Each spice has a name like you and me. Each one has a different flavour, like you and me. Each one has a purpose, like you and me. Each one is distinct, and passionately and lovingly changes the flavour of bland rice to the elegant pulao, or the deliciously fiery biryani. Respect spice." The words as narrated by the cousin of Ayesha, the protagonist of US-based Pakistani author Bisma Tirmizi's new novel, Feast: With A Taste of Amir Khusro (Rupa Publications), could be a fitting tribute to the often, underrated ingredient in the subcontinent's cuisine.

But, then almost every element of food from the region — right from what's involved in cooking and serving to eating — has always intrigued Tirmizi. "Even when I wasn't eating, I understood and respected what food had to offer; in terms of taste, familial bonds of sharing, and the romance and sensuality of it all," says the Las Vegas-based writer. It's this love for food that finds way into her new novel, which tells the story of Karachi-based Ayesha, a young girl battling obesity, and how she discovers herself through her explorations in food. "I see them [young girls struggling with weight] everywhere, their insecurities and need for acceptance in a world, where physical appearance reigns supreme. I, too, was an overweight 13-year-old, and know the feeling well," says Tirmizi.