Korma Kheer Kismet (Five Seasons in Old Delh)

A food memoir that brings the legendary dishes of Old Delhi to vivid and mouth-watering life.

Pamela Timms leaves cold, damp Scotland with her family to embark on the trip of a lifetime to Delhi, but soon finds herself frustrated with expatriate life and stranded far from the 'real India' she set out for.

Then the chaotic, medieval gullies of the old city provide her with an unexpected escape. Several gastronomic adventures change forever the way she thinks about food and cooking and she embarks on a quest to discover the stories and secret ingredients of Old Delhi's beloved street food. She unravels the mysteries surrounding Ashok and Ashok's mutton korma, Bade Mian's kheer, the 'Old and Famous' jalebis, and that most elusive of Shahjahanabad's winter treats, daulat ki chaat.

The journey takes her deep into the heart of the old city, where she is welcomed into the lives of those who make and sell its extraordinary dishes. With them she celebrates festivals, learns about their families, finds recipes and makes treasured friends, soon realizing Old Delhi has become a place she can call home.

Quite literally a feast for the senses, Korma, Kheer and Kismet is an unforgettable portrait of a place, its people and their food.

Pamela Timms is a Scottish journalist who has written for a wide range of publications. She chronicles her Indian food adventures on her blog eat and dust and is a columnist for Mint. She lives in Delhi with her husband and three children.