This classic and soothing creamy red lentil Sri Lankan dal is offset by spiky “mallum,” or shredded greens cooked with onions, coconut, and fresh lime. In Sri Lanka all sorts of nutritious greens are used to make mallum, from chrysanthemum leaves to turnip tops. I use...
I’m a child of the eighties—no one can stop me from stuffing peppers. These make for a beautiful starter alongside simply dressed leaves, and you can, if you want, stuff the peppers and refrigerate them, then roast them when you want to eat them. Serves 4 as a starter...
Jim Pizer is more Indian than a lot of Indians I know. While growing up he was in and out of his Indian friends’ houses in Birmingham, eating their mums’ home cooking, and was so disappointed with the state of Indian food in restaurants in the UK that he decided to...
Kolkata is a magical city. The Hooghly River surges through the middle, and tropical birds fly in and out of beautiful crumbling buildings and among the banyan trees. Men in velvet jackets discuss politics in underground bars, while hundreds of boys fling cricket...
The first time I met my husband was in his kitchen. He was standing amid a mountain of empty pomegranate shells and the kitchen looked like a crime scene, with red juice splattered up the walls. He wanted to impress me with this fesenjan, a dish that was often found...
Two years ago I went to Kanora in Gujarat to visit the birthplace of my grandfather. I asked around for the old Lakhani house. A village elder pointed it out. I knocked on the door tentatively and was welcomed in by the new owners. The smell coming from the kitchen...
One of my favorite places in Mumbai is Chor Bazaar, or Thieves Market. It used to be where the vagabonds and villains in the city would offload their stolen loot. These days you can find ancient tiffin boxes and all sorts of knick-knacks there, and right in the midst...
I first ate this dish when out with friends at a restaurant called Chulha in Goa. One bite and the conversation faded while this broccoli and I had a real moment together. The key to making this dish great is cramming the mixture into the nooks and crannies of the...
At the age of eighty-three, my grandma has somewhat unreliable hips, but I’ve never seen her move so quickly to the dinner table as when this curry is on the menu. It’s not just one of her favorites, it’s also on the A-list of curries for a lot of Gujaratis. There are...
According to the Daily Telegraph, in 2013 Buckingham Palace had a major issue on its hands. Mysteriously the Queen’s Bombay mix was slowly disappearing. Disgruntled, Britain’s glorious leader decided to take matters into her own hands and keep a closer eye on her...
