these delicacies all my life, and knows most of the stories and legends behind the iconic food brands in that part of town, it was a mesmerising read. And most of that is because the author imparts a relatable joy with her writing.
Must read for every foodie, and everyone else also.
Must read for every foodie, and everyone else also.
June 17, 2022
Warning: do not read this book on an empty stomach!!!
This book is a wonderfully evocative journey through old Delhi or Chandni Chowk, and captures both the essence of Delhi, and the essence of the unique brand of street food that defines North India! It’s written observantly, sensitively, and with wit…. Love the recipes included in it! I live away from Delhi and this book made me desperately homesick! Highly recommend for travelogue/food/Delhi lovers.
This book is a wonderfully evocative journey through old Delhi or Chandni Chowk, and captures both the essence of Delhi, and the essence of the unique brand of street food that defines North India! It’s written observantly, sensitively, and with wit…. Love the recipes included in it! I live away from Delhi and this book made me desperately homesick! Highly recommend for travelogue/food/Delhi lovers.
September 15, 2014
Her passion for discovering Indian heritage and traditional recipes made me feel shameful. Reading Korma Kheer & Kismet makes you want to jump into the car and drive to Chandni Chowk immediately. This book is an inspiration for all gourmands in Delhi to ditch fawning over international cuisines and first unearth the gems of all that Old Delhi has to offer.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews