All posts filed under: Food

Meet the Woman Behind India’s First Homegrown Sake

Meet the Woman Behind India’s First Homegrown Sake

Published by Webster

Sake is essentially born of just three ingredients: water, rice and Koji, a type of fungus that is only grown in Japan. For Maia’s ‘homegrown’ version of the beverage, she is using Indian varieties of rice and imported Japanese Koji. “It was an absolute joy to see some of our indigenous grains from the Northeast produce good quality sake. As it’s a new grain I am also still discovering their properties, structure and reactions to a timeless fermentation process,” she tells me. The week before I got there, some members of the Japanese consulate paid a visit to test Maia’s sake versions. “They were very happy,” she says. “Sake is not just an alcohol, it is a cultural icon that I am taking from another country. I have to be very careful that certain standards are respected, and the right people think that it can be called sake.” When I meet Maia, she’s been recipe testing for three months. From four varieties of rice, she’s identified three—she won’t yet reveal which—with the right flavour profile. …

The Rise of the Arabic Mandi in Biryani-Loving Hyderabad

The Rise of the Arabic Mandi in Biryani-Loving Hyderabad

Published by Webster

My first mandi meal is because of Fatima. It was at a Sunday brunch of a five-star hotel, where she had curated the Arabic mandi experience. There was a humongous ‘degchi’ of mandi, fragrant saffron-hued basmati rice redolent with grilled meat, nuts, pistachios and raisins and paired with a tomato-green chilli-garlic-coriander relish. I was impressed by the light, subtle and aromatic flavours of the mandi.   Mandi is not an alien concept to Hyderabad. The dish has been a novel culinary offering in the Old City suburbs in Barkas, a military outpost dating from the Nizam’s time. Barkas is considered a corruption of the word barracks, as this area served as the military barracks of the Nizam of Hyderabad, who used to bring in ‘chaush’ from Yemen to work in their army. Chaush, is an Ottoman Turkish word which means a junior military rank,  indicating the predominance of soldiers and mercenaries in the early Hadrami migration to Hyderabad in the 18th and 19th centuries, from Hadramawt valley in South Yemen. People living in the newer parts …

Crispy, Flaky, and 52 Layers Deep — Uncovering the Story of Silao’s Khaja

Crispy, Flaky, and 52 Layers Deep — Uncovering the Story of Silao’s Khaja

Published by Webster

Origin Stories Historians trace Silao’s khaja back to the Maurya dynasty of Silao, when both present-day Odisha and Bihar were part of the empire. Back then, the region was a hub of Buddhist scholars and traders. Khaja’s long shelf life and delicate sweetness made it a staple for monks and travellers between Nalanda and Rajgir. As trade and pilgrimage routes expanded, khaja reached Odisha and became part of the Chhappan Bhog offerings at the Jagannath Temple in Puri. During Sharad Purnima, when most Hindus make milk-based desserts, Biharis from the Magadh region soak khaja in milk (doodh-khaja) and make an offering to the moon — that is later consumed as amrit prasad. It is believed the Rigveda and Arthashastra carry references to this wheat-based delicacy, with Chanakya notably referring to it in the latter as a ‘food for power sustenance.’ British archaeologist JD Beglar who visited Silao in 1872-73 mentioned that khaja (or ‘sweetmeat’) goes back to the time of King Vikramaditya. Beglar’s research was used during the application to secure G.I. tag for khaja. …

Tambuli in Koppa Preserves a Unique Culinary Tradition

Tambuli in Koppa Preserves a Unique Culinary Tradition

Published by Webster

The preparation of Tambuli informs the cultural fabric of the Karada Brahmin community of Koppa. It is an unassuming dish, served at the beginning of the meal in small quantities, but it carries within it generational knowledge of both its making, and the wisdom of an entire ecosystem. Almost everybody told us, “Don’t fry the Ondelga (Centella asiatica) leaves—blend them raw. Frying takes away their nutrients.” When children accompany their parents and grandparents to collect these wild plants from around homes and agricultural fields, knowledge is passed down through the very names of these plants. In Kannada, plant names often hold clues to their geography, shape, uses, or methods of gathering and cooking. Unlike the English term ‘wild,’ which implies separation from cultivated life, the Karada Brahmins recognise no such divide. They distinguish only between kudi tambuli—made from the tender leaves of wild edible plants—and its more domesticated counterparts. Tambuli is not exclusive to the Karada Brahmin community; it is a dish prepared across households in Karnataka. However, during our fieldwork in Koppa, we found …

Bandra’s Rebel Chef Just Wants to Cook for You

Bandra’s Rebel Chef Just Wants to Cook for You

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Gresham’s resume needs no introduction. After spending a number of years at Salt Water, he felt compelled to push the boundaries, learn more. “He needed to go out there, to develop, to grow.” said Amlani. Gresham travelled, eating his way around Europe and Japan.  He staged in the hallowed halls of Noma, pushing his craft outside of the usual Indian dining comfort zone. His contemporaries and competition are also his friends, often finding themselves cooking up hearty meals on open fires together while speaking of their last fantastic meal. No surprises then that Amlani refers to Gresham as the chef of chefs, “If you ask the top chefs in the country — Thomas, Manish, Prateek, Hussain, Alex — who their favourite chef in India is– they’ll all say Gresh”. Seminal Moments in a Culinary Career Amlani insists that if you speak to Gresham about anything other than food, his eyes will over roll backwards but will light up when you speak on his favourite subject – Food. I can confirm- Gresham is bursting with food …

Elaneer Payasam Recipe (Tender Coconut Sweet)

Elaneer Payasam Recipe (Tender Coconut Sweet)

Published by Webster

Here’s an interesting dessert recipe from the South Indian cuisine – Elaneer Payasam, which is a no-cook creamy coconut payasam or kheer. This creamy and delish payasam is made with tender coconut, sugar, coconut water, coconut milk and nuts, that are just blended and mixed together. Thus, also makes this sweet dish very easy to prepare. It is also gluten-free and vegan. So, there’s absolutely no reason for you to miss it! About Elaneer Payasam Tender coconut or coconut water is called ‘elaneer’ or ‘ilaneer‘ in a few South Indian languages and ‘nariyal malai’ in Hindi. Payasam refers to Kheer and hence the name of this sweet treat is Tender Coconut Kheer or simply Elaneer Payasam. Thus, this sweet, made with tender coconut, is a delicate and refreshing dessert rooted in the culinary traditions of South India, particularly in coastal regions like Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Its origins are closely tied to the abundant coconut trees that thrive in these areas, making it a quintessential ingredient in the regional diet. This tender coconut flesh or …

A Recipe for Soh Khleh from Meghalaya

A Recipe for Soh Khleh from Meghalaya

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A winter ritual in the Khasi community involves the warm sun and the refreshing tang of orange that goes into making this nutritious salad, eaten after a heavy meal. Janice Pariat shares her recipe. In Amy Schmidt’s poem “Abundance”, you learn that it is impossible to be lonely when you’re zesting an orange. “Scrape the soft rind once,” she says, “and the whole room fills with fruit”. What about when you peel an entire orange? I’d say it fills the whole world. This is what it feels like to eat oranges in the winter sun in Shillong. The sky blue as the ocean. The air crisp and cold. The warmth hitting your face, your back. And fruit like soft golden drops in your hand. Eating oranges in the sun is a ritual we uphold most consistently every winter; we’ve done so for as long as I can remember. And every so often, on a Sunday, the Christmas holidays, this small, simple treat turns into one that’s a little more elaborate. We conjure up ‘soh khleh’ …

The Flavour Lab by The Good Craft Co.

The Flavour Lab by The Good Craft Co.

Published by Webster

We exit the lab section, and it’s on to my favourite part of the tour. I’ve seen glimpses of Payal’s work on Instagram, so I’m curious to see what she’s created here. As I step inside, I’m greeted by the stunning sight of hundreds of ferment jars mounted on the wall. Payal is setting up a tasting table with a few jars already open, teasing the sensory feast ahead. While the other zones explore flavours conceptually and scientifically, this space is all about experiencing them in their most vibrant, tangible form—it’s truly the heart of The Flavour Lab. Payal points out over 60 ferments on the wall, all crafted using seasonal and local ingredients. Having learned the basics of fermentation from her and experimented with countless hot sauces, I’m thrilled to see such a unique space in the city, pushing the boundaries of fermentation. After a quick tasting session, I can’t resist spending 15 minutes exploring the ferments in detail. Green tomato ferment, banana peel vinegar, bajji chillies in brine, Bangalore blue grapes, green mango …

A Recipe for Stinging Nettle Saag from Kumaon

A Recipe for Stinging Nettle Saag from Kumaon

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Pahadi Saag is a staple of Kumaoni cuisine. Chef Naveen Adhikari of The Kumaon shares a simple and healthy recipe made using this nutritious green. In the foothills of the Himalayas, leafy greens find their way into many dishes. This included fenugreek leaves, spinach, turnip, mustard greens, wild spinach (pigweed) and of course, stinging nettle (bicchu ghaas). A perennial plant, stinging nettle is also called kandali ka saag or sisunak saag. Rich in iron, vitamins, and antioxidants, it is an essential part of the local Kumaoni cuisine. There are over 90 types of nettle grass in Uttarakhand. Medicinally, it is is recognised in Ayurvedic practices for its healing properties, and used as a remedy for ailments like arthritis, anemia, and kidney issues. “For the people of Uttarakhand, foraging for bicchu ghaas is a traditional practice, connecting people to the land. We venture into the hills, armed with gloves, to find the best patches. The young shoots are tender and our most prized possession — they are the most flavourful and sting the least,” says Naveen …

Around the Country in 36 Dishes

Around the Country in 36 Dishes

Published by Webster

This Republic Day, Shraddha Chowdhury embarks on a delicious journey through India’s 28 states and 8 Union Territories, charting a vibrant culinary trail that celebrates the nation’s rich diversity and irresistible tastes. There is no such thing as ‘Indian’ cuisine’. The country’s culinary heritage is too vast and varied; to be clubbed under such an umbrella would be simplistic and reductive. Even bordering states may present regional gems that are poles apart in flavours with their unique spice blends, preparation techniques and ingredients that may be native to the region. Let me issue a disclaimer here that this is no scientific shortlist, but one born from pure joy — I’ve leaned on the nostalgia and memories that food inevitably creates, choosing the dish that pops into my mind from either personal experience or storytelling. In this attempt to celebrate the staggering diversity of our country’s cuisine, this list include mains and sides, chutneys and street food, and in some cases, a feast. Andaman & Nicobar Islands: Coconut Prawn Curry Seafood is central to the cuisine …