Long ago in India, a little boy dared to invite the Great Emperor to dinner…
Inspired by a true story of sharing, community and food.
Illustrated in a unique style that mixes contemporary and traditional Mughal miniature painting.
“This brilliant book reads like an ancient Indian Folktale. It is a beautiful portrayal of the power of community and sharing”
Food-loving Anwar lives with his mum, Paro, in a humble village in India.
One day, the Great Emperor and his caravan of people are passing by.
What happens when Anwar dares to invite the mighty Emperor to dinner – and accidentally all his followers too?
No matter how frantically Paro chops more onions, mixes more spices and pours more water into her dal, it JUST isn’t enough…
Can Anwar save the day?
Buy the book here
101 Dishes for The Emperor is avaialble to buy now in several editions including bilingual editions & an audiobook.
Audiobook & Standard Edition
101 Dishes for The Emperor is available as a standard paperback edition and Kindle Ebook on Amazon.
Sheena Bhatessa narrates the Audible Audiobook which is ideal for a bedtime story.
Limited A4 Edition (Signed Author Copy)
The first print run of the book, supported by Arts Council England.
This edition is in A4 size to allow you to enjoy the storybook in more detail.
Only available here on the website (via PayPal).
Bilingual Editions
Explore the story in one of three of The Emperor’s mughal languages (Urdu, Bengali or Hindi), each alongside the original English version. This is a beautiful way for children to learn their own language.
Available via Amazon.
“Soni has a wonderful writing style. I feel that she is one of those master storytellers. Someone who can weave a spell over you with the power of her words and send you magically off to another land.”
Soni Zuberi Shah
Author
“101 Dishes for the Emperor is inspired by a true event that happened to my family a very long time ago. My father used to tell me the story when I was a little girl. I wrote down this tale, so it could be shared with you.”
Soni trained as an environmentalist and worked in conservation and development. She has also worked in science communication at the BBC and has gone on to work in the arts and community.
101 Dishes for the Emperor is Soni’s first children’s picture book, it is inspired by a true story her father used to tell her about her ancestral heritage. Set in 16 century India, the story is about a little boy who dares to invite the Emperor to dinner to try his mum’s delicious dal. Soni says ‘With universal values of sharing, kindness and the love of good food, 101 Dishes for the Emperor is as relevant today as it was in 16th century India.’
Dr Fatima Zahra Hassan
Illustrator & Mughal Miniature Painting Expert
“101 Dishes for the Emperor is dedicated to my beloved mother, who has been a great source of inspiration to me”
Dr Fatima Zahra Hassan is a London based visual artist, educator, and researcher, trained in Visual Islamic and Traditional Arts. She specialises in Indian, Mughal and Persian Miniature Painting. Zahra has also introduced new courses at the School of Traditional Arts, The Prince’s Foundation London, and the University of London and the British Museum’s joint World Art Programme in South Asian Art and Design held at the British Museum and Asia House London.
Zahra has conducted many workshops and has given talks in museums in the UK on Indo-Persian Miniature Painting and Islamic Illustrated Manuscript Illustration.
She is part of international research groups and publishes on South Asian and Middle Eastern Art with an approach that bridges the practice with theory.
“This folk tale of India instantly transported me to the moonlit nights resting on my grandmother’s lap and hearing similar folk tales about Kings and Queens”
The 101 Dishes for the Emperor Exhibition
We are grateful to the following for their support in making the 101 Dishes for the Emperor Exhibition and bringing the joy of the story to local communities.
Story Exhibition
School Readings
Contact Us
The Emperor is waiting to hear from you!
For enquiries about the book or if you are interested in exhibiting the 101 Dishes for the Emperor Arts Show, please contact us here.
