‘A Taste of Pakistan in Fusion’, a cook-book authored by a well-known food blogger and culinary expert Shaziah Zuberi has launched in Pakistan on Monday, 20th December 2021. This book comprises of fusion recipes with a hint of Pakistani theme which is unique and innovative for cooking fans as it brings something new to the plate.

The author, Shaziah Zuberi resides in the United States for years now but has kept her love for cooking alive and has been a part of it by writing blogs for Express Tribune, Dawn Images, Daily Times and The Friday Times. She has also contributed in a book called Food Prints which launched a few years ago.

For now, Zuberi actively practices culinary skills and keeps posting recipes on social media platforms keeping the audiences engaged and would not be wrong to say ‘indulged’ as they look forward to try the new fusion cooking, which is not so common particularly in Pakistan. It is interesting that these recipes are Pakistani taste centric which makes it easier for the audiences to adapt to it.

Fusion cooking is an initiative to bring the Pakistani cuisine closer to the different cuisines from across the world as it melds all these into one. A Taste of Pakistan in Fusion, which is a beautifully photographed book amalgamates global and cultural diversity with Pakistan’s taste.

The main highlight of Shaziah Zuberi’s career is that she crafted and experimented with different recipes while keeping her roots intact which is the basis of this cookbook. The recipes are a great blend of taste and health all together as almost every recipe has vegetables as the primary ingredient.

The inspiration behind writing this book was Zuberi’s life after marriage particularly when she moved to US and her kids were getting more inclined towards western food but she did not want them to forget their roots yet keep trying new dishes every time. According to her, fusion cooking represents “cultural harmony and assimilation through food.”

The recipes in the book include appetizers, soups and salads, seafood, meat, chicken and vegetarian dishes along with mouthwatering desserts. The recipes are descriptive and explained step by step for the convenience of the readers. It has been commonly seen that Pakistani cuisine majorly revolves around rice and curry dishes hence this can be a shift from the usual to the unorthodox.

When asked what was the motivation and inspiration behind her cookbook project, Zuberi stated “I had to build a connection with my readers based on content, storyline, recipe design, food styling, and pictures that truly reflected my imagination.” For this book is a beautiful combination of food and its illustration.

As a cookbook author, Zuberi believes that, “The cookbook project provided me a vision in life. For this I had to be focused and responsible, and needed to maintain consistency and stay connected to my audience in order to bring my work to the next level. No question, it’s a continuous struggle in moving forward. So, I would describe myself as persistent, brave and focused.”

According to her, the message of the cookbook is no less than an effort to open doors, build bridges and deepen relationships through the ‘art’ of fusion food. She says, “It melds my authentic Pakistani heritage with a celebration of global diversity. It tells all who read it and cook from it that the world is a global village and we can enjoy all cultures while not forgetting our own.”

When asked what fusion cooking is, Zuberi explained, “In this cooking process, I have infused my traditional Pakistani recipes with a fascinating twist, inspired by incorporating elements of other world cuisines to create a unique and rich dining experience. For example, when I adapted the popular Pakistani ‘shami kebab’ recipe, I presented the kebab patty within a bun topped with a delicious avocado spread that was inspired by Mexican cooking.”

She also mentioned, “Similarly, in my baked ‘kofta’ recipe, I combined elements from Pakistani and Middle Eastern cooking. This recipe tastes like the traditional Pakistani meatball but what makes this dish unique is its cake-like shape.”

The cookbook is not just a book rather brings forth a lot of experiences as the writer shares with us, “In my book you also get a glimpse about my travel experiences. While traveling, there is a whole lot of learning involved, including history, traditions, environment and local culture of the area, infused with the local cuisine.”

She further added, “In fact, my travel memory is always associated with food. When I travel, I try to understand not only what people eat, but why they eat what they do, what the local ingredients that they use are, and what is the back-story. I am eager to get this information because food is a universal language that connects us all as humans.”

It would not be wrong to say that Zuberi’s exposure has helped her shape the culinary expertise into a work of art that we see today and she gives out this message to all women across the world to move forward with their interests in life balancing between personal and professional responsibilities.

Hence, if you want to try healthy cooking with taste and a twist then this cookbook has to be your right choice. ‘A Taste of Pakistan in Fusion’ is edited by Azmat Zuberi with layout and design by Tuba Arshad of Markings and the photography of the recipes is by Ayishah Taliaferro, Shehla Iftikhar and Shaziah Zuberi.

The hardcopy of the cookbook is available for purchase for Rs 4000 at multiple locations in Karachi including Tali, Serai Concept Store, Liberty Books (stores and online), Ensemble Home, Naheed Supermarket, Ocean Bookhouse, Say Publishing and Sync by Zobia.