October 29, 2026
Delhi Threw Out 922 Kilograms of Rasgulla, Milk Cake, and Khoya
Over the weekend of October 24, inspectors destroyed rasgulla in Nihal Vihar and spoiled khoya at Mori Gate. The announcement names those two Delhi markets.
Spice Desk
Spice Literacy: How to Read a South Asian Kitchen
Culture, history, region, memory, and taste from pantry to spice box
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People of South Asian Cuisine
Chefs, restaurateurs, and the figures shaping South Asian food worldwide.
Madhur Jaffrey Learned to Cook from Her Mother’s Letters
Her mother mailed Delhi recipes in Hindi. They became the 1973 cookbook and the 1982 BBC series.
New York’s Hardest Table Serves Village Tamil Food
Semma’s Vijay Kumar took Natham farm cooking to a Michelin star, a James Beard, and the Times No. 1 slot without milding the menu down.
Asia’s No. 1 Restaurant Was a Bangkok Emoji Counter
Gaggan Anand’s progressive Indian room stacked five Asia’s 50 Best No. 1 finishes, survived a 2019 reboot, and left later tasting menus a permission structure.
Taste the Nation Put Immigrant Cooks in Charge of the Story
After Top Chef, Padma Lakshmi moved the microphone so diaspora cooks, not “discovery” media, explained American food.
How Vikas Khanna Became the Indian Chef America Could Name
Junoon, MasterChef India, Bungalow, TIME 100: the climb that made “Indian chef” a job with a public name.
This week
Spice of the Month·October 2026
Tejpat and Bay Leaf Are Not the Same Leaf
Tejpat smells of cinnamon and clove and goes in the rice. Bay is herbal and belongs in a stew.
Recipe of the Week·This week
Chana Masala
Kabuli chana in an onion-tomato gravy. Soften the chickpeas before the tomato goes in.
Open the recipe →Regional Tables
Cuisine by place — Punjabi bread and dal, Gujarati thali logic, Tamil rice meals.
The Hyderabad Table: Dum Biryani, Haleem, and Barkas Mandi
Haleem is the Ramzan bowl. Mandi is the Yemeni rice from Barkas.
The Odia Table: Pakhala, Dalma, and Light Mustard
Cool fermented rice, vegetable-loaded dal, temple kitchen rules, and mustard fish with a lighter hand than Bengal.
The Kerala Table: Matta Rice, Fish Curry, and Appam
Sadya is the feast. Most nights are coconut oil, a souring agent, and one pot of fish or stew.
Recipes
Starter templates
Text-only working ratios — pantry logic, not a test kitchen.
- Jeera AlooPotatoes tossed with toasted cumin, ginger, chilli, and a little amchur.
- Everyday Dal TadkaA starter template for the weeknight dal most tables already know — framed as pantry logic, not a test-kitchen claim.
- Green Chutney, Pantry VersionA cilantro-forward herb jar for chaat, sandwiches, and leftover tiffin — not every green chutney under one name.
- Tamarind Chutney, Quick SimmerSweet-sour imli for chaat — keep the jar thick, thin it when you assemble.
- Jeera Rice for When the Main Needs a Quiet PartnerCumin-scented rice that supports dal and gravy — bloom the seeds, rest the pot, fluff once.
- Cucumber Raita for Hot Days and Hotter CurriesCooling side that belongs next to biryani, not as an afterthought.
Cook
Soak the rice, seal the pot, and cook the onion down until it becomes the base.
Soak the Basmati, Then Use Less Water
Soaked basmati in a covered pot starts near 1½ cups of water per cup of rice. The mark in a rice cooker uses a smaller cup. A knuckle of water assumes the rice is still dry.
Dum: Seal the Pot and Let Steam Finish the Dish
After the fry, trap the steam. A dough seal, a low flame, and a short rest finish biryani, potato, and some dals.
How to Cook an Onion-Tomato Masala Base
How far to brown the onions, when to add ginger, garlic, and spices, and how to tell when the tomatoes are ready.
Chai Break
Masala Chai, Batch Logic
A scalable chai template for mornings and guests — proportions first, preferences next.
Eat Out
What to order when the menu says biryani, dosa, or chaat.
How to Order Biryani When the Menu Just Says Biryani
Hyderabadi dum, Lucknowi, and Kolkata potato-and-egg are different pots. Ask which one is in the handi.
How to Order at a South Indian Dosa Counter
Masala dosa, paper dosa, uttapam — what to ask for when the menu assumes you already know.
Chaat Counter Decoded: What Goes on What
Pani puri, bhel, sev puri — the assembly logic behind every chaat cart.
City guide
Delhi: Chaat, Karim's, and the Seasonal Calendar
Old Delhi mornings, Lodhi garden picnics, and when to chase nimbu-pani instead of another kebab.
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Travel
Breakfast in Kolkata, a full day in Mumbai, and London past Brick Lane.
Kolkata: Tiretta Breakfast, Phuchka, and a Tangra Table
The Chinese breakfast at Tiretta Bazar is over by nine. Tangra is a cab after dark.
Mumbai Food Itinerary: Breakfast to Late-Night
Bun maska at Kyani is off the counter. Breakfast is Cafe Madras at King's Circle, then one plate in Dadar.
London: South Asian Food Beyond Brick Lane
Gifto's on Southall Broadway opens at 10 on weekends. On a weekday in Tooting, Jaffna House serves lunch from 11.
Newsletter
The Weekly Tadka
One email a week: spice notes, festival timing, city dining drops. No recipe spam.