Of food, people and places
Hot, hot off the presses, like the crispy hoppers that are served at their cafes, the first cookbook from the popular HOPPERS restaurants in London, England, will roll-out next month (October).
Titled ‘Recipes, Memories and inspiration from Sri Lankan homes, streets and beyond’ it is written by none other than Hoppers’ Co-founder and Creative Director Karan Gokani. For Karan, it is not just about recipes in their debut cookbook but also a personal story about the inspiration which has kept Hoppers on the upward move and the people and places which have shaped it.
The Foreword by London Evening Standard’s Fay Maschler states of this cookbook from the “multi-award winning and acclaimed Hoppers Restaurants” that it features signature recipes from the restaurants, recipes from friends and new dishes developed specifically for the home kitchen.
This is “alongside plenty of anecdotes and travel tips collected over the years by Karan. The cookbook tells a personal story of the inspiration behind Hoppers and the people and places that shaped it, through recipes and stunning imagery, collected over several trips to Sri Lanka”.
In Karan’s own words he wanted it to be much more than a cookbook. It seeks to document some of their favourite food and achievements over the years on the one hand; while simultaneously going beyond the walls of their restaurants to celebrate the people they admire, experiences that have shaped them and off-menu dishes that they love.
“This book is a love letter to a country and team I love with all my heart,” he says simply.
It goes from hoppers, dosas, snacks of hot butter squid and fiery devilled dishes to bone marrow varuval and black pork curry; banana leaf bream with coriander and lemongrass, to sizzling plates of beef rib fry; without leaving out delicious desserts including tropical tipple and classic chocolate biscuit pudding.
In the book, Karan also provides travel tips and goes into detail about the key herbs, spices and essential curry powders used in Sri Lanka with a note on substitutions and equipment.
Turning the pages, the reader also gets a feast for the eyes through the beautiful location and recipe shots by Sri Lankan photographer Ryan Wijayaratne in food a crawl through homes, roadside shacks, hotels and restaurants across Sri Lanka. It also encompasses original artworks by Sri Lankan graphic artist Rosa Gunasingha, while graphic designer Luke Bird has art-directed and designed the book.
The reviews by foodies say it all.
“A must-have for anybody who has an interest in the world of food,” says Tom Kerridge and Angela Hartnett states: “Love it, love it, want to cook everything, so I want to spend a week in the kitchen with Karan cooking!” while Danny Meyer adds: “What a joy to have this beautiful book, so that I can jog great culinary memories, unlock the whys behind so much flavor, and savor my favorites at my own home table.”
This cookbook by Karan has been built on a foundation of travel features and recipes on Sri Lanka and southern India for major national and international publications including The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, The Guardian, National Geographic, Conde Nast Traveller, The ES Magazine, Bloomberg and The Financial Times. The cookbook published by Quadrille is due to be released on October 27. Its price is £30.
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