"The legacy of food gets passed on from generation to generation, as a beautiful gift" Huma Siddiqui.

Many of today's memorable cookbooks are family memoirs, loaded with recipes that are family traditions, favorites, and representative of a culture or ethnic background as well as stories, photos, and memories. JASMINE IN HER HAIR by Huma Siddiqui (http://www.whitejasmine.com/) is such a book. It is rare to find a book on Pakistani cooking, but Huma (a mother, entrepreneur, and cooking teacher) was intent on keeping Pakistani food traditions and culture alive here in America, and we can experience all of this in Huma's book. The book is divided into six sections: Home Sweet Home and Appetizers; Day to Day Life and Meat Dishes; Meatless Days and Vegetable Dishes; Celebrations and Desserts; Jasmine in Her Hair and Rice & Bread Dishes; and New Beginnings and Sauces and Drinks, as well as a Glossary to terms. In addition there are numerous beautiful color photos to help transport you to a different world.

In Pakistan, food is much more than sustenance, it is the foundation of the family and because she feels so strongly that traditions, customs and family rituals are crucial to lives, she started White Jasmine, a company that sells gourmet spices, premium teas, and accessories that are an integral part of that culture. In addition she produced the first Pakistani cooking series, Curry and Coriander.

Here are some wonderful recipes from her book.

Karahi Chicken (Boneless chicken cooked with spices, onions, green peppers and tomatoes)

• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 2 cloves
• 1 large cardamom
• 1 small cardamom
• 1 inch long cinnamon stick
• 1 pound boneless/skinless chicken cubed
• 1 tablespoon garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 medium size tomatoes, chopped
• 1/ 2 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1/ 2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/ 4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/ 2 teaspoon salt
• Cilantro

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a deep pan, add cloves, cardamoms and cinnamon stick, let them sizzle. Add chicken, garlic and ginger paste, fry for about 5 minutes so that the chicken is not pink anymore. Empty all the ingredients in a plate/bowl.

Add another tablespoon of oil and add chopped onions, fry them until a little pink. Add chopped green peppers and tomatoes. Fry the mixture for about 5 minutes, then add chilli powder, garam masala, turmeric, and salt. Mix all the spices in the onion mixture. Add the chicken to the pan and gently mix everything together with a slotted spoon. Sprinkle cilantro and cover the pan to simmer for about ten minutes. The sauce will thicken and then it is ready to serve with Matar Pulao.

Bindi Bhaji - Stir Fried Okra

• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1/2 teaspoon whole cumin
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 dried red chilies
• 1 pound fresh okra, trimmed at head and tail, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat oil in a deep wok and add whole cumin to sizzle. Add onions and whole red chilies. When onions turn brown and a little crispy, add okra and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the ground spices and continue to stir the mixture until the okra turns a little crisp and brown. Serve with pulao rice or pooris.

Matar Pulao (Basmati Rice with Peas and Whole Spices)

• 2 cups uncooked basmati rice
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 2 cloves
• 1 large cardamom
• 1 small cardamom
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 2 inch cinnamon stick
• ½ cup frozen peas
• ½ teaspoon salt

Wash rice thoroughly and leave to soak for 15 minutes. Heat oil in a pan, add the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Let it sizzle for a minute. Add green peas and salt. Add rice and 3 cups of water. Let it come to a boil and then reduce heat and leave to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Can add a pinch of turmeric for color. Serve with karahi chicken.

Pakoras (Deep Fried Potatoes in Gram Flour Batter)

• 2 cups of gram flour
• 1 cup water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon whole cumin
• 1/ 2 teaspoon chili powder
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
• cooking oil to deep fry

Mix gram flour, water and all spices to make a batter. Add sliced potatoes. Heat oil in a frying pan. When hot, add one potato slice at a time. Turn the slice over when one side is done. Take it out and leave it on kitchen towel so excess oil is absorbed. Transfer to the serving dish and serve warm with raita.

Fresh spinach and green onions can be substituted for potatoes.