The Ajwain You Never Add but Always Respect
Ajwain was never the spice you reached for first. Or even second. It lived in the back corner of the…
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Tamarind’s Tang: Sourness as an Act of Memory
The first taste that made me flinch—and then reach for more—was tamarind. That sharp jolt on the tongue, that split-second…
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Mustard Seeds: The Pop Before the Sizzle
In my kitchen growing up, cooking didn’t begin with heat. It began with sound. Specifically, that tiny, electric pop of…
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Turmeric Was Healing Long Before It Was a Latte
Somewhere around 2015, I walked into a café in Austin and saw a chalkboard sign that said, “Try our Golden…
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Ghee Is a Feeling, Not Just a Fat
There’s a certain sound that tells you something magical is about to happen in an Indian kitchen. Not the sizzle…
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The Spice That Knows Everything: A Life with Jeera
Some ingredients in the kitchen demand attention. They arrive with color, smell, and drama—cloves that punch, chilies that shout, mustard…