[Sca-cooks] Ni'matnama was Medieval Indian
Johnna Holloway
johnnae at mac.com
Wed Dec 9 06:28:57 PST 2009
Some people are probably wondering what volume is being discussed by
His Grace, Mistress Huette, and Lady Madhavi
The full title for the book under discussion is: The Ni'matnama
Manuscript of the Sultans of Mandu: The Sultan's Book of Delights by
Norah M. Titley
Table of Contents
1. Preface 2. Introduction 3. List and Description of the Manuscript's
Illustrations 4. Facsimile of the Manuscript including Colour Inserts
for Illustrations 5. Translation of the Manuscript 6. Bibliography 7.
Glossary 8. Index
Amazon describes it as
"The Ni'matnama is a late fifteenth-century book of recipes written
for the Sultan of Mandu, in what is now Madhya Pradesh, India. It
contains recipes for cooking a variety of delicacies and epicurean
delights, as well as providing remedies and aphrodisiacs for Nasir ad-
Din Shah of Mandu and his court. The text provides a unique account of
courtly life in a fifteenth century Indian Sultanate and documents a
fascinating stage in the history of Indian cookery. There is only one
copy of The Sultan's Book of Delights in existence, held in the
Oriental and India Office Collections of the British Library (BL-
Persian 149). The book manuscript is illustrated with fifty elegant
miniature paintings, most of which show showing the Sultan observing
the women of his court as they prepare and serve him various dishes.
These illustrations are important historical art documents in their
own right. Painted in a distinctive Shirazi (Southern Iranian) style,
they are also stylistically influenced by indigenous styles of book
painting found in Central and Western India, and are the earliest
known example of miniature painting in an Islamic Deccani style. For
the first time, a facsimile of the original text is reproduced for a
scholarly audience. Norah Titley, formerly assistant keeper, Oriental
Collections at the British Library, has masterfully translated this
unique book."
Or see
http://www.routledge-ny.com/books/The-Nimatnama-Manuscript-of-the-Sultans-of-Mandu-isbn9780415350594
Devra carried copies at one time, but doesn't list it at the moment.
It's a very expensive volume.
RoutledgeCurzon; illustrated edition edition (January 21, 2005) List
price currently is $200 with Amazon offering it at $153.00. (It was
$125 when published.)
I've had a copy since it was published. My husband reviewed a book
for CRC and they sent him two free books, including this one for me.
As to buying it, I'd say try for interlibrary loan and see if they can
provide a copy. The recipe section isn't that large. The plates take
up most of the book. I'd say that most folks could do ok with
interlibrary loaning the book and then xeroxing the recipe section.
Save the money on the purchase, and be quite happy.
hope this helps
Johnnae
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