July 2026 Entries

Nigella and I share a birthday! As a 27 year old, I understand that it is perhaps odd for me to feel like somehow, her cooking journey has mirrored mine so far! Regardless, she is and will always be my cooking icon. As someone who grew up in a Bangladeshi home that loved food, I identified with her unabashed desire of pleasure from food. The first recipe I ever cooked for someone was Nigella's Thai Scented Mushy Peas and Scallops. I learnt some of my first recipes through her books, and as I grew up I realized how much of my mother and sister's repertoire consisted of her recipes. I was a plump/chubby kid, teenager, and young adult. Only in my mid-twenties, I started taking my health seriously, and frankly took it too seriously. Food began to feel restrictive, and I completely changed how I was eating to fit into my perception of fitness and how I believed I needed to look and feel. Of course, after a year of holding on , I bounced back, started gaining some of the weight back, and restarted a cycle of restriction. One day, as I was low in spirits and craving something comforting, I thought I'd try to satiate my mind by watching some old Nigella videos and interviews. I was instantly reminded of a time where I would cook through videos, made some of my first desserts, hosted dinner parties -- all Nigella-themed and inspired. I came across one clip, where she said something to the effect of food not needing to be about restriction, but have space for everything-- and to eat everything that gives joy so that there isn't a need to binge! This really resonated with me, and I've now gone on a different kind of binge: a Nigella one! Cooking recipes new and old, ranging from Rice Bowls, to Rose-Pepper Pavlova! I've never felt better in my body and the scale has never been more balanced around my goal weight! I've picked recipes that have never piqued my interest before, like the rice bowl -- and now suddenly it makes sense! What our bodies need, want, and desire from food shifts over time, and I love that Nigella's body of work also tracks that! And for moment where one needs indulgence, there is the Rose Pepper and Strawberry Pavlova. I've not deviated much from the original, my only two significant changes include tossing some rosewater in the strawberries for them to macerate into and be fully perfumed with Turkish delight energy! To the whipped cream topping, I add a 25 mls of greek yoghurt for it to be a little lighter, and to introduce a bit of a tartness against the sweet marshmallow-y pavlova base. This was ideated because in Canada, whipped cream is sold in 273 ml packs, and I didn't want to splurge for the large one to make up the 25ml of extra cream the recipe called for! A perfect summer treat and reminder that pleasure and nourishment are never opposites, thank you!