After a decade at the top, the Bake Off winner is reclaiming her career and refusing to soften her edges. She discusses racism, gaslighting – and why comfort food is more important than ever
In a food world where the trend is for protein and weight-loss injections and sugar is the supervillain, Nadiya’s Quick Comforts seems somewhat contrary. There are golden syrup dumplings. There is a chapter devoted to deep frying, with cheese balls and ingenious deep-fried cannelloni.
“If I could write an entire book on deep frying, I absolutely would,” says Hussain with a laugh. “This is how I cook, this is how I eat, this is how I show love to my family. Everything in there is stuff that my kids absolutely love.” It’s about balance, she says – there are also lovely recipes for soothing plant-based dal and delicious noodles – because “I think anything that’s an extreme version of itself is dangerous”.
She chides me gently for saying that if I ever make her recipe for deep-fried cookie dough balls, I’m finished. “Food brings so much joy, and I think we live in a society and a culture where we are scared into believing that everything we do is bad for us and wrong. I just think it’s taken the enjoyment out of life.” She doesn’t follow trends, she says. And “I suppose I don’t follow the rules”. That is becoming very clear.
