Since my heroine Freya Gitasdottir is half-Gujarati, I make an effort to include aspects of her mother's culture throughout the series.
Gujarati cuisine
Like many Brits I love Indian food, but Gujarati cuisine is less well-known over here, so it was great fun getting to know some classic dishes (some of which I have since tried in local restaurants!).
Here are some of the foods mentioned in the books so far:
- Dhokla - a steamed savoury cake made from ground lentils and rice. Gujarati soul food!
- Kathol - a savoury dish made from pulses, similar to dal
- Mohanthal - a fudge-like sweetmeat made with almonds and pistachios, popular at festivals
- Rotli - a thin flatbread, known as a chapati elsewhere in India
Hindu festivals
Not only do real festivals appear in the books, I make sure that their dates coincide with their actual occurrence in the 1920s. Often they fit perfectly into the story, which is kinda spooky!
| Festival |
Date(s) |
| Diwali |
16th-21st October 1922 |
| Akshaya Tritiya |
19th April 1923 |
Dhokla (photo: Sumit Surai, Wikimedia Commons)
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