Why Sunday Means Sambhar
Some smells don’t just trigger memories — they *are* memories. And for me, the smell of sambhar bubbling on the…
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Cleaning the Kitchen as Closure
There’s a particular kind of peace that only arrives after the last dish is done. When the stove has cooled,…
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Morning Tea, Newspaper, Silence
Some mornings arrive loudly — alarms screaming, phones buzzing, kitchens clanging — but not the ones I remember most. The…
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The Pre-Diwali Frying Marathon
The thing about Diwali that no one warns you about — especially if you grow up in an Indian household…
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Midnight Snacks with the TV Still On
There’s a strange kind of peace that only exists in the hour between 12 and 1 AM — that quiet…
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Chopping Veggies with My Mom at 7 AM
There’s something intimate — almost conspiratorial — about chopping vegetables with your mom at 7 in the morning. The world…
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Why Lunch Feels Wrong at 3 PM
There’s a kind of existential dread that settles in your chest when lunch happens at 3 PM. You’re not quite…
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The Whistle That Starts the Day
Before my alarm clock, before my first thought, before I remember which day it is — there’s the whistle. That…
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Ice Cream After a Breakup (and Why It Worked)
It was 10:45 PM on a Tuesday when I found myself standing in front of the freezer at a 24-hour…
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Taste That Hit Before the Grief Did
Grief doesn’t always knock. Sometimes it sneaks in through the kitchen door, trailing behind the scent of ghee and cardamom.…