So it turns out paper is expensive! And three to five variations on any given recipe (to accommodate a range of food sensitivities and physical abilities and often some historical nods) add up pretty fast, as I discovered in Haroun.
Since I am not a prophet, I had not known in 2023 that I would come to regret WordPress’s default date-linked post method as much as I now do — but reworking three-and-counting years of posts and republishing multiple editions of multiple books all uses time that could otherwise have gone to writing the next book.
Therefore, here’s the Director’s Cut edition of the recipe notes from my books, along with organized recipe blog posts. 😀
(Work in progress: If something is listed but not linked yet, my apologies, I have got a LOT of recipes to transfer out of backmatter and notes still… and all of them need me to find human-created, Creative Commons-licensed food images, since I can’t take in-focus photos myself.)
Table of Contents
- Recipes from Chai and Charmcraft (2026)
- Recipes from Haroun and the Study of Mischief (2025)
- Recipes from Chai and Cat-tales (2024)
Recipes from Chai and Charmcraft
In the book and/or its back matter (definitely more to come!):
- Asharan’s Rose Chai
- Rahat al-hulqum, part 1 (I need to do a part 2 with more history nerding!)
- Shai Rahim’s Bazmaward Wraps
- Himmas Kassa for a Feast
- Fish Esmatiyya for the Faithful
- Mu’tamidiyya: Chicken and Olive Thick Omelet
Inspired by the book or characters:
- Sahar’s Misty Evening Chai Latte
- A Meditative Jasmine Infusion
- Shai Madhur’s Date Balls
- Maqlouba, Tahchin, and Why the Internet Is Wrong
Recipes from Haroun and the Study of Mischief
In the book and/or its back matter:
- Grandmother’s Karkadeh for Good Boys, Good Girls, and Good Folks
- Spice blends: Atraf al-tib
- Spice blends: Za’atar (and manakish)
- Cheeses: Halum and halloumi
- Cheeses: Qanbaris, dahi, and paneer, including Mad Alchemist’s Qanbaris and Accidental Earl Grey Paneer
- Pickles: Sweet and sour rose pickles with a historic low spoons variant
- Pickles: Salted Lemon Pickles
- Pickles: Mukhalal and quick pickles with a surprisingly historic echo to my family’s recipe
- Pickles: Aam ka achaar
- Zirbaj of Plausible Deniability
Inspired by the book or characters:
- Ranveer and Dagobah Swamp Ramen
- Pumpkin Spice Latte For Mad Science!!! (with a nod toward the overlap between poudre douce, atraf al-tib, and pumpkin spice)
- Puppy Chow, Human Style
- Mrrrow Mix, Human Style
- Fertilizer for the Love-Craft
Recipes from Chai and Cat-tales
In the book and/or its back matter:
- Najra’s Crimson Witch’s Brew
- Priye’s Brindle Kitten Chai (and the Spoonful Hot Chocolate of Decadence)
- Sharbat for the Shahzada
- Zulabiyya for the Eldest Archivist
- Shai Madhur’s Golden Milk and Asharan’s Golden Chai
Inspired by the book or characters:
Lynn Strong 