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Memories From My Indian Kitchen!

You know what is truly universal? No matter where you go, what you do, who you meet, or what you eat—you can never forget your roots and the soil on which you grew up! While writing this book, I cannot help but get nostalgic about all the yester-years and all the people in my life who—sometimes even unconsciously—have been instrumental in making me who I am by helping to develop my strong sense of smells, tastes, likes and dislikes, which guides every decision I make at the kitchen counter today!

I grew up in Udupi, a small town nestled amidst the lush green of the southwestern coastal region of India. I can never forget the sounds, sights, tastes and aromas of our typical South Indian household: the spicy chutneys and rice flour being ground at wee hours of the morning by my grandmom, steaming hot idli and dosa served instantaneously at breakfast, the tinkering sound of spices tempering in a kadhai, which would later be part of a hot bowl of sambar, and the sound of women in the household—their chatter, the sound of their bangles, trinkets and the murmur of their never ending gossip! Lunch and dinners were always elaborate. One of our favorites was a slow-cooked coconut chicken curry accompanied by piping hot dosas and white bread. The early evening snack time usually consisted of hot cups of cardamom-spiced chai with platefuls of warm samosa and a variety of snacks. Lucky for us, every town in India has their unique offering in street food as well. If Delhi boasts of its delectable ‘chaats’, Mumbai has its vada-pao and Kolkata has its famous kaati rolls. Some of my memorable childhood evenings have been well-spent on short-eats around the street corners of Udupi as well as. Mom would give me a rupee or two, and I would dash out to buy snacks from the road-side!

And then there was the rainy season, and the accompanying sounds of the flirty breeze playing with the leaves of the mango tree in our backyard, the rustic smell of wet earth, and the thud of mangoes falling to the ground.

We kids often dashed out to pick them up before the sky broke loose! This priceless robbery of ours would mean that soon a spicy green mango chutney would be on our dining table! Rains meant hot fritters served with chai, and how we loved that! But this was not all! The day would not be complete without a late dinner—one of my favorites being masala fried fish with a bowl of steamed rice and vegetables loaded with fresh shredded coconut, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Dinnertime was important for our family—everyone had to be at the table. All of our meals were served family style and never rushed, even if it meant missing our favorite shows on television. (There was no concept of TV dinners.) I still follow that tradition today. There’s simply no better way to truly and fully enjoy a meal than to share it with the people you love.

Throughout my childhood I felt very comfortable in and around the kitchen, and I am fortunate that cooking, something I’ve loved ever since I was a kid, has become my profession. After studying restaurant and hotel management in India, I traveled to the United States to enroll in the famous Culinary Institute of America. During a career that has spanned more than fifteen years, I have had the good fortune to cook for people in India, Europe, Asia, and now, North America, and to experiment with the cuisines of the world. Along the way, I never stopped exploring the many facets of my own native cooking—be it traditional, regional or contemporary. I kept returning to India, traveling extensively, and eating my way around the diverse regions of the country, all in the name of research. Needless to say, I have developed my own style of cooking Indian dishes, one adapted to contemporary lifestyles and tastes, yet it is the vivid memories from my youth and my home that guide every Indian meal I cook and every ingredient I select. What started as the simple task of cooking masala omelets and making chai for my family on special occasions, or sneaking behind the large kadai of the roadside vendor to figure out what makes his fritters so delectable, has become a life’s work of feeding countless people—all of whom have different levels of familiarity with Indian cuisine. Cooking for others is my greatest pleasure (and I take special pleasure in introducing Indian cuisine to the uninitiated), but nothing gives me more satisfaction than cooking for the people I love. I am sure the same is true for you—and I hope that you take joy in preparing the recipes in this book for your friends and family.

Hands-down, the recipes this book carries are my favorites. They have evolved over years of work with various Indian spices and the refinement of recipes, some of which owe their origins to my mother and grandmother. If the passion I have for Indian food finds a place in your heart (via your stomach), and also on your dining table, then this book will have served its purpose! And, I thank you for being a part of My Indian Kitchen.