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Fatty Fatty Boom Boom

A Memoir of Food, Fat, and Family

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About this listen

 “A delicious and mouthwatering book about food and family, the complicated love for both, and how that shapes us into who we are . . . I absolutely loved it!”
—Valerie Bertinelli

From the bestselling author and host of the wildly popular Undisclosed podcast, a warm, intimate memoir about food, body image, and growing up in a loving but sometimes oppressively concerned Pakistani immigrant family.

"My entire life I have been less fat and more fat, but never not fat." According to family lore, when Rabia Chaudry’s family returned to Pakistan for their first visit since moving to the United States, two-year-old Rabia was more than just a pudgy toddler. Dada Abu, her fit and sprightly grandfather, attempted to pick her up but had to put her straight back down, demanding of Chaudry’s mother: “What have you done to her?” The answer was two full bottles of half-and-half per day, frozen butter sticks to gnaw on, and lots and lots of American processed foods.

And yet, despite her parents plying her with all the wrong foods as they discovered Burger King and Dairy Queen, they were highly concerned for the future for their large-sized daughter. How would she ever find a suitable husband? There was merciless teasing by uncles, cousins, and kids at school, but Chaudry always loved food too much to hold a grudge against it. Soon she would leave behind fast food and come to love the Pakistani foods of her heritage, learning to cook them with wholesome ingredients and eat them in moderation. At once a love letter (with recipes) to fresh roti, chaat, chicken biryani, ghee, pakoras, shorba, parathay and an often hilarious dissection of life in a Muslim immigrant family, Fatty Fatty Boom Boom is also a searingly honest portrait of a woman grappling with a body that gets the job done but that refuses to meet the expectations of others.

Chaudry's memoir offers readers a relatable and powerful voice on the controversial topic of body image, one that dispenses with the politics and gets to what every woman who has ever struggled with weight will relate to.
 Culinary Professionals & Academics South Asian Creators Women Memoir Witty Funny Asian Culture
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A joy and a pleasure to listen to. I was absolutely fascinated, not just by the cultural insight but by Rabia's description of it all. I was fully immersed no matter where I was whilst listening. I laughed, I cried, I swear I could taste and feel the textures of the food she described. it also made me feel, despite our cultural differences, so seen. Thank you.

honest, vulnerable, beautiful.

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I've followed Rabia since Undisclosed. That voice! I knew I could listen to her read the phone book. I loved this: the description of place, feelings, and FOOD. A lovely book that makes me want to eat. (I also discovered resistance training in my 40s. Keep it up Rabia, it's the best 'me' time when you hit the menopause.)

Warning! This book will make you hungry!

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As a fellow punjabi I really enjoyed this book. If you don't know this author, Google Adnan Syed and look up Rabia on Instagram, she is an inspiration! Warning this book will leave you wanting to eat Pakistani food!

Lovely read

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Loved this book! Was such an easy and entertaining listen , and could relate to so much !

Very engaging

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I love listening to memoirs read by the author. I enjoyed Arabia’s story and learning about her culture. Her struggles with food and her weight resonated with me. There are important themes of self love and self acceptance and finding a healthy relationship with food.

Easy and enjoyable listen

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