Stirring the Pot

by Quraisha Dawood

At Summer Terrace flats in hot and humid Durban, the friendships between the women are as intricate as the curling patterns of henna tattoos.


Meet old Aunty Ruki, who lives with her domestic worker, Joyce, an arrangement that ruffles many feathers. There’s Zaina, who has her sights on becoming an architect, and her mother Rabia, a florist, and yes, she’s divorced. Zaina hides a secret that could cause a rift in their his name is Imraan, and dating him simply isn’t allowed.


Dive into this swirl of madams and maids, women and their husbands, children, grandchildren, and in-laws, a world bristling with life and vitality, amid judgements and forgiveness, secrets and lies, expectations and disappointments.


Prepare for a wedding, a theft, Ramadaan, and a passing, while delicious recipes for traditional cuisine add local spice to life at Summer Terrace.

307 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2022

Reviews

[Beeg Panda]

Blurb:
A glimpse into the private lives of a group of women in Durban’s Muslim community. Prepare for a wedding, a theft, Ramadaan and a passing, while delicious recipes for traditional cuisine add local spice to life at Summer Terrace.

My first thoughts on reading the blurb:
“So like home…”

[Expat Panda · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s not often a book can be light, enjoyable and frothy while also managing to be thought provoking and reflective. This gem of a book manages to do just that.

The book is essentially a coming of age story as Zaina- and the other women of Summer Terrace- grapple with their inner demons and the turns their lives have taken. The complex dynamic between maids and South African Muslim women is an interesting one to write a book about and I applaud the nuances and sensitivity Quraisha Dawood displayed in this book. I hope it serves as a catalyst for many women to check themselves and their behaviour towards their domestic helpers. That being said, it touched on the love and friendship shared by women despite class and racial barriers.

The words read like poetry with vivid descriptions and lyrical melody. The way she sets the scene and dissects a characters feelings is pure magic. Few authors have such talent.

It was surreal to read a book about the specific niche community I grew up in. Also set at the university I studied at, the attention to detail in this book that mirrored my own life was almost alarming. I finally felt like my community was being SEEN.

I removed a star mainly because I felt that the book was so specifically about one particular community, that it may not appeal to a more global audience or that they may lose the nuances of many things due to not having contextual knowledge. I do hope I’m wrong about this because it’s an excellent book that should be read far and wide.

Frankly, I’m awaiting Quraisha’s next book with bated breath.

[Gail Schimmel · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent, delicious read with universal themes and characters.

[Faathimah Bookmark My World · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stirring the Pot
By Quraisha Dawood

Rated: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

This book follows the lives of Muslim residents living in a block of flats, close to the beach front in our very own Durban!!
But..more importantly, in Summer Terrace, it is all about the women that live here and their domestic workers!
The author has captured these stigmas so perfectly.. And every page me had me nodding my head or scoffing at the reality of these situations!
It is purely a book for thought, and brings to light many of our "shortcomings" in the Muslim community with regards to our treatment of our workers!
Yes, we are all guilty of some of the "ways" in this book!
And no, this was not just a boring, statistical book.. Each page was filled with laughs, joys and amazing quotes! Food, friends, drama, familiarity and of course LOVE!
Towards the ending, I was even brought to tears! Yes, i stayed up well past 1am to finish this book, even though I would be fasting the next day!
The recipes at the end of each chapter are an added bonus as well!!
So so beautifully written and I will definitely be recommending this to all my friends! I cannot wait to see what comes next from this amazing author!!

[aqeelah ❀༉˖ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 🌟 My two day trip to durban felt like a two week trip because of this book! It's such a surreal experience reading a book that mimics your exact circumstances and feels so much like a community you know. Set in a block of flats in durban, this contemporary drama follows the lives of maids, madams and their families. It's entertaining, quote-worthy and each chapter includes a traditional recipe at the end!

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have just completed reading Stirring The Pot by Quraisha Dawood. I was really looking forward to reading this novel, not only because I know the author, but because I intuitively felt that it would be good. I am glad to say that my gut instinct was correct!

First off, I must commend Quraisha on her excellent writing style. The words flow beautifully on the page and she engages the reader with powerful visual descriptions that paint a precise and vivid picture of each character and the setting in each scene.

Stirring the Pot is a brave book, in that it explores a controversial subject: the dynamics between Muslim women and their domestic workers. It honestly reflects the way the Muslim community interacts with their workers and for this reason it may make many women feel uncomfortable. It may be interpreted as sharing and revealing 'too much' into their lives. This is a good thing! Personally, I enjoyed these honest reflections and I hope that as a community we can check ourselves and our behaviour going forward.

I loved the variety of characters portrayed throughout the novel, and the different voices that came through, of young and old. I do feel though, that a lot of the book focused on the story of young Zaina, and I wonder if the author had initially penned her first draft around this character, later developing the characters around her and fleshing them out. That said, the focus on Zaina doesn't injure the book so it boils down to a matter of personal opinion.

I particularly enjoyed characters like Shirin and Aunty Ruki and the domestic worker Joyce. I would have loved to see more into the lives of the domestic workers outside Summer Terrace simply because their characters were so fascinating, but I appreciate that this may have taken the book down another path and made it unnecessarily 'busy'

All in all, I loved this book (not to mention the delectable recipes in between the pages) and highly recommend it.

rating 4/5 stars

[Denira Varma · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible slice of Durban! Relatable and authentic, I loved how characters grappled with the darker, deeper issues but that the writing was never heavy or overbearing.

And flip, recipes! As if everyone doesn't know that the Muslim aunties make the best food, loved it!

[Verushka Ramasami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in Durban following the lives of a group of Muslim families who live in a block of flats.Interwoven in the story are delish recipes which leave you hungry.Relationships are explored ,arranged marriages ,forbidden love story and the secrets we keep.

[Roelia (Roelia Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may be a work of fiction, but it doesn't mean that there's no truth or facts herein. What started out as an academic thesis for Dr Quraisha Dawood, turned out as an intriguing fictionalised account, mainly centering around the relationships between Muslin women and their domestic helpers (the 'madams' and 'maids' dynamic).

It results in a story as colourful as the cover of this book. We meet the inhabitants of Summer Terrace, a block of flats on Durban's beach front. The story is all about relationships - relationships with religion, relationships between family members, relationships between the members of this close-knit community, relationships between husbands and wives, relationships between 'madams' and 'maids', as well as the relationships between the domestic helpers themselves. It is about dependency and co-dependency, with a few political, moral and religious dilemmas in-between.

And amongst all the happenings, the presence of food - the nourishment, the ritual, the richness thereof - almost like a very strong supporting role in a movie. Each chapter ends with a recipe, like a delicious and decadent treat that I'm dying to have a taste of. Seriously, I want to try it all.

It is a gem of a read, and specifically as South Africans, some may see it as a tad controversial and uncomfortable. I valued the unique insight I gained from this read, some things I knew, and some I didn't. I found it a rich, cultural journey - and found the fact that the last part of story culminated in Ramadan, which is currently happening, fascinating. It is almost like a clean slate, a full circle. Only to begin again.

It was an emotional journey - frustration, curiosity, happiness, heartache, laughter, celebrations, devastation, acceptance. It is definitively a 5-star read for me! And the divine recipes is an additional bonus.

[Nafeesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me smiling throughout. It is not everyday that I stumble across a book based on my home with situations that run parallel to my own life. Talk about representation! :). It made me giggle nostalgically to read about places I frequent often in such a romantic light and revisit my university days at the same university that Zayanna attends. I would have also liked to hear more of the Domestic workers point of views and more scenes from the “maids quarters” and I did feel like Quraisha had sort of sugar-coated the relationship between the “Madams” and domestic helpers but most of it was pretty close to the real deal. Not to mention I started this in Ramadan and could easily relate to the hub-bub of preparations leading up to this holy month and the peaceful, generous atmosphere within this period. All the characters were likeable and remind me of people I know. Oh and did I mention how delighted I was with my recipes with most of my favourite local dishes as well as new dishes and drinks to try ?
it’s such an easy read as well I finished it in a day ! I’d recommend this to all South African locals and anyone really !
Thank you Quraisha Dawood for your contributions to Durban’s rich history that I sometimes forget myself ..

[Penny Haw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original, beautifully written, gripping and touching, I loved this book. With her strong voice, fluid style and expert storytelling, Quraisha Dawood is a skilled author. She writes with energy, insight and humour, and I was immediately transported to Durban, immersed in her characters’ lives and eager to follow their stories. Her characters stayed with me way beyond the final page. I also learned a great deal and enjoyed the way Dawood wove traditions—culinary and otherwise—into the story, cleverly including a recipe between each chapter. There’s a certainty and authority about Dawood’s writing which belies the fact that, Stirring the Pot is her debut novel. I will be among the first to buy her next one.

[Firoze Cassim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A light hearted, highly entertaining read! Set in Durban, the book is about the relationships between women tenants and between the women tenants and their domestic workers living in a block of flats. The characters are really brought home to life and their personalities spring out of the book. Thoroughly enjoyable.

[Mumtaz Moosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book.!

It is simply the most beautifully written South African book for this year.
The highlights of social issues within our communities are touched on.

The recipes are beyond amazing.

Only note I can add.
Do Not read this book when you are hungry.

[Azu Rikka · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute, fluffy read, I gulped it down within 24hours. I liked the colourful depiction of the women living in this Durban appartment complex. The smells, tastes, views and drama of the setting came to life in this book. I like that the author dedicated a good part of the story to the maids.

[Amina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A relatable story for every muslim South African girl , takes one back in time to beauty of durban life. Quraisha has captured it so beautifully in words.

[Zaheera Jina Asvat · Rating 5 out of 5]

The imagery in this novel takes the reader along capturing the rhythms of life in a block of flats in Durban, South Africa. Superb!

[Shani · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Indian community in Durban and their intertwined lives.