Papa's Butter Chicken

When Monica hears her father taking pans out of the kitchen cabinet, she knows he’s making his delicious butter chicken recipe. Bright, cheerful illustrations show the father-daughter team creating the aromatic dish together. The girl’s job is to read off the recipe and add the heavy cream to the bubbling concoction; her father cuts up ingredients and deals with the hot oven. While the pair are busy in the kitchen, other family members are making phone calls and deciding what they will bring to add to the dinner, which is turning into a party. Aunts, uncles, cousins, Grandma, and a few neighbors drop in to share the fragrant stew and bring a plethora of Indian recipes to complement the fragrant dish. Monica is disappointed at first that she has to share her father and the meal they made, but her papa’s maxim encourages her to enjoy the high-spirited, impromptu gathering: “Ingredients are just like people. . . . Wonderful on their own, but even better together.” Back matter includes clear directions for making the butter chicken.–Booklist

A young South Asian girl helps her father whip up his famous butter chicken.
Monica and her cousin Anya are about to go to the park when Monica realizes that Papa’s getting ready to cook. She joins him in the kitchen, where he regales her with his first memory of eating the dish; he, his brother, and his father ate it at a restaurant under twinkling lights as musicians played. It quickly became a family favorite. While the pair stir the sauce and add the spices, Papa gives Monica some words of wisdom. “Ingredients are just like people,” he says, “Wonderful on their own, but even better together.” Meanwhile, Anya is spreading the word to family, neighbors, and friends that Papa’s cooking butter chicken. Just as Monica and her father are ready to eat, the doorbell rings, and their family and friends stop by with dishes of their own. Monica is upset at the interruption, but Papa reminds her that “beautiful things happen when we share food like this.” As they join the guests for a feast, Monica revels in the twinkling lights and a special memory of her own. Though the conflict feels a bit forced, Saigal and Tariq capture the immersive feelings of cooking. Bright and cheery illustrations in fiery reds and oranges and complementary blues create a celebratory mood, while spot art frames feature arches and arabesque designs.
A tasty tale of delighting in the magic of both cooking and memories. (foreword from Chef José Andrés, recipe for butter chicken) (Picture book. 4-7)–Kirkus Reviews