In Bibi's Kitchen: The Recipes and Stories of Grandmothers

by Hawa Hassan

Grandmothers from eight eastern African countries welcome you into their kitchens to share flavorful recipes and stories of family, love, and tradition in this transporting cookbook-meets-travelogue.

In this incredible volume, renowned food writer Julia Turshen and Somali chef Hawa Hassan present 75 recipes and stories gathered from bibis (or grandmothers) from eight African South Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar, Comoros, Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia, and Eritrea. Most notably, these eight countries are at the backbone of the spice trade, many of them exporters of things like pepper and vanilla. We meet women such as Ma Shara, who helps tourists "see the real Zanzibar" by teaching them how to make her famous Ajemi Bread with Carrots and Green Pepper; Ma Vicky, a real-life princess from Tanzania, who now lives in suburban New York and makes a mean Matoke (Stewed Plantains with Beans and Beef); and Somalia's Ashura Babu-Bi Ashura, widow to Abdulrahman Babu, the late Zanzibari Marxist and revolutionary leader, known for her Samaki Wa Kupaka (Coconut Fish Curry).

Through Julia and Hawa's writing--and their own personal stories--the women, and the stories behind the recipes, come to life. With evocative photography shot on location by Khadija Farah, and food photography by Jennifer May, In Bibi's Kitchen uses food to teach us all about families, war, loss, migration, refuge, and sanctuary.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Africa, Nonfiction, Food and Drink, Reference

285 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 6, 2020

Reviews

[Summer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was extremely excited for this book. Smitten Kitchen highly recommended it and said it was the stories of grandmothers cooking without modern measuring techniques but out of the palm of their hand, like my Grandma W. used to bake her bread! It was immediately intriguing to me. Look at the cover, it’s gorgeous! I do not fault the grandmothers, I think the interviewers fell extremely flat. It was like reading work sheets that had been begrudgingly filled out. It felt forced and not at all a living, breathing, fun conversation we have all had many times in a kitchen with friends and family, and, as women, with other women.

Two women went and interviewed the women featured, all grandmothers from 8 African countries on the east of Africa: Eritrea, Somalia, Zanzibar, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Madagascar and Comoros, extremely exciting places! I could smell the cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla and ylang ylang! This was going to be great! Yet, all I learned the social studies textbook aspects of the country, which was something, because for many, I knew next to nothing about. That was helpful but that’s where it stopped. The subtitle is: The Recipes and Stories of Grandmothers From the Eight African Countries that Touch the Indian Ocean. “Stories” is a big stretch, it was Q and A in the fashion of a 5th grader geography/ home ec class assignment.

Overall, I think the idea was extremely fascinating but their format was quite the opposite. They made the point to go on about their, the two authors lives, for 2 cookbook pages, and then A Bit More about Us for 4 MORE long, big cookbook pages. I felt they were more concerned about laying out they were “qualified” to do this book more than conveying the life and times and traditions and describing the food they ate in community with these women. You know Anthony Bourdain style. I also found their American feminist agenda was just not carried out well nor accepted in these African women’s life stories because of religious beliefs, available resources and generational and cultural clashes. Also, making the book solely put together by ONLY women was just overblown and pretentious. Having a Muslim woman photographer was however thoughtful and nice though. I often wondered during the reading of this if they just used the women to get there traditional recipes!? Harsh, yes, but it just seemed like an assignment and not like true interest or passion, because there was little passion and imagination in questions for these women! These women probably had some fantastic and thought provoking stories to tell. This book was far too concerned with community and women’s rights but lacked the fellowship needed for heart and soul of these women to come out. I was left terribly wanting. I hope someone goes back there to those same women and opens them up to the stories that were left untold.

I have not tried any of the recipes but I’m looking forward to trying them!

[Sandra The Old Woman in a Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

I include cookbooks in my “books read” list if I read them from cover to cover. Well, I devoured this book. It is rare I find a cookbook where I want to make EVERYTHING. This is one.

I’m familiar with some of the food, especially the Eritrean, Somali and Kenyan dishes. I lived in Kenya for a while and have travelled extensively in Ethiopia and eat at Ethiopian/Eritrean and Somali restaurants in the US, so many recipes from the Horn of Africa were a little familiar. The rest of the 8 total East African countries covered in the book had new, but delicious sounding recipes. I do want to prepare and eat every recipe in the cookbook.

What I particularly like about the book is the author put together recipes that can be made in an American kitchen, with ingredients you can find in most large cities or on-line. None are overly complicated for an experienced cook, and many are amenable to a novice cook.

This book fills a huge gap in cuisines accessible to Americans. I strongly recommend this book to home cooks wanting some novelty. The back stories throughout the book detail the lives and upbringings of grandmothers who provided the recipes. This was a perfect accompaniment to the recipes and gives the reader a tangible connection to the foods described.

[Reading Fool · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Bibi" means grandmother, and this book pays homage to these grandmothers and their kitchens, where they keep their cultures alive. This book is a collection of stories and recipes from eight African countries that border the Indian Ocean: Eritrea, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Madagascar, and Comoros. To be honest, I have read and studied this book to date more than I have used the recipes (I've tried a couple). I was fascinated by the stories and interviews that were a window to these women's cultures, and of course I discovered that in many ways they are not that different from western culture in terms of the value and importance of family and tradition. From this book I have prepared Bariis (a Somalian rice pilaf) and Quick Stewed Eggplant with Coconut (recipe from Zanzibar). Both were delicious and quite accessible. I look forward to trying the Malva Pudding Cake, a cake similar to a tres leches cake, which my family loves. I've received a free copy from Ten Speed Press in exchange for a free and unbiased review.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this! Not only is this the first African cookbook I've thought I could actually pull off in the Midwest, but the stories of the grandmothers and the info on each country were just amazing and made this fun to read as well. Another best cookbook of the year contender for me! Highly recommended.

[Ije the Devourer of Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fabulous book. I came across it because it was the monthly cookbook for the Jamie Oliver Cookbook Club. https://www.jamieoliver.com/cookbook-...
It has been a real treat to try out some of the recipes from this book and I am so glad I invested in a copy. I shall be cooking from this regularly because the recipes are easy to follow, tasty and explained really well.

A few of the meals I cooked from this book can be seen

https://revdije.blogspot.com/2022/10/...

https://revdije.blogspot.com/2022/10/...

[Aasinathena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a jewel and a heartfelt ode to African Cuisine. For every cook, cooking is personal. These stories of Bibis’(meaning grandmothers) span generations !!! Africa as a region,countries as a collective, have offered so much more(wild life,human evolution,human civilization and great leaders) than food. But it's time we look for their beautiful food.

The author collects recipes from 8 countries facing Indian Ocean. Starting from Eritrea,Somalia,Kenya,Tanzania and Zanzibar . Then goes to Mozambique,South Africa,Madagascar and Comoros. I admire how the author assures and affirms confidence to anyone who want cook African food(as an avid foodie I have cooked Doro Wat with Moroccan bread M’smen;that’s the only dish I have cooked in African Cuisine),its very easy and ingredients we should look for are already in our pantry or found at the local grocery store. Hawa has been a global citizen and that’s where this beautiful encouragement comes from !

Each chapter starts with a beautiful prologue about each country’s geography and climate,its economy,people,languages and religion.

Then you will venture on to each Bibis(each being addressed as Ma)with their personal stories and where they live now(all over the world!!) and how they still “wing” African food,especially residing out of their homelands.

I can’t imagine some drastic situations they’ve been under(Civil wars one after another,family separations),but still carry heart and soul devoted to their motherlands. Most of us want to bury our pasts,but these Bibis don’t stress these situations,but excels and embraces. Their kindness is so powerful….. It radiates through each story and overflows with food and recipes. The pages are filled with beautiful food photography that I want to dig in,right away !!!

This book changed my perceptions(news,novels and movies;honestly !!!!) about African countries I’ve heard all my life. These countries have so much to offer and food has strong foundations and looks so promisingly delicious !!! This book is a keeper !!!

I’ve received a free copy from Ten Speed in exchange for a free and unbiased review.
Thank you.

[Lannie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not a cookbook person, but this book felt more like an homage to African heritage and culture of 8 African countries in the form of home grown recipes from the family matriarch: the grandmothers. The photographs are gorgeous and add to the immersive experience. I really enjoyed how the authors centered the book not around the recipes, but around the bibis (grandmas) that these recipes came from. The chapters start with the bibis and their interview, only then followed by their family recipe. No glitz or flash, just the beautiful meat and bones of their meal. It was clear the authors made conscious decisions to avoid co-opting someone else’s culture through the author’s own lens. A short intro of the African country also illuminates the history of each place and how certain flavors came to be staples in each region. Beautiful way to showcase each country and show African countries are not a monolith.

Lovely to see a book by women and about women, focused on women and their role (and hence power) in their communities. Pleasantly surprised by this book.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do the recipes taste better because they are from Grandmothers? I think so. This is such a beautiful book, that does a wonderful job introducing you to 8 incredible women, their stories, and the spices, flavors and techniques they've used their whole lives. Bere Bere is in my spice cabinet thanks to Hawa and Ma Gehennet. Shiro, Firfir, ground chickpea stew...there is so much comfort in this book.

[Chelsea Lafferty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so much more than a cookbook. It is a sharing of stories and lived experience across generations and miles. I highly recommend it.

[cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recipes but even more, STORIES, glorious stories about food.

[Alyssa Bohon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book for the geography, photography, and stories. It was a fun way to travel without traveling. Most of the recipes were not appealing to me (I don't eat tomatoes and onions, which are in probably 3/4 of the recipes 😅) but the few that looked good looked really scrumptious.

What interested me most was the perspective of the bibis they interviewed. They viewed their position as the woman in the home who cooks for their family as one of dignity and influence. I think they have more truth in their perspective than those who think women are more empowered and influential by leaving their homes for the commercial workplace. To be in charge of the cooking for and feeding of a family is empowering for those who give themselves to it. We western women who are too busy and think of another meal as a tiresome, messy thing to throw together once again can benefit from their perspective on the process of preparing and sharing food.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this cookbook/nonfiction featuring the women and recipes of eight countries in Eastern Africa. I love learning, so the summaries of each country, followed by the interviews of the women, and then their recipes was a clever way to put it all into context. Definitely worth reading! 4.5 stars

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute joy to read the stories of these women and the dishes they love to make. They talk about these recipes as representing their countries well while also being easy to prepare, which is exactly the kind of cooking I have the capacity for right now. I got my copy from the library, but when we get to our new place, I'm going to buy a copy.

[Avalon Love · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this could have been formatted a bit differently. Maybe each woman’s story and then her recipes. The way all of the stories were clumped together made it unnecessarily difficult to navigate the book. (At least the ebook version).

I made the Eritrean Firfir and Kicha. A delicious meal that I enjoyed sharing with my family.

[Liquidlasagna · Rating 3 out of 5]

i think it's barely three star

---

Cult Flav

Sarah
9.4

This has quickly become one of my favorite books to cook from. Not only did I get to learn about these various cultures and their amazing food, but I also got to read some of the most heartwarming stories from grandmothers who view cooking as a way to show love to their families and community.

writing 10
flavor 10
value 10
accessibility 8

........

people arent too fascinated with the lack of recipes, and quite a few arent excited by the tastes, but a few are wild for this book

I can barely like 24 recipes every 200 pages

So yeah 10 recipes every 100 pages if you're lucky

........

Here's the interesting recipes

Ma Gehennet’s stewed spinach
red onions - chicken bouillon cubes - tomato paste
frozen spinach - jalapenos

Ma Abeba’s stewed injera with meat, tomatoes, and onions
tomatoes - yellow onions - fresh ginger
rosemary sprigs - berbere spice mix - tomato paste
beef chuck - injera bread - jalapeno

Berbere spice mix
innamon sticks - coriander seeds - fenugreek seeds
black peppercorns - cardamom pods - allspice berries
dried chiles de arbol - dried onion flakes - sweet paprika
ground ginger - whole nutmeg

Ma Gehennet’s Eritrean coffee [drink it with date bread if you're desparate]
green coffee beans - dried ginger

Chicken stew with yogurt and coconut
tomatoes - jalapeno chiles - red bell peppers
tomato paste - yogurt - red onion
fresh ginger - carrots - chicken thighs
coconut milk - cilantro - cooked rice
bananas - baking potatoes - xawaash spice mix

Xawaash spice mix
cinnamon sticks - cumin seeds - coriander seeds
black peppercorns - cardamom pods
whole cloves - turmeric

Somali cilantro and green chile pepper sauce
coconut milk - limes - white vinegar
cilantro - jalapeno chiles

Ma Sahra's spiced chicken and onion samosas
flour - baking potatoes - yellow onions
red bell peppers - chicken thighs - xawaash spice mix

Somali spiced tea with milk [ginger - pepper - cinnamon]
fresh ginger - cinnamon sticks - green cardamom pods
whole cloves - black peppercorns
black tea - milk

Tomato and onion salad (Kachumbari) [a greek salad where you throw out the olives and add avocado]
red onions - tomatoes
cucumber - limes - avocados

Greens with tomatoes
yellow onions - ground cumin - ground coriander
turmeric - tomatoes
kale - collard greens

Ma Kauthar’s semolina cake
sugar - ground cardamom - limes
eggs - flour
buttermilk - semolina
unsweetened coconut flakes - slivered almonds

Fried plantains
plantain - whole nutmeg

Ma Shara’s ajemi bread with carrots and green pepper [sounds horrible green pepper bread, when olive loaf was too much for Ren and Stimpy]
active dry yeast - yogurt - carrots - green bell peppers - flour

Ma Shara’s quick stewed eggplant with coconut
eggplants - red onions - green bell peppers
garlic - jalapeno chiles
turmeric - coconut milk

Ma Shara’s spiced fried fish [not too exciting ginger and cumin makes it strange]
garlic - ground ginger
black peppercorns - ground cumin
oily fish steaks - canola oil

Date bread [pretty boring sugar and vanilla extract makes it eatable]
Medjool dates - eggs - flour
kosher salt - baking soda - hot water
sugar - unsalted butter - vanilla extract

Ma Maria’s local spinach with curry sauce and crispy fried fish [not too exciting - tomatoes and curry]
limes - whole mackerel - flour
eggs - canola oil - yellow onions
tomatoes - curry powder
spinach - chicken bouillon cubes

Ma Maria’s marinated fish in coconut sauce
tomatoes - garlic - whole mackerel
yellow onions - curry powder - chicken bouillon cubes
carrots - coconut milk - jalapeno chiles

Piri piri sauce
Fresno red chiles - fresh ginger - lime

Steak and piri piri sandwiches
beef skirt steaks - Fresno red chiles - fresh ginger
limes - garlic - Portuguese rolls

Ma Josefina’s plantains with coconut and prawns
green plantains - coconut milk
yellow onions - prawns

Cashew and potato cake [ew]
baking potatoes - raw cashew nuts - butter
sugar - eggs
oranges - heavy cream - flour

Sweet-and-sour braised lamb with tamarind (Denningvleis)
lamb stew meat - yellow onions - bay leaves
whole cloves - ground allspice
nutmeg - tamarind paste

Grilled cheese sandwiches [with a relish from hell]
mayonnaise - bread - sharp white cheddar
yellow onion - jalapenos - fresh ginger
turmeric - ground cumin - ground coriander
red bell peppers - yellow bell peppers
carrots - green cabbage
canned crushed tomatoes - white vinegar

Ma Khanyisa’s wild greens with corn porridge (Imifino) [onion and cabbage polenta - ew⁄!]
fine cornmeal - yellow onions - jalapeno chiles - green cabbage - zucchini - baby spinach

Malva pudding cake
flour - ground cloves - eggs
apricot jam - evaporated milk - random cupboard ingredients

Yeasted rice and coconut pancakes
long grain rice - coconut milk - unsweetened coconut flakes
active dry yeast - ground cardamom - coconut oil

Ma Jeanne’s carrot salad with vinaigrette [not much to it]
white vinegar - shallots - carrots

Tomato relish
tomatoes - scallions - lime
fresh ginger - cilantro

Ma Baomaka’s beef and potato fritters [shepherd's pie as a potato pancake]
baking potatoes - cooked beef
black peppercorns - scallions - parsley
flour - eggs - canola oil

Ginger spritz
fresh ginger - honey
lemons - seltzer water

Sweet pea soup with coconut and ginger [just peas and onions]
yellow onions - fresh ginger - ground cayenne pepper
coconut milk - frozen peas

Ma Mariama’s fish, yuca, green plantains, and coconut milk stew [tuna and starchy banana stew]
habanero chiles - limes - tuna steaks
green plantains - yuca root
red onions - coconut milk

Grilled lobster tails with vanilla sauce (Langouste à la vanille)
lobster tails - shallots
vanilla beans - heavy cream

Sweet vermicelli noodles with cardamom and butter [ew[
green cardamom pods - vermicelli noodles - butter

Watermelon juice with lime, ginger, and mint
seedless watermelon - lime
fresh ginger - mint

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cookbook is unusual in that it contains not only recipes, but the stories of the bibis (grandmothers) who provided them. They are traditional recipes from eight East African nations that all touch the Indian Ocean: Eritrea, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Madagascar, and Comoros. There is historical and geographical information about each country, plus stories of the women themselves. It is a fascinating look at that part of Africa through the lens of food.
Whether one tries the food or not, this book makes for good reading. (Also has great pictures.)

[Jennifer]

In Bibi's Kitchen is organized by country, and each of the eight countries has its own chapter. They start with an interview to get to know the mothers/grandmothers who have contributed, followed by those ladies' favorite recipes to make/eat. The recipes have been adapted in some places (so you can use canned coconut milk rather than making it fresh, or use ingredients like spinach or "any dark leafy green" in place of wild pumpkin leaves and other local greens), making it really accessible without losing the character and flavors of the dish. The recipes we've tried have been delicious, mostly healthy, and often very nourishing/comforting. A few of them are time-intensive, but many are actually great for a weeknight.

So far I've made:

Digaag Qumbe (chicken stew with yogurt and coconut) from Somalia (I made this first with chicken but have made since as vegetable stews. It's very easy and versatile.)
Xawaash Spice Mix from Somalia (I don't usually make spice mixes, but we've made up batches of this several times because it's so good!)
Basboosa (semolina cake with coconut, cardamom, and almonds) from Kenya
Kunde (black-eyed peas and tomatoes in peanut sauce) from Kenya (Making this again tonight!)
Quick Stewed Eggplant with Coconut from Tanzania (a favorite)
Tseke com Peix Frito (spinach with curry sauce and crispy fried fish) from Mozambique
Chakalaka (spicy vegetable relish) from South Africa
Chakalaka and Cheddar Braaibroodjies (grilled cheese with the above chutney) from South Africa
Malva pudding cake from South Africa
Mofo Gasey (yeasted rice and coconut pancakes) from Madagascar
Carrot Salad with Vinaigrette from Madagascar

I love the format. I'm no expert on the many countries of Africa, and it's rewarding to get a sense of them separately rather than as a collective of "African" recipes. Also, the eight countries chosen are all in a particular region, which helps create a picture of what that whole region is like. It's on the coast, so there's a decent amount of fish/seafood. Some places have colonial influence (like Somalia - Italy or Comoros-France), some places are influenced by trade and religious practices from North Africa/the Middle East (like Eritrea and Somalia), etc. There are interesting similiarites in places with Indian food and with Caribbean food. You can trace a lot of history/geography through recipes and ingredients when they are laid out in neighbor-to-neighbor chapters like this, which I find absolutely fascinating.

[Jacqie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to try writing some cookbook reviews. I use cookbooks very differently than the fiction books I read so I'm going to be figuring this out.

This year I'm going through the cookbooks on my shelf and seeing if there are enough recipes in them that I'll like and use to justify keeping them. Here's where I'll start.

This book has a very cool concept. The authors spoke with home cooks and grandmothers (bibis) throughout Africa and brought their home recipes into the book. The women they gleaned recipes from come from Eritrea, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, Kenya, Madagascar, Tanzania and Comoros. African food is the cuisine that I am least familiar with so this was a bit intimidating for me. The good part is that these recipes are home cooking so they aren't really that complicated. I felt like I was stretching myself by opening this book but ended up finding quite a few recipes that felt somewhat familiar and doable. This is because some of the basic building blocks of these cuisines will be familiar to cooks who have prepared dishes from India or elsewhere in Southeast Asia because the Indian Diaspora came to Africa too, of course.

What I've cooked and liked: Suugo Suqaar (basically Somalian spaghetti), Tanzanian fried plantains, South African Prego Rolls (steak sandwiches with piri-piri sauce), Denningvleis (South African lamb curry)

What I'd still like to try: Kunde (Kenyan black-eyed peas and tomatoes in peanut sauce), Tanzanian date bread, South African chakalaka, Matoke (stewed plantains with beans and beef) with Steamed Spinach from Tanzania.

This book is worth keeping to me.

[Heather]

This book isn't just a collection of recipes. Each woman featured is interviewed about her life and how food relates to her life and her culture.



Some of these women are living in their homelands and some are living elsewhere. Each of them feels a strong connection to the country of their birth through the food that they serve to their families.



I liked the idea of featuring countries in East Africa that border the Indian Ocean and whose histories involve the spice trade. Several of the countries have similar recipes, such as for flatbreads or potato and bean mashes, but it is interesting to see each cook's take on these staples.



So far I've made two different drinks featured in the book. I made the Rum with Homemade Berry Soda from Mozambique and the Iced Rooibos Tea with Orange, Cloves, and Cinnamon from South Africa. Both of those were very tasty. However, they are just time consuming enough that I don't see myself making them often.



I also have my eye on the Zanzibar Pilau which is a rice pilaf style dish from Tanzania. That is a very simple rice dish made with spices and coconut milk. It could be topped all types of vegetable main courses.
This review was originally posted on Based On A True Story

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the cover of this cookbook. Something that is hard to come by in the pandemic is a communal activity, even one that is so inherently communal as food preparation. My husband and I have often parallel cooked, where we are both in the kitchen at the same time, but not making a common dish. For many years we rarely crossed over into the realm of the other. I make soup and vegetable sides and pasta, and he makes meat main courses and rice and bread. I made the dessert more often than not. Now we change it up ever so little, with he making dessert more often than I these days and I occasionally venturing into the realm of incorporating meat into a dish, but other than things that we fill, like dumplings and egg rolls and tamales, we rarely make things together. Still, I like this idea of shared preparation, where many hands doing a tedious task makes it go faster.

This cookbook covers the food of the eight African countries that touch the Indian Ocean which are Eritrea, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, Comoros, and South Africa. So far I have been reading the stories that accompany each section and have been largely stuck in Somalia recipe-wise, but it is a beautiful cookbook that will likely broaden your palate as well as what you know.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My library adopted this publication for our cookbook book club, and I'll say I have really enjoyed reading through it all. Before I even began cooking from it, I spent time reading about the countries, the grandmas, and the ingredients, and I learned so much. I've only just cooked about six recipes from it so far, but I have meal planned to make many more, even in the next week. Some of the spices and spice blends can be expensive and hard to find in grocery stores in the United States, but the author included some quality online resources for purchasing the spices or spice blends. And once I had those spices, cooking the recipes so far was a breeze - the directions are clear, the timing seems pretty accurate for my kitchen, the cooking methods are straight-forward for someone who cooks regularly. One note: although some of the recipes are vegan or vegetarian-friendly, several of the bibis say that they cook with meat whenever they have it, so there are lots of main dishes that are meat-heavy. However, there are also a lot of vegetable-based sides and some drinks and desserts, so it wouldn't be too hard to still cook along with many of the dishes if one is vegan or vegetarian.

[Emmalita · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Bibi’s Kitchen is a drop dead gorgeous collection of recipes from grandmothers from countries that “touch the Indian Ocean” with short interviews with each contributor. (I was reading it while also listening to The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, which is set in the Indian Ocean. The two activities were unrelated.) In Bibi’s Kitchen is divided by country and includes a short collection of facts and context for the culture and the food, and interviews with the grandmothers about why they chose to share particular recipes, home, community, and how they are passing on their food traditions. Along with the recipes are pages of lovely photos that feature the women sharing the recipes, and often pictures of the food and the process. The recipes range from the labors of love that take time and the surprisingly simple. This is the kind of cookbook that should have food stains all over it. If I were still in my “I can eat everything” era I would have a dinner party where everyone would bring a dish from the cookbook and we would feast. As it is, I bookmarked 6 recipes that I can definitely make, which means I will be buying a copy for myself. This is a great gift cookbook for people who like pretty pictures and some history and culture to go with their cookbooks.

[Maria Cloos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is precisely what I want in a cookbook. I love that they didn’t just write down the recipes and leave it at that. They included a nice introduction to each area, which helped to give an idea of what life is like there. We got to meet grandmothers from each country, who provided a backbone for the book that is a wonderful insight into the cultures and food identity each of them felt was indicative to their countries.

There’s a great sense of humor occasionally as well. For example, in one paragraph they mentioned the remains of a hominid from a million years ago, and in the next paragraph, they began with, “Skipping over a few decades...”. Haha, such lovely understatement.

As for the recipes themselves, they are clearly and concisely written, with notes for substitutions in case you don’t have access to an ingredient where you live. I’m very much looking forward to trying these in my own kitchen.

Lastly, the book itself is lovely. The writing is interspersed with pictures of enticing food and beautiful grandmothers, all of whom make you long for the sort of hug only a grandmother can provide, or if that’s not possible, then the next best thing: her amazing food!

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

A childhood friend of mine gave me this cookbook, so it was nostalgic reading it and looking through the recipes. Some of the recipes were very familiar to me (ones from Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, and even Eritrea) while the ones from farther south were new, but not surprisingly contained fish and coconut. The cookbook is split into eight sections based on the African countries they represent (Eritrea, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Madagascar, and the Comoros). At the beginning of each section there is basic historical, geographical, and cultural information about each country which was quite interesting. This is followed by interviews with the grandmothers featured and then the recipes.

Overall this is a very informative cookbook with recipes that look good to try. The recipes are very doable; they tried to pick simpler recipes with ingredients that are easy to find in the United States. What one may need to buy that they normally wouldn't to prepare the recipes are plantains, coconut milk, and spices. Although I appreciated this cookbook and am looking forward to trying some of the recipes, I was disappointed that it took on a feminist bent. It seemed completely unnecessary.

[Mom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gorgeous cover and alluring title: In Bibi's Kitchen: Recipes and Stories of Grandmothers from Eight African Countries. I saw this book in the library, and flipped through, delighted by the bright photographs and the intriguing recipe titles.

When I got home, I started by flipping through the recipes. The recipes are interesting, directions clear, and substitutes are given for unavailable ingredients. Photographs are gorgeous!

Sadly, I was disappointed when I actually sat down to read the book. Each chapter features a different grandmother, with photos, recipes, and an interview. The interviews were horrible -- with boring questions ("Where are you a originally from?" "How many kids and grandkids do you have?" "How often do you cook?") leading to succinct answers ("Eritrea" "5" "every day"), and rare follow-up questions. No memorable stories to be found.

So, as a cookbook for adventurous cooks, I recommend In Bibi's Kitchen. Likewise for readers who appreciate beautiful photography. But the shallow interviews were a huge disappointment.

[Nannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic idea for a cookbook! It would make a great series, going to other countries as well and speaking with other grandmothers (bibis) there the same way it's done here in this book. However, I also appreciate this as a standalone, showcasing these specific, special African countries bordering the Indian Ocean.

These eight countries are Eritrea, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Madagascar, and Comoros. Because they all border the Indian Ocean, they all had been the backbone of the spice trade. Which makes them all have rich and unique cuisines.

This book is also a wonderful mini-lesson in colonialism, culture, tradition, and history, because the recipes have as equal weight as the stories about and from the bibis themselves. Getting these recipes from the bibis makes them less about food that's trendy and Instagrammable, which is an unbelievable breath of fresh air. They talk about how important it is that food keeps their tradition and cultures intact. It all feels very genuine. And not only that, but the food sounds and looks delicious! This is one cookbook I'm going to have to buy when I have the money.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Significantly underrated on Goodreads! Had to throw my 5 stars in. Food is identity and political history as much as it is a way to fill, nourish, and commune. In Bibi’s Kitchen is operating at a level way beyond most published cookbooks in this regard.

Beyond hitting basic marks (recipes look delicious, are clearly written, and were home-tested), Hawa Hassan and Julia Turshen also contextualize the colonialism, trade routes, and migrations that are an inextricable influence on the food. Each chapter briefs the reader on a country’s history, ethnic groups, religions, and so on. You start to make connections between recipes, both in the book and to other familiar dishes you know.

I also loved their editorial choice to include first-person interviews and photos of each woman in her own home kitchen, which individualizes and celebrates her as a keeper of community and tradition.

Countries featured in this book:
Eritrea
Somalia
Kenya
Tanzania
Mozambique
South Africa
Madagascar
Comoros

I’d love to read more cookbooks in this vein.

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hell yeah this rocks, I'll be buying my own copy. It's a pretty book, I wish I could kick it with all the bibis, and it has a decent little overview of all the countries included in case you don't know much about them. I never thought about making these types of food because of limited exposure and injera seemed like a whole process that I can just get as takeout. But a lot of this, at least how it seems here (with a western kitchen with gadgets!) is pretty straightforward and I don't think I saw any ingredients that would be difficult to get.

I have a weird diet so often cookbooks are very hit or miss but as someone who avoids gluten, eggs, and a lot of dairy this was great. There are a lot of vegan and vegetarian options too. I thought it was funny salt cod and pasta made an appearance as I recently read a southern Italian cookbook where both were featured in similar recipes but I guess that's how colonialism works 🥴

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had high expectations going into reading this cookbook, and I'm happy to report that In Bibi's Kitchen exceeded them. This cookbook is a delight in every way. Do yourself a favor and read it cover to cover. The context is just as important as the food itself, which is perhaps just as it should be. The book features the cuisines of the African countries that touch the Indian ocean around the horn. Each section is organized by country, and includes interviews with women from those countries. The interviews and photographs are beautiful. The recipes in each section are straightforward and thoughtfully designed to be executed in a home kitchen. There is a drink for each section, and many of the recipes are vegan. The food is nutritious and often simple, but exciting to cook nonetheless. As the authors note, there aren't many cookbooks featuring these cuisines, and there certainly aren't many as beautifully executed as this one.

[Jo-anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black History month finds me stretching my understanding of lives my white upbringing has not exposed me to. Much of it is painful learning, but this book is absolute delight. In it are the recipes and stories that honour the matriarchs from 8 African countries that touch the Indian Ocean. “It’s also a collection of stories about war, loss, migration, refuge, and sanctuary. It’s a book about families and their connections to home.” Who knew there is the country of Comoros and that Italian settlers left behind a pasta culture in Eritrea & Somalia. Not me! The authors feel that food connects the dots of different cultures & that home cooking is where culture is created & sustained. Lots of vegan recipes for me and others for the omnivores in my family. Learning through food suits me.