Farahad Zama's The Marriage Bureau For Rich People is the Richard & Judy / Daily Mail Book of the Month for November: click here to read the Mail's feature on it.
One of three books being discussed on the re-launched Richard & Judy / Daily Mail New Writers selection, this enchanting debut novel is the subject of Richard & Judy's new Watch TV show on November 6th, and will include a short film made with Farahad.
The Marriage Bureau For Rich People has already won plenty of fans:
‘Will send you to bed with happy thoughts and happy dreams’ Suzy Feay, on The Simon Mayo Programme, BBC Radio Five Live
‘Wonderful wisdom of innocence. I just loved it’ Boyd Tonkin on The Simon Mayo Programme, BBC Radio Five Live
‘Gently satirical, very warm and witty... Mr and Ms Ali are wonderful creations’ Tim Bowler on The Simon Mayo Programme, BBC Radio Five Live
'A witty, affectionate picture of modern India’ Kate Saunders, Times
‘Charming, warm-hearted and funny, a delightful debut... a real treat’ New Books Magazine
‘If you’re in need of something to chase away the encroaching winter gloom, look no further than this joyous debut’ Melissa Katsoulis, Sunday Telegraph
‘A writer of charming and breezy prose, Zama pays homage to Jane Austen in a contemporary love story firmly grounded in classic wrangles over family, property and class’ Emma Hagestadt, Independent
Read an extract from The Marriage Bureau For Rich People.
In this beguiling debut novel Farahad Zama has written a wonderfully warm and witty story of love and pride and prejudice that’s set in a contemporary Indian marriage bureau. And so, to whet your appetite for all things Indian, here’s one of Farahad’s favourite recipes, a most delicious Halva:
½ cup ghee (or unsalted butter)
4 pods cardamom
4 sticks cloves
2 pieces cinnamon
50g cashew nuts
25g raisins
1 cup (about 200g) fine semolina
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
Melt the ghee in a flat-bottomed pan over a medium flame then
add the cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Fry the cashew nuts
and raisins along with the spices in the ghee until light brown.
Add the semolina and fry till the colour changes. Then add the
water and stir well.
Cover the pan and cook over a low flame for two minutes. By
now, the water should have been absorbed and the semolina will
be cooked. Add the sugar and stir well. In a couple of minutes,
bubbles will start popping through the semolina. Cover the pan
again and keep on a low flame for one more minute.
Serve while still warm.