SETTING THE TABLE
Following Palmyra, the Tree that Keeps Giving
Jelly-like ice apple, sweet-and-bitter fruit, refreshing sap and caramel-like jaggery—every bit of the palm tree is integral to Tamil Nadu’s food culture.
VaanaVizha: Growing Organic Produce in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu
VaanaVizha grows chemical-free produce such as rice, coconuts, moringa, neem, bananas, and different varieties of citrus fruits on their 12-acre farm in Vikramasingapuram in the Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu. All phot…
Cocoacraft: Making High-quality Chocolate Using Cocoa from Kerala’s Idukki District
Cocoacraft focuses on making high-quality, couverture chocolate in Kochi, Kerala.
Praakritik: Making Chemical-free Pantry Staples in Mumbai
A Mumbai-based brand sourcing produce from farmers across India who do not use any pesticides or chemical inputs for cultivation.
So Himalayas: Making Small-batch Fruit Preserves in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh
Founded in 2025 by Sravanthi Edara, So Himalayas sources seasonal fruits from farmers across the Kullu district in Himachal Pradesh to make small-batch fruit preserves and dehydrated fruit chips.
Forest Pick: Handcrafting Wild Tea in Southern Manipur
Established in 2018 by siblings Aijulie, Boilal, Jemshe, and Julie Gangte, Forest Pick sources and retails wild tea from the hills adjoining the Churachandpur district in southern Manipur.
Zangti: Growing Native Produce of Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh
Retailing high quality produce native to the Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh.
Panchal Dairy: Making Artisanal Goat and Sheep Milk Cheeses in Sayla, Gujarat
Located in Gujarat's Sayla, Panchal Dairy produces and retails artisanal cheese made out of goat and sheep milk.
Safe Harvest: Creating An Alternative Market For Chemical-Free Produce
Based in Hyderabad, Safe Harvest sources chemical-free produce from smallholder Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) across nine states in India.
Thirukkai Omathara Kozhmabu
This deeply aromatic curry from coastal Tamil Nadu features stingray.
Meghalaya’s Paddy Fields Hold More Than Just Rice
Randa Papiah, Toy Sumer, and Hunlang Papiah recall their memories of catching dohthli (snakehead fish) in the paddy fields of Meghalaya during the rice harvesting season.
Charota Bhaji
Charota bhaji is often served with pej (corn water), making for a light yet satiating dish.
Fire-Roasted Dohthli
The paddy fields of Meghalaya play a crucial role in shaping this fish preparation.
Olakkal Nandu Gravy
This recipe for blue swimming crabs is whipped up after a long day of hard labour.
Putpura Sabzi
Putpura mushrooms, foraged from beneath sal trees during the monsoon, are a seasonal delicacy among tribal communities in central India.
Niang Ryndia Salad
In Meghalaya, Eri silkworm pupae are often eaten after the silk cocoon has been harvested.
Woman Farmer Project: A Digital Commons
Women and their labour remain central to agricultural production and our food systems, yet they remain landless, excluded from the legal and institutional structures that define who counts as a farmer in the first place. This multimedia storytelling initiative, led by The Locavore in partnership with the Doc Society Climate Story Kitchen, seeks to broaden the conversation.
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Mahua Syrup
A rich, malty and caramel-like natural sweetener made by simmering mahua flowers in water and concentrating their natural sweetness.
Mahua Energy Bars
Sweet and chocolatey energy bars handcrafted with sun-dried mahua flowers, bajra (pearl millet), and cocoa from the Karavali region in Karnataka.
Pine Nuts
Encased in hard brown shells, these pine nuts—locally called chilgoza—are sweet and nutty.
52% Dark Chocolate with Roasted Almonds
A smooth 52% dark chocolate studded with whole roasted almonds, with a balanced cocoa flavour and plenty of crunch.
70% Cocoa Bitter Sweet Dark Chocolate Squares
Made from single-origin cocoa beans from Idukki, these 70% dark chocolate squares have a deep cocoa flavour, gentle bitterness and just enough sweetness to balance it.
Kala Jeera
These GI-tagged black cumin seeds have a distinctive floral aroma, with light, citrusy notes and a warm, earthy flavour.
Singhara Atta
Made by stone-grinding water chestnuts, this flour has a warm, nutty flavour with a gentle sweetness.
Native Hallikar Cow Ghee
Made from the milk of Hallikar cows, an indigenous cattle breed from Karnataka, this hand-churned ghee has a creamy texture and a nutty, gently smoky flavour.
“This ensures I get some money every day to light my stove”
“This ensures I get some money every day to light my stove”—Kesar Londhe, Wastepicker, Pune
“There is no first aid, or protective gear to stave off such injuries. There are no toilets, no shade”
—Jamuna Khatuwa, a coastal fishworker in Bakkhali, West Bengal
Kalpana Padmakar’s aspirations are clear: a bigger hotel serving her fish-based delicacies—“someday”
—Kalpana Padmakar, who runs Koli Katta, a small kitchen serving Koli-style fish, rice, and chapatis.
“Being the eldest daughter in my family, I learnt to cook early on”
—Awule Lasuh, who cooks office lunches for 30+ employees
“Two years ago, I did not know my rights”
—Kavita Devi, 35, a domestic worker and active member of Delhi Gharelu Kaamgar Union
MONTHLY PICKS
Two stories we love from the archives
Picking and Eating Mahua Flowers in Jharkhand
What happens when an indigenous ingredient earns a largely notorious reputation due to archaic excise policies? How does one reintroduce it to modern diets, while preserving indigenous knowledge? We gather perspectives f…
Gariahat Bajaar’s Shaak Maashis Can Always Predict My Dinner Menu
Golden pumpkin flowers, red roselles, magenta eggplants, and various shades of green everywhere you look. At Kolkata’s Gariahat Bajaar, shaak maashis bring a variety of winter greens foraged from the outskirts of the cit…
KNOW YOUR DESI INGREDIENTS
More
An expanding repository about ingredients native to the Indian subcontinent
Colocasia leaves
These heart-shaped leaves are underutilised yet versatile and nutritious.
Peach
A delight from the Himalayan foothills, peaches are sweet stone fruits with fuzzy skin.
Chinese Potato
These mud-caked tubers are popular in winters in southern India.
Ramphal
Found in tropical regions, this reddish-brown heart-shaped fruit is sought for its sweet, creamy flesh.
Gongura leaves
These tart, tangy leaves are an inherent part of Telugu cuisine and culture.
Loquat
Loquat trees are laden with bright orange fruit just as winter starts to recede.
Mulberry
Also known as King’s Berries, mulberries are delicate, tart summer staples.
Nettle
While nettle leaves are known to fiercely sting, they are prized for their nourishing and medicinal properties.
Rethinking Seafood Consumption
A session focused on the urban consumer’s plate, examining how our seafood choices shape marine biodiversity, local livelihoods, and culinary diversity.
Unpacking ‘The Great Indian Kitchen’: What Cinema Reveals about Gender, Domesticity, and Labour
A Malayalam-language film revolving around a newly married woman’s struggles in a conservative, patriarchal household nudges us to think about the harsh realities that gender and labour spawn within domestic spaces.
Private: Chef On The Road | Two Brothers Organic Farms: What Is Organic, Anyway?
Chef on the Road travels to Two Brothers Organic Farms in rural Maharashtra for a two-day immersion into organic farming as lived practice—walking the farm, cooking with the harvest, and learning alongside the Hange brot…
Worli Koliwada Walk, Mumbai
Facilitated by No Footprints, the walk was a comprehensive exploration of the many facets of Mumbai’s Worli Koliwada.