India Like This Only

The year 1996 was the last time I celebrated Diwali in India. Wow, that's 25 years ago! In May of 1997, I left India for good and made Toronto my new home. Diwali forever became a memory for me. Sure, there were small pockets of Indian immigrants who got together to organize gatherings in the community. These were fun, but nothing compared to the way entire cities would erupt into celebration in India. The country is transformed during this week. Being the festival of lights, complete city blocks after city blocks are covered in string lights. People illuminate their homes with little diyas, these tiny clay vessels candles scattered around. The characteristic sting of burning gunpowder makes your eyes water as rambunctious kids of all ages frolic around getting into all sorts of mischief. With each exploding firecracker, you are pushed one step closer to complete hearing loss. You are dazzled by the fountains of bright sparkles bursting into the air on every street corner. Little c

“Garam Masala is so mainstream now, it’s quite ubiquitous.” This came up in conversation at a recent mixer I attended. I truly dislike the term ubiquitous. People who use this word strike me as bougie, pompous and arrogant, tossing fancy four syllable words around to appear cultured and smart. However, I had to agree with that statement, irrespective of how annoyed I was. Garam Masala is found pretty much everywhere in American grocery stores, sold in plastic jars in powdered form. It's tragic to see the mystique, magic and romance gone from this truly magical spice blend. One of my most treasured possessions is a beautiful hand carved four compartment wooden box. The artisan who crafted this was obviously someone who took great pride in his work. Each compartment contains one of the four spices of the garam masala family; Cinnamon, Cardamom, Cloves and Black pepper. These are the four pillars of Garam Masala, as I like to call them. They basic fact that these four spices get their

I have to drive quite a bit across towns to get to Monterey Market. This is a local family owned grocery store in Berkeley that I absolutely love. There are many Safeways, Sprouts and Whole Foods between where I live in East Oakland and this market. I continue to drive right past all of these, in spite of the 6 dollar gas prices. It’s the price you pay for access to the freshest seasonal, locally grown produce anyone can lay their hands on in the area. The produce on offer at this farmstand-like establishment comes primarily from farms within a 50 mile radius. Let me tell you, I have never been more glad to be Californian, than when I go to this market. During last week’s visit, I could hardly believe my eyes. Right there, between the spinach leaves, the collards and the Rainbow chard, I spotted Fenugreek leaves. Now that’s something not seen very often, out here in California at least. The last time I had Aloo Methi made from fresh Fenugreek leaves, it was during those long cold wi

Having grown up in Mumbai, I never really knew what a severely cold winter felt like. I barely remember ever needing a sweater more than once or twice a year. Winter would come, winter would go, we would hardly know it. Then I graduated from Hotel Management school, and accepted an offer from ITC Hotels to join their Management Trainee program. This meant I had to relocate to Delhi. It was the middle of November 1993 was this Mumbai kid got to know what a real winter feels like. Never before did I ever have to face the choice between going outside or remaining indoors, huddled under blankets. Let me tell you, there were many such indoor days that year. You never can forget your first winter away from home. I began to understand the meaning of bleak and dreary very quickly. During those times, Rajma Masala came to my rescue. Rajma Masala on rice brings about a certain kind of hearty comfort that very few other meals can. Rajma is the Hindi word for Kidney Bean, and Rajma Masala is a r

Why do we generally think sweet when it comes to Oatmeal? I suppose all fingers point to the way we have been conditioned. Every hotel’s standard buffet line up has the soup tureen with Oatmeal positioned near the berries, granola and brown sugar. It’s how this is done all across the country. Many American chef friends have thought it weird to go a savory direction when it comes to Oatmeal. I say that needs to change. We need to be coming up with more fun ways to get Oatmeal, that magic whole grain into our bodies. Being Indian, I love my savory breakfasts. Happy Memories are made of Masala upma with chutney, Poha mixed with potatoes, carrots, beans and crunchy peanuts. These hearty breakfasts that kept me satiated all the way to lunchtime when I was a kid. So connecting the dots, I asked myself, what if we took the Upma approach towards Oatmeal? That’s how this recipe came together. It wasn't that much of a stretch. I followed the exact same process I would use for Tomato Upma,

Anyone who grew up in an Indian household knows about the magic of Haldi Doodh. Simply translated, it’s Turmeric Milk. As a child, whenever I felt the sniffles coming on, when the forehead started to feel a little bit warm, my mother would make me a tall glass of this yellow elixir. It was creamy, slightly sweet with little spicy kick and it warmed me from the inside out from the very first sip itself. The recipe is ridiculously simple. Warmed up milk mixed with turmeric, honey and a pinch of ginger powder and a light sprinkling black pepper. So simple yet so effective. It remains my go to beverage when I feel a little low energy spell happening. It’s a home made remedy that's an instant and magical cure. I have now come to realize, what was once grandma’s remedy is now the next big scientific breakthrough. Scientists now claim that Curcumin, the active ingredient in Turmeric, is a natural anti-inflammatory compound and is a potent antioxidant. It can increase the antioxidant capac