Bombay Spice

Culinary Souvenir November, 2011

Food is an easy medium by which to explore traditions and cultures in countries we travel to, and a souvenir in the form of food or food related objects – Culinary Souvenirs shall we say – make excellent keepsakes. Ornamental and serviceable at the same time they also make lovely gifts for people back home. And India is a rich country for Culinary souviners so I was quite confused about what to give people that did my food tours, Masala Trails, as a keepsake.

City Light Bazaar September, 2011

I love seafood. Everything about if from buying it, to cooking it and eating it! Why is that a big deal, you ask? Well, because my knowledge and experience of seafood was non-existent until about a two years ago, which is ironic when one considers that I have grown up in the coastal city of Mumbai. But growing up in a Gujarati, vegetarian home meant seafood was most definitely NOT on the menu. (My ancestors probably still turn in their graves!) But several fabulous experiences at the Seafood festivals in Mumbai converted me.

The Romance of Hot Kebabs on Cold Rainy Days! July, 2011

Every monsoon, rain clouds set up camp on Mumbai’s skies and begin their games; they’ll sprinkle down in minute drizzles, or they weep endless melodramatic drops, cheekily peek in with a quick shower on a bone dry day or a copious overflow that furiously leaves us haplessly wondering if the sky and the sea will fuse together and consume us all! Dwarfed by Nature’s spectacle, we watch with a combination of awe and helplessness comforting ourselves with little cups of hot masala tea and home made soups.

Victoria Market July, 2011

With both of my sisters settled in Melbourne, visits down under are a regular feature for me and are much looked forward to. For the gastronomically inclined, Melbourne is a dream destination. Excellent dining experiences that offer a culinary mix of European, Mediterranean and newer Asian flavours are presented by fabulous cooks and world class chefs, in a unique Australian style that are full of local flair. And a lot of the food is inspired by Melbourne’s Markets!

Chevdo May, 2011

It is summer here in India currently, and getting hotter by the day. School holidays are also on and two perpetually hungry kids make it imperative to have interesting things to eat around. And I often turn to traditional Indian cuisines for ideas. One such is a snack mix my grandmother used to make for us as kids - Mumra no Chevdo. To date I find that it is perfect for beating snack attacks. And when the kids or I have a snack attack we just dig into a bowl full!

Beets and Borscht March, 2011

The other day I opened my refrigerator to find a few beets staring up at me, their softening flesh and withered skins reproaching me for their condition. I buy more beets than I eat.

A beet Tarte Tatin I once ate at a vineyard in the Yarra Valley in Australia is to blame: It was served with fat tubes of pasta stuffed with local soft goat cheese over a pumpkin sauce and topped with a parmesan crisp. That dish makes it hard for me to walk past beets at the market, so a few sterling specimens will inevitably make their way home with me.

Mirchi! February, 2011

Could there be an ingredient more Indian than the chili pepper? And yet, prior to the arrival of the Portuguese at the beginning of the 15th century, Indians had never seen or tasted a chili – the New World spice called “pepper of the Indies” by Columbus. The heat in Indian dishes came from a red pepper known as long pepper, or, more familiar in the West, black pepper. For an ingredient that entered the annals of Indian cuisine rather late, the chili has had a historic impact.

My Upside Down Hero Dish December, 2010

I was extremely excited when my friend Pinky Chandan Dixit called me in early November to say that the next week, her beautiful little restaurant, Soam, would be starting its undhiyu season. Poetry of Food had just told me the theme for December, and I now knew EXACTLY what I would write about! In fact, I had been waiting for a chance to write about this dish! You see, if there ever was a hero dish for me, it is undhiyu.

Spicy Ideas November, 2010

I always look forward to putting together my homemade gourmet gift hampers every festive season, allowing myself to be carried away on a wave of creativity as the sights, sounds and smells of the kitchen inspire me. And you know what? For those of us who love to cook, the Indian kitchen is a treasure trove of raw material ready to be transformed into homemade holiday treats. Which makes the festive season the perfect time for us!

Diwali October, 2010

“Kuch Meetha Ho Jaye” very tidily sums up the attitude of Indians to “mithai,” or sweets, on a daily basis. A literal translation would result in a grammatically incorrect sentence, but this often-used phrase means “the occasion calls for sweets.” The occasion being celebrated could be anything from a festival, a wedding or the birth of a child to smaller milestones in life such as exam success, a new home, a new car or even just guests for dinner! No happy gathering of any kind – be it a party or a festival – would be complete without sweets in India.

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