Anarse
Diwali is synonymous with snacks and sweets, called faral. Suhasini Ekbote, defying modern trends, continues to make Anarse – a fried, semi-sweet snack made with fermented rice flour and jaggery, preserving a traditional…
food memories
Baskarel Pakoras
For Priyanka Bhadani, baskarel or bamboo shoots bring back both pleasant and not-so-pleasant memories. This recipe for baskarel pakoras is from her father, evoking the love and care that exemplifies their bond.
Kala Masalyachi Methi
Reminiscing about his hometown Nashik, Archish Kashikar shares one of his favourite recipes featuring kala masala,a highlight in the northern parts of Maharashtra.
The Locavore Meetup, Chennai
Two different sambars in a couple’s kitchen, a great-grandmother's trusty idiyappam maker, an heirloom cookbook, and more.
How I Cooked My Way Through Grief
In the wake of the sudden loss of her father, Mandakini Menon found a grounding force in the act of cooking,and the tactility of working with food.
Work Begins at 3 am in Kasimedu’s Fish Market
At the Kasimedu fish market in Chennai, fisherfolk are seeing a decline in their catch. Throvnica Chandrasekar captures the sights and smells of the market, and examines the reasons for the dwindling fish along the coast…
Vishalakshi Padmanabhan is Devoted to Preserving Heirloom Rice Varieties
In this chapter of 'Why Cook’, Archana Pidathala tells us about Vishalakshi Padmanabhan, founder of Buffalo Back Collective in Bangalore. Vishala’s guiding principle for the organic store is rooted in the food ethic she…
Mourola Maach er Tok Jhal
Dolon Dutta Chowdhury shares her mother’s version of Mourola Maach er Tok Jhal, her take on the traditional Bengali Tok – a light sweet-and-sour dish served towards the end of a Bengali meal.
Recipes of Revolt and Resistance: Artist Rajyashri Goody Challenges Deep-Rooted Casteism
Through her practice, artist Rajyashri Goody probes the perversions of caste in India, and how food forms a locus where the interplay of power and powerlessness is unfortunately most evident.