Ben Benton is one of the greatest chefs I know. This is his recipe, and although he is not Keralan, he has a tremendous ability to get under the skin of the cuisine. He taught me that by grilling the cut sides of cabbage a whole new side of its personality is...
A thoran is a sort of quick Keralan stir-fry. Here it involves cooking shredded sprouts hard and fast, then tossing them with some sweet onions and the lively flavors of curry leaves, chile, lemon, and coconut. This is Kerala, via wintry England, on a plate. This dish...
Take a journey to Kerala using vegetables from a local farmers’ market. If you like your curries to be gentle and flavorful but light and packed full of vitality, this is the one for you. You can use any assortment of vegetables for this dish, but just remember to...
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...
The recipe was inspired by some okra I ate at my favorite restaurant in Goa, called Gunpowder. It is okra and potatoes like you’ve never seen them, as if they’ve been given a glamorous Hollywood makeover: tossed in cumin seeds, curry leaves, and garlic, then flavored...
In Lincolnshire, the first zucchini of the season are met with wild enthusiasm, which quickly turns to apprehension because of the constant challenge of finding new and interesting ways to cook them. Over the years, this is the dish my family never tires of. The kofta...
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...
Wild mushoom textures and flavors vary so dramatically, it’s really worth experimenting to see what you enjoy. My favorite is the ridiculously elegant chanterelle, the Chanel of the mushroom world, followed closely by the big, bulbous cep, which is meaty and looks...
My father lives just on the edge of what we consider to be normal. He prefers confectioners’ sugar in his tea, has the buttons of his back pockets removed (for fear of damaging his car upholstery), and keeps a logbook of when he waters the plants. One time, he...
Achari means “pickled.” As with most pickled foods, this cauliflower dish helps to sharpen the edges of other, more comforting dishes at the table. It’s lip-smackingly delicious, and the flavor will improve over time, so it’s a good thing to make in advance. It works...
This dish comes from the royal court kitchens of Uttar Pradesh, where it was a favorite of state banquets, high society, and Mughal emperors. At that time, food wasn’t just food, it was a way of showing off. It is still a great dinner-party dish today: a head-turner...