August ’25 Khoraj
Ala sambhad! At LFC Ahmedabad, food is never just food. It’s where connections simmer, and jalebi-fafda and chai are served at crowded pols. Bring a dish, pour the chaas, and get ready to feast.
Photos by Content Volunteer, Aastha.
HOST
Vrinda Menon
CO-HOST
Himani Gajjar
CONTENT VOLUNTEER
Aastha Shad
WHERE WE MET
Mould, in Ahmedabad, is a vibrant café-gallery space blending creative workshops, art exhibits, and cozy coffee corners into a welcoming artistic hub.
What Members Said
I always delight at the activities that an LFC has to offer! Also, the food, of which the Dabeli was my favourite.
Bhavna
The food was amazing and I was thoroughly stuffed by the end of the evening!
Saloni
Thank you to the host and co-host Vrinda and Himani: you were absolute rockstars. Also to everyone who came—what a wonderful setting and warm evening!
Aastha
What We Loved
This Jowar and Date Cake, brought by member Pavana, was a wholesome treat that showed how millets can substitute in everyday baking.
For more such Jowar recipes, check out the Millet Revival Project on The Locavore website.
Bhungla Batata, the ultimate Gujarati street snack—spiced mashed potatoes topped with crunchy sev, chutneys, and masala for that perfect mix of tang and crunch.
These sliders are the iconic Gujarati street snack, Dabeli—soft pav stuffed with spiced mashed potatoes, chutneys, crunchy peanuts, sev, and a pop of pomegranate.
MEET YOUR HOST
Vrinda says she is Malayali by birth but Gujarati by culture. She graduated from IHM - Ahmedabad and has worked in various hotels and restaurants for almost a decade. She was presented the best sous chef award at the Times Food Awards in 2021, and now finds comfort in training young minds to become chefs. She loves riding bikes, and has gone on several short but great rides in and out of Ahmedabad.
What does local mean to you?
‘Local’ is something that reminds me of home, like my mother cooking Undhiyu in the winters, when vegetables and fruits are found in abundance.
What is your most enduring food memory?
My Ammooma’s (Nani) Sambar. I would be the little food taster for my nani. Every Sunday when we went to Ammooma’s home, I knew from the smells at the door steps that the Sambar was in the making.
If you were a seasonal ingredient, what would you be?
Mangoes, absolutely. I cannot think of a fruit that is so versatile. It can be made into Achaar or salsa or a dessert. And the types of mangoes being produced in India are nothing short of a wonder.
What is one unusual food pairing you swear by?
Do Dosa and Chilli Oil make an unusual pair? I just love the combination.
How do you see your Local Food Club flourishing?
The Local Food Club has been a great experience: meeting people from all walks of life but coming together for a single reason, food. I am sure more and more people will be taking part in it, and making it successful.
