Yogurts of the world
Walking down the dairy section of the supermarket, a yogurt aficionado finds plenty to choose from. Among the multitude of flavored yogurts with varying percentages of fat, some have toppings, others have preserves at the…
Dosa delights
Last year, rice crepes from South India – yes, the humble dosa – got the nod from the foodies of New York when Thiru Kumar, the "Dosa Man," was voted the purveyor of the best…
Pongal: A relevant dish and festival
Around mid-January, people in South India celebrate Pongal, the harvest festival. Unlike Halloween or Christmas, Hindu holidays don't fall on the same date each year. My mother consults an almanac to keep track of festivities.…
It's Delicious No Matter What You Call It
Recently, I caught a rerun of the famous Soup Nazi episode from the popular sitcom "Seinfeld." When the characters discussed mulligatawny, a soup from India, I felt happy, the way you generally do when you…
Indian Ban leads to Lentil Shortage
In the hands of an Indian cook, lentils - also called dals or pulses - might be made into spinach dal or sambar. Whatever dish they go into, they feature prominently on the daily menu…
A Spicebox & Cookbook Got Her Started
When I set off to graduate school in the US, the Internet had not yet taken over the world. I actually spoke to people to gather information about life in America in general and my…