Issue XXIX, June

Marriage Material – the stage adaptation of Sathnam Sanghera’s critically acclaimed novel, exploring themes of family, love, history and tradition. After a family tragedy, protagonist Arjan Bains is called back from London to take over the West Midlands cornershop his family has run for three generations. But how long can he stay away?

Book best seats Monday–Friday, with our promo code DISHOOM20. (Or make an evening of it with our set menu, pre- or post-show.)

Our most recent Babu House Book Club read: Interpreter Of Maladies, by eminent writer Jhumpa Lahiri. This perfectly-paced assembly of short stories (nine in total) won the Pulitzer prize for Fiction in 2000, for Lahiri’s evocative exploration of life, love and longing through a Bengali-American lens. If quiet storytelling, gleaming details and the ever-present tug between modernity and tradition are of interest, then this literary classic will not disappoint.

NYC-based lipstick brand Teak Beauty – co-founded by Telugu sisters Nupoora and Pooja Reddy, and designed to work with South Asian complexions. Named for the rich, intricately carved teak wood doors that adorn entrances all over South Asia, their current collection includes sheer and soft matte shades, developed using colour theory to flatter all shades of brown.

Dessine Art: South-Asian owned premium online art platform, featuring new and established artists from all over the world. Their beautifully curated collection includes museum prints and posters, original artworks and exquisite wall plates (our favourite). Aficionados of Indian art should not miss browsing their artfully-assembled range of Rajasthani, Madhubani and Mughal Miniature pieces.

All the Aunties – a newly-launched, family-run paneer brand that’s a world away from the usual suspects. Lovingly handmade in the UK, it’s pleasingly protein rich (excellent news for the vegetarians among us) and comes in three flavours: Original, Garlic & Herb, and Chilli, Cumin & Turmeric. When all the aunties approve, it simply has to be good, no?