Let’s face it: the emotional implications of the vada pav are many. And this deep-fried potato dumpling hugged by a bread bun deserves the adulation.

Everyone has a vada pav story. After all, it is a culinary narrative that connects Indians across the world. And no matter how many luxurious cuisines we tick off our bucket lists, truth be told, we’re coming home to a vada pav.

And it’s almost a sacrilege to speak of this iconic snack without mentioning the city where it was born — Mumbai. 

Here’s a list of vada pav spots in the city to dash to when you crave your old, familiar friend.

1. Aram

For Mumbaikars, Aram’s vada pav is an all too familiar flavour. One of the oldest vada pav haunts in the city, it is located right outside Mumbai’s iconic CST Station and nostalgia reverberates through the walls. Customers recommend the cheese rendition, the butter cheese grill vada pav, and the butter cheese grill kothimbir wadi pav.

In an interview with Condé Nast, archaeologist and culinary anthropologist Dr Kurush Dalal, said, “For the quintessential vada pav, I would say a good spot to get one is Aram. They’ve always been known for their ‘big’ vada pavs owing to the generous size of the fried potato patties. So, it’s truly value for money. The vadas always come out piping hot and fresh.”

2. Ashok Vaidya Vada Pav

How can we pen a story about vada pav without an ode to the man who invented it? A gentleman Ashok Vaidya is said to have come up with the snack during the 1960s at a stall right outside of Dadar Station. It wasn’t planned!

One day, in an attempt to innovate, Ashok put the vada into a pav with a side of garlic chutney. Voila! History was created. Today it is Ashok’s younger son Narendra Vaidya who carries on the legacy. The sizzle of vadas is a comforting sound to all the patrons who still stop by this legendary outlet.

3. Parla Vada Pav Samrat

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“Unpretentious” is the word that has been used to describe this eatery in the Vile Parle area of Mumbai. It’s been more than three decades now that the spot has been creating magic with their makes.

In an interview with Knocksense, owner Ajeet recalled, “My father Mancharaam started selling vada pav out of a hath gaadi (handcart) right here on the side of this chowk (open market). After five years of selling on the street, he decided to take a leap and opened a permanent shop at the spot where we are now.” Ajeet has inherited the knowledge well. The queue of customers outside the eatery is proof.

Fun fact: With cheese tumbling out of the vada, the cheese vada pav is a crowd-puller.

4. Shankar Vada Pav

When celebrity Ranveer Singh, Australian celebrity chef Sarah Todd, and food journalist Kunal Vijaykar concede on how amazing the vada pav at this eatery is, we aren’t going to challenge this. Started in 1975 by a mill worker Shankar who doled out vada pavs from his hand cart, the cooking here is intuitive, with recipes being improvised to suit the palates of customers.

If hearsay is to be believed, the outlet still maintains its menu of vada pav, moong dal bhajias (a fried snack made of lentils), mirchi bhajias (fritters made with chillies) to date. Despite the limited fare, the food is indulgent.

5. Gajanan Vada Pav

The vada pav here is a classic, a tale that has been spinning since 1978 when the outlet was started. With a side of chutney — that the family says is a time-tested recipe which cannot be replicated — the snack holds a certain magic. An article in DNA mentioned that the outlet uses 100 kilos of potatoes every day and about 200-250 ladis (a block of bread buns).

It also highlights how the vada pav shop is an extension of a farsan (snack) shop idea that that family had started. And a fan of the outlet is none other than Amitabh Bachchan himself, who recommended the place to a contestant on the sets of the reality game show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’.

6. Shivaji Park Vada Pav

The vada pav and garlic chutney create a beautiful symphony. The duo has found favour in Sachin Tendulkar. As he shared in an interview with Curly Tales, it was an integral part of his growing-up years. “After hours of practising on the field, I used to have vada pav from the canteen and would eat four to five of them every day.”

The years haven’t diminished the love it seems. In an interview with a Marathi portal in 2011, Tendulkar reiterated, “I and my son (Arjun) love to eat vada-pav at Shivaji Park Gymkhana and there is nothing that can beat this snack, laced with chutney.”

7. Swati Snacks

In the belly of Mumbai’s Tardeo lies an eatery that has stuck to one philosophy: home food is the best food. Minakshi Jhaveri, a single mother started Swati Snacks without any prior business acumen, serving four items — sev puri, bhel puri, ragda pattice and pani puri — priced at four aanas (a currency unit used in British India). But with this simple formula, she created history and a multi-crore brand.

Her son Anand once shared with The Better India, “My mother treated all her customers the way she would guests who visit our home. For a guest, who is equivalent to God, you will prepare the food with the best intentions and a positive attitude, which automatically reflects in the taste. While growing up, I watched her spend that extra hour just so she could inspect the ingredients multiple times, or even walk kilometres to procure fresh ingredients like coriander. That dedication and care is what we have inherited from her.”

Thanks @madhuridixit for introducing me to my very first Vada Pav — it was delicious! https://t.co/Th40jqAEGa

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) April 17, 2023

The guest list has seen the likes of legendary painter M F Husain and tabla maestro Zakir Hussain. In a 2020 article by Bloomberg, Michelin star chef Ravinder Bhogal of Jikoni in London hailed the eatery for its vada pav.

The most recent addition to this list was Apple CEO Tim Cook who snacked on a vada pav along with actress Madhuri Dixit while on his visit to Mumbai in April 2023.

8. Jai Maharashtra Vadapav

Located in Andheri West, the eatery serves no-nonsense vada pav that manages to hit it off with one’s taste buds almost instantly.

As celebrity chef Saransh Goila took to Facebook to share, “The aloo vada is seasoned perfectly with lots of coriander in it and is really crisp on the outside with a thick besan (chickpea flour) coating, I suspect some rice flour in the batter! The pudina chutney (mint-flavoured sauce) consistency kinda thecha is the real star and adds a lovely kick, also the garlic chutney is on point. I gobbled down three of these and yet I want one more. Probably the best lunch you can buy in Rs 15!”

Edited by Pranita Bhat

Pumpkins, cherry tomatoes, beetroot and broccoli grace the garden patch that Mayank has spent the last decade nurturing. His creation seems almost like a rainbow, with green interspersing the riot of colours every now and then. A penchant for nature has always been in his DNA, he tells The Better India, adding that it was losing his father in 2015 that prompted him to embark on this green adventure.  

“We weren’t prepared to let go of my father or his memories. He had planted an aloe vera plant on the terrace the day before he passed away. As kids too, he was always growing okra and brinjal to educate us about how food is grown,” he says. 

The way Mayank saw it, he was faced with two choices: wallow in his grief and resort to unhealthy coping mechanisms or channel it into something productive. 

It is a no-brainer which path he chose and the thriving garden space is a testament to it. 

The ‘now or never’ moment 

While it does seem like Mayank perfected his green fingers in no time, he argues otherwise. There were multiple learning experiences, he points out. In retrospect, he made many mistakes while trying to get his plants to fruit, he says. 

“Take creepers like bottle gourd or bitter gourd for example. What I have now understood is that there is always a male and a female flower in the plant. So, even while the fruit is being borne on the female flower, there has to be a male flower for pollination to occur,” he explains. 

To this, he adds, “You can make all the arrangements for bees and other pollinators to be attracted to the flowers. But don’t forget about the male flowers.” He terms the period between 2015 and 2020 as his biggest learning curve. It was only during the COVID-19 pandemic-induced lockdown that gardening went from being a passion project to Mayank’s way of life. 

“My daughter was born during this period and it got me thinking about how the air we breathe isn’t the best, and neither is the food we eat the healthiest. I began thinking deeply about the world we were bringing our kids into and decided to be better.” 

A corollary of that thought is the kitchen garden that Mayank has cultivated. Filled with every kind of local vegetable as well as seasonal produce, the garden he says is an example of a complete ecosystem. 

“All peels that are generated in the kitchen go into the compost bin. This compost then goes into the garden to nurture the plants, which ultimately grow into the food that we consume.” While Mayank does admit that picking his favourite greens is like picking a favourite child, he lets us in on a secret — “Vegetables are my forte.”  

A veggie interesting story 

If you are a gardening enthusiast looking to begin your journey, or even if you are a seasoned one, one cannot deny that monsoons are a challenging time. While Mayank’s garden seems the picture of health, he says every garden has rough days. 

The secret lies in knowing how to channel the weather to your plant’s advantage. This was what he learned at the outset of when he started cultivating vegetable plants. 

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“Let’s be honest. You can have all the ornamental plants around you. But if we are speaking of an urban area where space is limited, the idea is to use the smallest of spaces well. That’s where vegetable plants come in,” he says. 

Not only are you cutting off the chemicals from your life — by consuming the vegetables you grow organically — but you’re also saving on costs. 

Here’s what Mayank recommends growing in the late summer/monsoons: 

1. Bottle gourd  

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Mayank speaks of how creepers are the best bet for monsoon. “They love humid climes and rainwater is the best source of nitrogen for these plants. It increases their growth.” These vegetables are versatile and you can even start growing them right now, as they are said to be tolerant to high temperatures. The same applies to bitter gourd. 

2. Zucchini 

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Often touted as an exotic vegetable, zucchini is abundant in carotenoids, fibre and potassium, making it a green that you want to add to your dietary palate. The summer squash pairs well with a number of other vegetables and ingredients and the recipes featuring it are endless. One pointer to keep in mind is that zucchini plants require at least five hours of sunlight and well-draining soil, both factors that go a long way to prevent root rot. 

3. Brinjal  

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Love whipping up some fried brinjal in the monsoons? Mayank says growing the plants is equally exciting. A fact to know before you start growing brinjals is that they can survive in dry spells. But they thrive in moisture. Pro tip: Ensure your eggplants are well watered, receiving at least an inch of water every week. 

4. Pomegranates 

A gardener’s favourite plant, pomegranates do not require as much water as its counterparts. While you may take a while to spot the fruit of your efforts, it will all be worth it when you reap the rich red harvest. In addition to being a delicious fruit, pomegranates can be used in a multitude of recipes, juices and desserts. Rich in vitamins A, C, E and B-complex, the fruit is what you need to add to your daily intake. 

5. Guavas 

The litmus test of being desi is whether you enjoy guava with chilli and salt. This monsoon, enjoy the delicacy of your very own plant. All you need to do is soak guava seeds in water for 24 hours before placing them in moist soil. The fruits are rich in dietary fibre and have high levels of vitamin C, making them great for health. 

Edited by Padmashree Pande.

Since time immemorial — the 18th century to be precise — the city’s love affair with the royal dish has been a well-celebrated one. Legend says it was Nizam-Ul-Mulk, the newly-appointed city ruler elected following Emperor Aurangzeb’s demise, who inspired the Hyderabadi biryani. 

The chef is said to have created almost 50 different versions of the dish, transcending the obvious chicken, mutton and fish versions to experiment with quail, deer, and hare meat. 

Through time, Hyderabadi’s fascination with biryani has grown. And not just the locals, but even Michelin-star chefs, famed food bloggers, celebrities and sportspersons love themselves a good biryani from… 

1. Cafe Bahar 

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The scrumptious menu at Cafe Bahar left celebrity chef Saransh Goila in awe. The eatery has been serving authentic Hyderabadi biryani since 1973 and a defining factor has been the long queue of patrons eagerly waiting outside the entrance. 

Started by a Persian settler who moved to the city, Cafe Bahar is hailed as one of the most iconic spots in the city for a meaty fiesta. Along with their biryanis, the chicken tikka kebabs (meat roasted on skewers) and mutton boti kebabs are said to draw guests from across the world. 

So, when chef Saransh Goila had to decide his next meal whilst in the city, it was a no-brainer which place to head to.  

In a post on Instagram, he writes, “I still remember Cafe Bahar family teaching me that the secret lies in sourcing good quality meat and A1 chawal (rice). They layer the rice in the dum handi (earthen pot) step by step; the bottom is filled with pre-boiled rice (the top half from the boiler) and the top of the handi has pre-boiled rice (that was at the bottom of the boiler) This ensures every grain cooks evenly and finds its true potential.”

2. Hotel Shadab 

Perfect and inimitable. This is how many describe the biryani at Hotel Shadab, one of the best spots to feast on the dish. 

As the hotel mentions, “Shadab was established with only one dream — a dream to have people from different communities enjoy traditional Hyderabadi food, as a collective family. Shadab’s long-standing legacy and success are truly due to the vision and hard work of its founder Mr. Khaja Pasha.” 

True to its name which translates to ‘evergreen’ and ‘joyous’ in Urdu, the 71-year-old eatery serves a plethora of dishes; each an ode to the cultural legacy of Hyderabad.  You’ll be amused to know that the now multi-cuisine restaurant was once a spot where locals gathered over chai and Osmania biscuits (flaky, buttery tea biscuits popular in the city). 

The combination continues to be a popular draw.  

3. Paradise

“Kehte hai agar Hyderabad aaye aur Paradise ki biryani nahi khayi toh Hyderabad aana bekar hai (They say if you visit Hyderabad and do not eat the biryani at Paradise, your visit was in vain),” this is what chef Sanjeev Kapoor emphasises in a video featuring him breezing through the city of Nizams, chronicling the best biryani hubs. 

The secret lies in a good formula, Dr Khazim Hemati, the owner of Paradise Restaurant explains to Kapoor. Over the sound of spices sizzling in hot oil in the background, Hemati shares the journey that the place has witnessed.   

What started as a hole-in-the-wall café in a cinema ‘Paradise’ in Secunderabad in 1953, turned into an eatery where residents of the city flocked for their fill of biryani in the early sixties. Since 1978, Hemati has been at the helm of things, and Paradise has expanded its operations to cities across India. 

The guest list has been coloured with visits from Dr Alexander Evans (OBE), British Deputy High Commissioner to India; Andrew McAllister, British Deputy High Commissioner to Hyderabad and badminton marvel, PV Sindhu. 

4. Bawarchi

Politicians, food bloggers, journalists and celebs, all find their common admiration for biryani at this spot in Hyderabad. Biryani is the signature dish here and the proof lies in the pudding — in 2019, food delivery platform Zomato released a report claiming that the joint receives over 2,000 orders a day, setting a world record. 

One of the most popular dishes is the chicken biryani with mutton and vegetable versions leading in tow. 

The eatery was paid a visit by food journalist and author Kunal Vijaykar who got chatting with Chef Salman Mansoori. The latter divulged, “We started with a bakery at first in 1994 but within the first 15 days, our biryani became very popular and we had to focus on that.” 

Mansoori emphasised that timing is of the essence in making a delicious biryani. “My staff can tell if the biryani is ready or not judging by the smell.”   

5. Hotel Nayaab 

Finding the best biryani spot in Hyderabad is akin to embarking on a treasure hunt. But if the meat feast at Hotel Nayaab is the prize, we’re all for it. While it is the breakfast that got Hotel Nayaab to the top of the food charts of the city, the lunch too is phenomenal. 

Located in the Ghansi Bazaar area, a 10-minute walk from the Charminar, Hotel Nayaab necessitates you be there on time. The food is wiped off pretty quickly. 

Some must-haves are the nihari (a slow-cooked meat stew), paya (trotters of a cow, goat or buffalo cooked in spices), bhaji gurda (kidneys of lamb in a spinach-based masala), dum ka kheema (mutton mince cooked in a vessel) and the malai paya (a masala laden lamb trotter dish topped with cream). 

Started in 1986, the outlet soon rose to fame as the first to offer Deccani haleem (a stew composed of meat, lentils, and pounded wheat made into a thick paste) commercially. 

6. Adaa 

As food blogger Pallab De shares in an interview with Condé Nast, “For the moments when you want to splurge, there’s no better place than Taj Falaknuma Palace. The painstakingly restored 130-year-old palace hotel is magnificent yet warm and welcoming.” The blogger goes on to add that Adaa sees luxury blended with good taste. 

“The velvety patthar ka gosht (a dish prepared by heating lamb on a wide stone and serving it with spices) and the Hyderabadi kachhe gosht ki biryani (a dish where partially cooked rice is layered on top of raw marinated meat and the duo is then cooked together in an earthen vessel) are reasons enough to justify the expense,” he notes. 

“The biryani at Adaa is impeccable. The impressive technique is a given, but it’s the restraint and the balance of flavours that makes it one of the finest renditions of a culinary gem,” he adds. 

7. Shah Ghouse

The recipes at Shah Ghouse are a closely guarded secret. Biryanis and mutton curries here are sprinkled with a drizzle of their traditional special masalas, which render it their unique taste. 

Founded by Mohammad Rabbani, Mohammad Ghouse Pasha and Mohammad Irfan, the eatery organised a food-eating competition in 2008, which, according to an article in The Hindu witnessed 14 teams, each comprising two people, feeding one another three boxes of haleem within five minutes for a cash prize of Rs 3000. 

But these stories and the great food are not the only feathers in Shah Ghouse’s cap. The eatery was also featured in a list of ‘Best Biryani Hotels in India’ put out by the Wall Street Journal, USA.  

8. Biryaniwalla and Co

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Food is a shared language over which guests at this historic eatery bond. Also known as BWCO, the eatery began as a modest café in 1980 led by a gentleman Ashtarian. One of the most popular dishes here since day one has been the Hyderabadi biryani made using premium basmati (long slender-grained aromatic rice) and specially blended spices. 

Even against the landscape of cost-cutting, the eatery prides itself on its aromatic biryanis, gratis saffron content. 

And one of the guests who thoroughly enjoyed the feast was MasterChef Australia’s Gary Mehigan. On his rendezvous through the city in April 2023, Mehigan stopped by and later took to Instagram to write, “Time to leave the ‘city of pearls’ Hyderabad but the memory of mountains of haleem and biryani remains. Sofiyani or white biryani is still my favourite but I figure one last post of our mutton & chicken biryanis @b.w.c.o is worth it. Can’t beat a mountain of chicken and fluffy rice with a big spoonful of lip-numbing chicken 65 on the top.”

Edited by Padmashree Pande.

If you don’t have the resources to start a full eatery, you can still cook from the comfort of your kitchen by starting a cloud kitchen. Unlike traditional restaurants, cloud kitchens — also known as ghost kitchens or virtual kitchens — operate without a dine-in facility, focusing solely on fulfilling online orders.

If you are planning to start a cloud kitchen but are unsure where to start, we are here to do the heavy lifting for you. The Better India spoke to two women cloud kitchen owners to understand the ins and outs of the business.

1. Have faith and self-belief

Faith and self-belief are essential for starting any business. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020, Raji Sakthi from Kerala, like many others, did not lose hope. With strong support from her husband and children, she secured a gold loan and embarked on her cloud kitchen journey.

She started her venture under the name ‘From the Kitchen — Homely Foods’ and never looked back. She now gets at least 100 orders per week!

2. Start with small investments

According to Raji, in the beginning, smaller investments translate to smaller risks. Coming from a humble background, she points out, “Invest a minimal amount in the sector. Always keep these two points in mind — it’s a small homegrown business, so it takes time to see better results, and never expect to make a profit in a month or two.”

3. Know your market and consumers 

Conduct market research, analyse competitors, and gather feedback to alter your menu items.

She says, “When pricing for a cloud kitchen, consider factors such as ingredient costs, labour, overhead expenses, market demand, and perceived value. It’s crucial to strike a balance between profitability and affordability while ensuring the quality of your offerings.”

4. Create an innovative menu

Hyderabad resident Naaz Anjum who started a cloud kitchen ‘Anjum’s Kitchen’ says that innovating her menu has been great for her business. While she was known and loved for her delicious homemade biryanis, she realised people might look for something more.

So she started making ‘iftar platter for one’, which includes haleem, dahi wada, fruits, and dates to attract more customers. “Introducing seasonal items like panjiri ke ladoo, and gond ke laddoo during winter can be good for attracting new customers,” she says.

5. Spread the word

Since the business is small-scale, affording a marketing strategy might be difficult.

Raji suggests, “While food delivery apps like Swiggy and Zomato can help you tap into a wider audience, it is important to take some more steps. For a cloud kitchen, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google My Business are essential for reaching potential customers. Always ask customers to review your food and take that feedback into consideration.”

6. Treat the customer as the king

Raji shares that one of the biggest challenges in the cloud kitchen business is establishing brand visibility and attracting customers without a physical storefront.

“Overcoming this involves investing in a strong online presence, leveraging social media, partnering with food delivery platforms, and offering promotions to incentivise first-time orders. Maintain consistency and on-time delivery for a better customer response,” she says.

To operate a cloud kitchen in India, you need an FSSAI Food Safety And Standards Authority License, GST Registration, Health Licence, Fire and Safety License, and a Trade License. You can read more about the documents needed for applying for these licenses here.

(Edited by Pranita Bhat; All images credit: Raji and Anjum)

On the polling day in Bengaluru, Karnataka, the city witnessed two notable queues: one at the polling station and another at a local restaurant. 

What made this restaurant stand out? Most of the weary voters were lining up outside Nisarga Grand Hotel for their free dosa and juice.

“I don’t care who they voted for, just that they did. We served over 6,000 free dosas on polling day,” says SP Krishnaraj, the owner of the hotel to The Better India. 

Curious about why a man in Bengaluru is serving free dosas? Join The Better India as we delve into his heartwarming journey and discover where it all began.

It all started with an angry young man

Krishnaraj worked with different restaurants before opening his own place in 2017. “I had always been in the business of restaurants working for different places but opening my own restaurant was my biggest dream. After years of hard work, he was able to open Nisarga Grand,” he says. 

Recalling the initial days of his restaurant, he says, “The initial days were not as grand as I had hoped for them to be. But what I focussed on was providing quality service to the people,” he shares. 

It was around this time that he started chatting with a young guest. “It was back in 2018 and the elections were going on. I started to chat with the young man and noticed that he had not voted. I inquired why and he simply said that he didn’t want to vote,” he recalls. 

On further questioning, Krishnaraj realised that he did not like any parties contesting at the time. “He said that they all are the same and he had no faith in any leader. I proceeded to make him understand that voting is a right that he needs to exercise. It is important to uphold democracy,” he says. 

The two started to have a discussion and the man casually mentioned “If I go and vote, you will have to give me free dosas”. 

“I think he was joking but I readily agreed and urged him to vote. He did show up some hours later with an inked finger. I gave him free dosa and juice that day,” he says. 

Krishnaraj kept replaying the incident and realised that there must be many more people like that man. 

“I have always been a patriot and have wanted to do my part in the country’s growth. In society, I believe that the Constitution is the highest entity and everyone should follow it. The incident gave me an idea,” he says. 

Krishnaraj decided to distribute free dosas every election. 

Ink that finger and get a free dosa! 

He was eagerly waiting for the 2018 elections but little did he know that a fight lay before him. 

“I issued a notice on Facebook, WhatsApp, local newspapers and to my friends that I will be distributing free dosas to whoever votes. I had my staff prepare the batter, the chutneys and everything,” he says. 

However, he found out that he was barred by the EC to distribute the food. “My friend advised me to go to the high court and file a plea. The HC gave a verdict at 8:30 pm in my favour. It was a single-bench decision but it was challenged by a bunch of hotels in the city.” 

There was another hearing that started at 12:30 at night.

“The double bench also decided that my cause was valuable and I could do it. For a moment, before the verdict, I had lost faith and was worried about the wastage of food that it would cause,” he says. 

However, that year, Krishnaraj distributed over 3,000 free dosas and filtered coffee to voters. 

The next year, he distributed 4,100 free dosas. “Every year, I go through the same drill. In 2019, during the lok sabha elections, I was prepared so I went to court 15 days ahead to avoid any last-minute panic. I won again and fed free dosas to thousands,” he says. 

This year was no different. While the city’s residents stood in the scorching sun waiting for their turn, workers at the Nisarga Grand Hotel got ready to prepare thousands of dosas. 

“This year too, we did not get the permission initially. But, we were able to secure it by the polling date. Every year the number of people grows. This year, we served 6,800 people free masala dosas. The people always embrace this idea with a welcoming heart,” he says. 

Apart from distributing free dosas, Krishnaraj believes in creating social awareness in other areas as well. Of course, this, too, he does in his own way. 

“I always want to help people in some way or the other. When there was a lot of misunderstanding about the Rs 10 coin, and vendors were not accepting it, I asked people to give me the coin instead and would give them 10 percent off on their bill,” he says. 

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Despite the challenges of frequent court visits, Krishnaraj remains steadfast in his goal. 

“It can be taxing to visit the court every time I try to do this, but it doesn’t demotivate me at all. Instead, it inspires me even more,” he explains. 

“What keeps me going is the smile on people’s faces when they come to the hotel to claim their free dosas. It’s heartwarming to see so many people turn up at the hotel, as it indirectly indicates that all of them voted. That is reward enough for me,” he shares.

(Edited by Padmashree Pande; All pictures credit: Krishnaraj)

As you enter Dhanam Paati (grandmother)’s house in Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu, you will find people across different age groups sitting down in anticipation of hot platefuls of idlis, chutney and sambhar. You see, this idli shop may not have chairs or tables, or a fancy entrance, but what it has in abundance are ladlefuls of the octogenarian’s love. 

The mud house, held together by tarpaulin sheets and a thatched roof is a place where schoolchildren, daily-wage workers and office goers gather every morning to have a scrumptious breakfast that keeps them full till afternoon or more. 

One needs to duck down to enter the house, which also doubles up as the shop. Customers sit down on the mud floor. The highlight, and what keeps the regulars coming back for more is the lady running the business for over four decades. 

Starting the business out of a dire financial situation, in a house with two children and a sick husband, what Dhanam Paati has been clear about all through is the fact that the food must be reasonably priced. Starting with selling idlis for 3 paisa, she slowly increased it to meet the needs of her growing children. But even till four years back, one idli cost just Re 1. 

It was after her husband’s death three years back that she doubled the price of her idlis. Ask her why not increase it further and pat comes the reply,  “People should be able to have a full meal within Rs 10.”

Yet, in an endeavour to serve others, the 84-year-old ignores her needs. She survives on multiple cups of tea and benevolent strangers, who help her with some rice and pulses and sometimes cash.

All she wants is a pucca or a permanent house as the one she currently inhabits is in a dilapidated state; in danger of falling down anytime. Here’s her story.

‘All I need is love’

Paati’s day begins at 5 am with preparing the accompaniments for the idlis. The one-woman army does everything; from grinding the batter to fetching the sticks for her traditional clay stove and buying the vegetables for the sambhar. 

By 7 am, the idlis are being steamed and she sits with a cup of tea and a huge smile, awaiting customers. 

Hailing from Aranthangi, she moved to Pudukottai in 1960 after her marriage. Her husband used to run a tea shop but his frail health meant that Dhanam became the breadwinner of the family. 

Starting with the tea shop, she ran many businesses to support her family.

“We had two children, and that was a time before the mid-day meal scheme. To provide for their clothes, food and toys, I worked day and night to ensure that their needs are met,” Dhanam shares with The Better India.

As the tea shop wasn’t profitable, she made snacks too. When that too didn’t suffice the family’s needs, she started selling idlis in the 1980s. Located in a busy street in Gandhinagar, Pudukkottai, she built a loyal customer base of everyone from school children to homemakers. 

She uses ration rice and pulses for the idli batter and sambhar. While the ration items she gets aren’t sufficient for the quantity she makes, regular customers and well-wishers help her with their ration rice. This goodwill and her benevolent heart are the major reasons for her pricing.

“When I started, 3 paise for one idli was less than other hotels, but it helped everyone afford it,” she adds.

This principle is the reason that has prevented her from increasing the price even today, even as nearby hotels charge at least Rs 10 per idli.  

“I am not doing this for profit, all I want is the love of my customers. That keeps me going. Will school children be able to afford more? Everyone is struggling for money, and this is my way of helping out,” adds the 84-year-old.

Another source of inspiration for her service are the people who do annadanam (food donation). When they can provide food and clothes to so many, why couldn’t she do something in her capacity, she thought to herself. 

But why not increase it to enable a better life for herself? “Let it be. Why should an old lady be greedy?” she says firmly.

This love keeps her customers coming back. Saravanan, a regular customer, shares that he has been eating at Dhanam Paati’s shop since he was a child.

“The taste of her idlis, coconut chutney and kurma (mixed vegetable gravy) is unparalleled. If we ask for three idlis, she will always give two extra without charging for it. If one is short of money, she waives it off. All she wants is that we leave feeling full,” he shares.

‘Help me build a permanent house’

One might also wonder why she continues to work well into her 80s. Her son and daughter are struggling too, she shares, which is why she doesn’t want to burden them.

Her son works as a lorry loadman and hardly makes enough to provide for his two children, while her daughter is married to a tailor. 

“They asked me to move in with them but I refused. Why burden them with an additional mouth to feed? I have no expectations and no complaints. I am happy with the way my life is today and I intend to work hard till my last breath,” she shares. 

She makes about Rs 50 per day, which is hardly enough to buy the required vegetables or buy the masalas required for the sambhar. She manages her meals with a handful of rice and the remaining sambhar. 

Another major worry she has is about what would happen to her regular customers were she to relocate.

“Business is not that great but people buy me a cup of tea and give me a handful of rice,” she adds.

Yet, this doesn’t bother her. What she really wants is for someone to help her build a permanent house she can spend her sunset years in.

“Many people tried to encroach our house. As my husband couldn’t do much, I visited the collector’s office several times to prevent that. I visited the tehsildar and ran from pillar to post to save my house,” adds Dhanam.

Today, the mud house with a thatched roof is in dire straits. The walls are leaking and the house is filled with cobwebs. Rainy season is especially difficult, as even a small shower entails water coming inside the house.  

“The house may fall down anytime. I request the government to help me build a new house. A small one is enough,” shares the hardworking lady.

If you wish to help Dhanam Paati build a new house, you can do so by donating to her account –

Account number: 212086182 

Bank: The Pudukkottai District Central Cooperative Bank Ltd

IFSC Code: TNSC0010900 

Name: Dhanam S 

Edited by Padmashree Pande, Feature Image Courtesy M Muthu Kannan.

Join The Better India on a journey through the winding streets and bustling markets as we uncover five iconic eateries, where a delicious breakfast menu is open for the city to enjoy at any time.

1. Vidyarthi Bhavan

What started as a small eatery by a bunch of students in 1943 is today the city’s most iconic legacy dosa (thin pancake made using lentil and rice) place. If you love feasting on the beloved South Indian dish, this is the place to be. With different branches all around the city, the place serves the most fluffy yet crunchy masala doses (thin pancake stuffed with a potato filling) usually devoured with filter coffee.

Vouched for by actor Ashish Vidyarthi, his personal favourite benne dose (butter thin pancake) for breakfast is a must-try!

Location: 32, Gandhi Bazaar Main Rd, Gandhi Bazaar, Basavanagudi.

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2. 154 Breakfast Club

If you are looking to devour some delicious European-styled breakfast, then 154 Breakfast Club is the place to be. With its long list of breakfast plates — which have baked beans, mushrooms, bacon, croissants, pancakes, grilled tomatoes and eggs done to order — the food at this place leaves many food enthusiasts in awe.

Bengaluru’s local foodie Varna of @_im.still.hungry__ recommends kickstarting your day at the place. “A personal recommendation from my side would be ‘Stairway to Heaven’ (A mixed stack of waffle, pancake and French toast with maple syrup, honey, whipped cream and berry toppings),” she says.

Location: 440, 2nd Floor, 8th Main Road, 4th Block, Koramangala; and 688, 2nd Floor, 100 Feet Ring Road, Jeewan Griha Colony, 2nd Phase, J P Nagar.

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3. Airlines Hotel

Another iconic eatery in Bengaluru, Airlines Hotel is famous for its delicious South Indian breakfast menu. Serving dishes like crispy dosas, akki roti (flatbread made using rice, spices and vegetables), chow chow bath (contains a serving each of savoury and sweet dishes), and kesari bath (sweet dish), the place promises a solid breakfast menu.

B S Rahul Murthy, also known as @shudhdesifoodies, calls their food “addictive” on Instagram. He recommends trying the chana bhatura (deep-fried bread with chickpea curry) and masala dose.

Location: 4, State Bank of India Road, Shanthala Nagar, Ashok Nagar. 

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4. The Rameshwaram Cafe

If we are talking breakfast in Bengaluru, it would be unfair not to mention the iconic Rameshwaram Cafe. A brand name known for staying open even at midnight, the place is always buzzed with enthusiastic food lovers and the clinking sound of cutlery.

Once you make it through the long queue, try their ghee podi masala dosa (thin flatbread with potato filling, clarified butter and spice powder) and podi idli (steamed rice cake with spice powder) with some filter coffee.

Even Australian chef Gary Mehigan gave a nod to the sumptuous dishes served here when he visited the place. “I’ll be back,” he wrote on Instagram.

Location: Multiple outlets including J P Nagar, Indiranagar, Rajajinagar, and Brookfield.

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5. The Hole In The Wall Cafe

If some great coffee and delicious pancakes are what you are craving for breakfast, visit the Hole In The Wall Cafe. Located in several locations including Koramangala, the place has become a go-to brunch spot for many.

While you are there, don’t forget to indulge in their meaty pizza omelette, veg casserole, and French toast.

Location: 3, 8th Main Road, 4th Block, Koramangala.

(Edited by Pranita Bhat)

I assumed the hype to be hearsay. But it was only when I set foot in the pink city, that I knew I was wrong.

Everyone — from the chatty rickshaw driver who took it upon himself to plan the day’s itinerary to the shopkeeper whose jutti (traditional Indian shoes that feature hand embroidery) collection was set to impress — spoke of the laal maas with deep reverence.

It began to seem almost like a sacrilege to be in Rajasthan and not savour the dish. And thus began my quest to find the best places in the city that would deliver to promise. But looking for the best laal maas places in Rajasthan is akin to seeking out the prettiest monument in the city. Each pales over the other in comparison.

Nevertheless, one of the first spots I stopped by was Handi Restaurant in Vaishali Nagar.

My order took a while to arrive, but the taste justified the delay. As the scent of the mutton gravy teased my tastebuds way before the first morsel hit my palate, I was convinced that the people of Rajasthan had birthed a gem in the form of this dish.

It was a true firecracker; its spicy notes and melt-in-mouth texture were a flavour bomb; the mutton soft and rendering.

Tip: If you are looking for something to pair your laal maas with, the best bet would be a rumali roti (a thin and limp Indian flatbread that resembles a handkerchief).

Tip 2: Keep a tissue ready.

When I relayed my experience to Ratika Bhargava who manages CauldronSisterss — a culinary venture, along with her sister Riccha Khetan — she proceeded to let me in on a few secrets of the dish’s history.

The reason for my tear glands acting up, she pointed out, was the Mathania chillies.

A spicy affair

As connoisseurs of the laal maas point out in articles across the web, the hero of the dish is the chilli. Blood red in colour, they are indigenous to the town ‘Mathania’ in Jodhpur, where the hot and humid climate plays the perfect host.

With its pungent taste and smoky and earthy flavour, Mathania has won over Rajasthan and the world. Sometimes added in whole, other times soaked in water and ground into a paste, the chillies have been finding their way into Rajasthani delicacies since time immemorial.

While chronicling their history, Bhargava, who knows Rajasthani cuisine like the back of her hand, also shares an old wive’s tale that surrounds the Mathania chilli. “While these chillies are being grown, ashes from burial grounds are spread in the farmland. This increases production and contributes to their flavour,” she notes cautioning that the relevance of this theory is not known.

But even while it has been established that the chilli is a hero of sorts, the question begs to be asked how it found its way into the laal maas.

From sophisticated to egalitarian

Anyone who has feasted on this mutton marvel will agree it is evocative of royalty. Translating to red meat — a pop of colour that we have the Mathania chillies to thank for — the dish traces back to the 8th century. While there is no linear narrative on which particular incident influenced the dish, all theories converge on one — it started during hunting expeditions.

The story goes that Maharajas would be accompanied by a retinue of people including khansamas (royal cooks) on these trips. The rations carried along were limited — chillies, garlic, water and yoghurt. During the trip, the kings would hunt wild boar, jungle fowl, and venison, which would be sent to the camp kitchen on horseback where it was marinated and kept ready for dinner. But when the dish would be set in front of the king at the dinner table that evening, the odour was putting off.

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So, in an attempt to turn the jungli maas (wild meat) into something more palatable, copious amounts of chillies were added to disguise the smell. Through the years, the dish went through an evolution of its own with different families adding their own insignia to it. Among these, it is said that the recipe from the royal family of Mewar is considered superior.

An article in Deccan Tiffin points out that there are two versions of laal maas; the one cooked in Jodhpur where ghee is used, and the one cooked in Udaipur with mustard oil. It adds that the addition of tomatoes is highly debated as is the dish’s consistency, with some versions being saucier than others.

Here’s a recipe by Chef Ranveer Brar who got the recipe from Jodhpur.

Ingredients

For marination:

1 kg mutton, curry cuts

2 tbsp ginger garlic paste (70 percent garlic + 30 percent ginger)

For gravy:

¼ cup ghee

2-3 cloves

10 black peppercorns

2 small cardamoms

1 black cardamom

250 gm onion, sliced

Marinated mutton

Salt to taste

20 Mathania chilli paste (use soaked chillies)

200 gm curd, beaten

1½ tbsp coriander powder

½ tsp red chilli powder

½ tsp cumin powder

2 tbsp mustard oil

Method

For marination:

Step 1: In a mixing bowl, add mutton and ginger garlic paste, and marinate well. Keep it aside for one hour.

For gravy:

Step 1: In a large sauce pot, heat ghee and add cloves, black peppercorns, small cardamoms, and black cardamom. Let the whole spices splutter.

Step 2: Add onions and saute till it gets light brown. Add the marinated mutton and saute for 4-5 minutes.

Step 3: Add Mathania chilli paste and saute well for another 8-10 minutes to remove rawness of the chilies. Add salt to taste and mix well. Cover and let it cook for 10-12 minutes on low flame.

Step 4: In a bowl add curd, coriander powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, and mustard oil, and mix well.

Step 5: Transfer the curd mixture into the pot and stir well. Cover with the lid and cook for 30 minutes on low flame till the mutton becomes tender.

Step 6: Garnish with coriander sprig and serve hot with bajra roti.

Best places to eat laal maas in Rajasthan

1. Niros, Jaipur

Since 1 August 1949, a humble restaurant on Jaipur’s Mirza Ismail Road has been serving its guests with the same passion it once did. As the story goes, the restaurant was started by Late Shri Ved Pardal who intended to make his restaurant a go-to space for non-vegetarian food at a time when people were inclined towards vegetarian meals.

Listed in their Moghlai specialities, laal maas has long since thrilled the guests here with adjectives such as “succulent”, “exceptional”, and “appealing” preluding the dish. Niros’ guest list has seen icons — Rajeev Gandhi, Farooq Abdullah, Naomi Campbell, among others.

2. Spice Court, Jaipur

The restaurant is famous for the quintessential laal maas along with a host of other Rajasthani curries — such as mutton sula (traditional Rajasthani kebabs) and keema baati (minced meat eaten with baked bread). The place plays host to many cultural events, providing a beautiful spectacle that people can enjoy whilst they dine.

As Navneet Painuly writes in a Google review, “I was exploring restaurants, and I was recommended by a local friend to check this place. So I went there with my family and we had a terrific experience. The place had a great vibe and I loved the antique walls and doors. Rajasthani cuisine is amazing and is a speciality here. It is a must-try place if you are around.”

3. 1135 AD, Jaipur

The story behind the name is fascinating — it was in 1135 AD that the Kachwaha clan founded the dynasty of the Rajputs. Not just the name, but even the ambience is an ode to the history of the Rajasthani culture. You are bound to feel like royalty when you step into the restaurant.

Set in the historic Amer Palace, stroll around to admire the open-air courtyard and the Sheesh Mahal (dubbed the ‘Palace of Mirrors’). The two icons on the menu are the laal maas and Amber gosht (a mutton speciality made by the cooks here).

The kitchens claim to recreate century-old local royal recipes that palace cooks closely guarded.

4. Jhankar Choti Haveli

Aside from the laal maas, there is a thrilling experience to look forward to at the Jhankar Haveli rooftop restaurant. Feast on delicacies as the majestic Jaswant Thada (a 19th-century cenotaph), Umaid Bhawan Palace, and the Clock Tower make up your view. You can also opt for the candle-lit dinner for an opportunity to dine under a canopy of stars; the Meherangarh Fort provides a perfect backdrop.

The malai kofta (paneer dumplings in a rich, creamy gravy), dal makhni (lentils in a gravy of butter and cream), and kaju curry (a cashew nut gravy) are said to be the hero dishes on the menu.

5. Indique

Bathe in the glow of the setting sun during your dinner at Indique. The hotel prides itself on its exotic ambience and a spectacular mix of Rajasthani food with vintage and exotic blends. The tables groan with an excess of North Indian delicacies and meaty feasts, and you will be treated to stories of how the restaurant resides in a haveli with a glorious history. The Pal Haveli dates back more than 200 years and prides itself on legacy culinary recipes — one of which is laal maas.

Edited by Pranita Bhat.

“Every Diwali, our grandmother used to meticulously make the jaangris, murukku and Mysore pak. As she was cooking, she used to narrate tales to her grandchildren and make them do odd jobs, says Nalini Parthiban, co-founder, SKC.

Anand and Nalini resolved to take their grandma’s food to the world. They brought Paati on board to give a modern twist to traditional South Indian snacks.

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But the journey was tough. Many banks said no to loans, so they started with a humble Rs 2,000 investment in a small room of their house. The team distributed newspaper pamphlets themselves to acquire the first set of customers.

Before they knew it, orders started flooding in! People loved Paati’s warmth and the personal touch in her snacks.

The recipes are all hers, given to her by her grandmother. “I oversee the cooking from time to time. I ensure no compromise there. Everything is made with love and care with the best ingredients — just like the way I would make for my own family,” says Paati.

Paati also enjoys making Instagram reels and sharing her love for M S Dhoni! Bursting with enthusiasm for this phase of life, “It’s like a rebirth,” she says.

Nailini says, “The energy that Janaki Paati brings to everything she does is truly contagious; whether it is cheering on her favourite cricketer or learning the latest mobile apps, her passion and zest for life are unparalleled.”

Today, the startup has expanded not only pan-India but to 32 countries globally.

Edited by Pranita Bhat

Sources:

Success is sweet and savoury: by Sindhu Hariharan for Times of India, Published on 27th November, 2023

LinkedIn post by co-founder Nalini Prathiban: Published on 10th April 2024

And this conversation was no different.

As Singh toyed with the brilliant idea of diabetic-friendly biscuits — a rarity at the time — his grandaughter was amazed. “Now you know where I get it from,” she smiles, referring to her passion for food.

The MasterChef Australia Season 16 contestant may have traversed the world, but all roads have always led back home to Bengaluru, where she grew up in a household that witnessed a confluence of culture as the family’s Punjabi descent and love for rajma chawal (red kidney beans in a thick gravy served with rice) blended with their occasional preference for dosa (a crepe made with fermented batter) and chutney (a savoury condiment).

It is this powerhouse of flavour that Saigal has been bringing to the MasterChef table since the start of the season. And her culinary prowess has been winning both palettes and hearts.

She settles down for a tête-à-tête with The Better India where she shares the reciprocal relationship that she’s always shared with food, traces her steps back to the biggest influences in her life, and elaborates on how the dots connected to lead her to the world’s most coveted kitchen.

She shares, “I’d say my paternal grandfather impacted my love for food in a big way. His ideas were almost like mind-benders for me. They caused me to think beyond the obvious.” An anecdote that sums up her darji’s out-of-the-box thinking is when on a shopping spree he picked up a bottle of ketchup, took a good look at the ingredients and said, ‘Oh, we can make this at home!’.

True to his word, he spent the next many hours in the kitchen, experimenting to get the flavours right. And the result was pretty good, Saigal affirms. When he wasn’t prodding her to think beyond the confines of the ordinary, he was researching recipes from across the globe. And as grandfather and granddaughter sat down to dissect these, fascination flooded their faces.

“I just was amazed at his thirst for knowledge and his hunger made me hungry to learn more,” she reminisces.

Astounding cooking skills run in the family DNA; Saigal’s stories reveal.

The chain of restaurants in India helmed by her extended family are a testament to this — The Great Punjab restaurant, Hotel Diplomat (adjacent to the iconic Taj Palace Hotel), Jashan restaurant in Mumbai, and Sher-e-Punjab in Pune. Through these ventures, the family has been delighting generations with their food and flavours.

And Saigal’s brilliant performance in the MasterChef kitchen is an extension of this. But the journey from Bengaluru to Australia wasn’t without its detours.

Keepers of tradition

Every ardent fan of the cooking show MasterChef Australia watched with bated breath as celebrity British chef Jamie Oliver sampled Saigal’s pani puri (deep-fried breaded hollow spherical shells filled with a combination of finely diced potato, onion, peas and chickpea and spiced with tamarind chutney). As the burst of flavour tantalised his taste buds, his reaction gave the internet a field day — “You’re from Bangalore? That dish was bangs galore too.”

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Letting us in on the behind-the-scenes, Saigal shares, “It was an incredible moment. He [Jamie Oliver] is such a humble man and for him to taste that pani puri of mine — something that we here in India take for granted — and enjoy it, was amazing. At the onset of the challenge, I remember being sceptical about whether I should make pani puri or not, but then I figured that one cannot speak of street food in India without mentioning the pani puri, and I decided to go for it.”

And having Jamie Oliver love it was all the validation she needed!

Saigal sees these moments as a nod to her efforts to bring Indian food to a global stage. She enjoys feeding others, a habit she borrowed from watching her parents entertain guests and host parties in their Bengaluru home. Her memories of food are anecdotal, as she shares, “It was fascinating to watch a detailed menu coming to life and watching everyone, not just my mother, but also my father be an integral part of the process.”

Add to these experiences the fact that food was central to their lives, gratis her Punjabi genes.

“We’d wake up in the morning, and while having our chai and paratha (an Indian flatbread), we’d already be planning our lunch menu. During lunch, we’d plan for evening snacks and while having chai we’d discuss dinner,” she smiles.

But on Sundays, the menu was non-negotiable. The spot on the table was reserved for mutton biryani (a dish comprising meat cooked in spices, herbs and yoghurt, served with rice). And as the family gathered to feast, bonds were formed, laughs were shared, jokes were cracked, and memories were etched onto a young Saigal’s mind.

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Her professional years saw her pursue a degree in hotel management in Karnataka, followed by an MBA in tourism management in Australia. Corporate life took a front seat for years, but as she maintains, “I never took my finger out of the food pie.”

Harnessing a forte for spice

Everyone in the MasterChef kitchen is familiar with Saigal’s reverence for spices. She insists these aren’t just flavouring condiments but instead powerful symbols of Indian gastronomy; the ingredients that render Indian food its distinct taste. “Spices are our superpower, something we don’t need to double guess. Like the colours of the rainbow, each spice is beautiful in its own right. I see them like music notes. You can adjust the levels but still end up with a beautiful rendition,” she shares.

An apt example of this metaphor is the masala dabba (spice box) in Indian homes.

“We each have the same dabba but a curry in my house won’t resemble the one in yours. That’s what is amazing,” she adds.

And to further pay homage to Indian spices, Saigal shares a dream she has long since harboured — ‘Sauce Boss’, a platform that will make sauces easily available and accessible for people in Australia.

Sharing the experiences that influenced this dream, she says, “On my trips to India, I see a huge variety. A curry in North India is different from one in South India; a curry in Kolkata is different from one you’ll find on the western coast. While we recognise the depth of flavour, popular opinion is that a curry is complex with over 50 ingredients. Through Sauce Boss, I want to bring out the versatility of Indian food, where one sauce can be used to make a range of dishes.”

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But right now, it is MasterChef Australia’s Season 16 keeping her busy. As she stands proud in her white apron emblazoned with her name, Saigal sees it as a realisation of a long-time dream. “I recall watching MasterChef Australia for the first time with my twins years ago. We’d watch excitedly as contestants planned their dishes and came up with amazing stuff. My kids would go ‘Okay mom, now you’ve got a challenge. You’ve got to make something using what’s there in the fridge!’”

“That’s how it started.”

Every dish Saigal prepares has a sensory richness to it — sight, smell and taste compete to thrill the judges. “Even when I would watch the show with my twins, I always found it to be so wholesome; a great bonding experience; something to come home to. I would watch in awe as the judges gave feedback, as home cooks dished out incredible things, and pushed the boundaries of their skills,” she says.

The show has watched Saigal grow from strength to strength and she credits its challenges for boosting her creativity and quick thinking. “The expressions of surprise you see are all real,” she notes.

Today, gratitude colours her emotional palette as she looks back on her journey. But it is intriguing how it all transpired.

She reveals, “One day while watching the show years ago, I looked at the screen and said ‘That [the MasterChef kitchen] is where I want to be.’”

Make up your mind and the entire universe will conspire to make it happen. Saigal’s story is a testament to this.

Edited by Pranita Bhat

Adding to an already difficult situation was the fact that she was staying in a red zone, where movement was restricted. 

“The whole world was locking themselves indoors, and I wanted to break free. The man inside the house had proved to be more dangerous than a global pandemic outside. The violence had begun threatening the life of my unborn child,” Fatema shared on Instagram.

Displaying tremendous courage and presence of mind, she wrote to the National Commission of Women, asked her doctor for a ‘safe to travel’ letter and applied for a travel pass. She found a driver who was willing to risk his life for her safety.

Through the help of her parents in Kolkata, her gynaecologist and the local administration, she escaped her emotionally and physically abusive marriage and found shelter at her parent’s home.

She found solace in her childhood passion for baking, and decided to turn it into a bakery business called Cakelicious with her mother, Duriya, in Kolkata. 

Started as a cloud kitchen serving ‘cakes in tubs’ in 2020 as a new mother, it has grown into a full-fledged bakery and cafe, which earns Rs 10 lakh per month. She even secured a funding of Rs 25 lakh for 20 percent equity on Shark Tank season 2 from Amit Jain.  

Her mantra is, “You have the power to rewrite your story, don’t ever give up on yourself.”

Edited by Padmashree Pande.

No sooner do you enter the words kathi roll into the Google search tab, than the prompt will follow it up with ‘in Kolkata’ — a huge nod to the City of Joy’s identity as being one of the best places in the world for feasting on the meaty snack. 

Much like the culture of the city it has come to represent, the skewer-roasted kebab (roasted meat) hugged by a paratha (flatbread) is a mouthful of delight in every bite. Join The Better India today on our expedition through the bylanes of Kolkata where we deep dive into the city’s restaurants which saw the birth, evolution and domination of the kathi roll.  

1. Chaccha Jaan 

Knowing where to settle down for an order of kathi roll can be intimidating, especially in Kolkata which boasts so many eateries for the famed snack. But one of the places that tops the charts is Chaccha Jaan on Chowbhagha Road. In an interview with Conde Nast, food writer Poorna Banerjee swears by this outlet’s efficiency in serving some of the most delicious kathi rolls she has ever had.

“They make what is known as the rumali roti kebab roll. It’s a whole rumali roti (a thin, soft, limp flatbread) wrapped over a kebab and served with mint chutney (a savoury condiment). This is a very heavy roll, but it’s really great.” You’ll need to recover soon from your food coma because you absolutely cannot miss out on the biryani, a cult favourite here.  

2. Nizam’s 

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Stopping by for a quick snack at Nizam’s — birthplace of the kathi roll — is non-negotiable if you are in the city. The meats are melt-in-the-mouth and the flavours are royal. The eatery was started in 1937 by a gentleman Raza Hassan Saheb and witnessed everyone from the British high society to the locals stop by for some kebabs.

In order to make the snack ‘portable’ so the customers could carry it to work with them, Raza wrapped the kebab in a fried, flaky flatbread and voila! The kathi roll was born. Aside from balancing out the flavours, the flatbread also cut through the fattiness of the meat.

As a Times of India article notes, the guest list at Nizam’s has seen the sahibs (a term used for addressing a person of high status) of Kolkata, Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor among other affluent people. 

3. Kareem’s 

When it comes to kebabs, Kareem’s is a no-brainer. While the story about the original Delhi outlet is told far and wide, the Kolkata outlet has climbed the charts to strike a chord with the city’s residents as well. With its chicken kalimiri kababs (a dish of minced chicken flavoured with pepper), butter naan (a soft, stretchy flatbread), butter chicken kadhai chicken (a chicken dish noted for its spicy taste) and of course the kathi roll, the menu is winning. 

4. Kusum Rolls

Since 1971, Kusum Rolls has been thrilling Indians and foreigners alike with its delectable meats and amazing flavours. Restaurateur and blogger Mark Wiens visited the eatery on his trip to India almost a decade ago, and, after much consideration, decided upon the egg chicken roll from the menu. Thrilled with his choice, Wiens documented the entire process of preparation.

A close look at the menu will reveal kathi rolls with egg, chicken, and mutton in a myriad of permutations and combinations. Food blogger Anindya Basu of Kolkata Classics too, testifies to the eatery’s ability to deliver. “While there are many places in Kolkata for good kathi rolls, I will always keep coming back to Kusum Rolls.”

5. Campari 

The kathi rolls at Campari refuse to be subtle, packing a punch in every mouthful instead. Along with its consistency in flavour, the place has also retained the vibe of a parar chop cutleter dokan (neighbourhood snack bar). High tables, a colonial setup and warm smiles are what you can expect here. But when food blogger Kalyan Karmakar of ‘Finely Chopped’ probed a little further he discovered the history of the place was as compelling as the food.

Started in 1979 by Ashok Kumar Mitra — who returned to India after quitting his job as an engineer in Germany — his grandson Adipto Mitra runs Campari. As Karmakar discovered, ingenuity and courage run in the family DNA.

“Adipto took over from his grandmother who ran the business for eighteen years after her husband passed away. While there are a few talented women chefs, home chefs and restaurateurs, who we know of and laud today, running a small snack bar is not what one would expect the average middle-class Bengali lady to do in the Kolkata of the 70s and 80s. Yet, the late Mrs Nandita Mitra did so!” he writes in his blog. Should you visit, a must-try is the fish tandoori roll. 

6. Hot Kathi Roll 

The clientele at this location off Kolkata’s high street is a mix of students, shoppers and working professionals, shopkeepers and office executives. Over the three decades that it has been in existence, its popularity has grown. The story goes that it was started by Nesar Ahmad who came to the city from Gaya and was looking to channel his skills into cooking. There is a variety to choose from but the egg mutton kathi roll and single-egg-double-chicken are said to be “phenomenal”. 

7. Jabbrr Afghani

When an ex-banker started Jabbrr Afghani in 2011, it was with a simple vision of helping people kill their hunger with delicious fast food. Today, it is one of the most flourishing eateries in the city and its stand out is blending traditional fillings with cheese! If the thought of biting into a kathi roll only to find your mouth filled with juicy meat mixed with cheese makes you want to place your order immediately, Jabbrr Afghani is the place you need to add to your weekend list. 

8. Zeeshan 

“Uncompromised flavours” is how frequent diners at this Mughlai restaurant in Kolkata describe the food to be. The restaurant is one of the city’s top favourites for those looking to indulge in a meat-heavy feast, kathi rolls being the hero, of course. The brain egg roll is a treat to the senses with its buttery flavour interspersed with spices and the taste of egg. But that being said, the entire menu at this North-Indian eatery is invigorating and you’ll be spoilt for choice. 

Edited by Padmashree Pande.

In April 2024, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) tests found that 47 out of 168 paneer and khoya products were contaminated. Earlier this year, a whopping 1,300 kg of fake paneer was discovered and disposed of by authorities along the Mumbai-Delhi Expressway. 

This is just the tip of the iceberg of many such ‘contaminated’ and ‘synthetic’ paneer in the market.

In all this, how do you understand whether the paneer you’ve purchased is fake or real? Here are three simple steps to alleviate your worries:

1. Iodine Test

Take a pan and boil paneer in it. Add a few drops of iodine tincture to the boiled paneer. If it turns blue, it’s artificial. If it retains its colour, it’s pure.

2. The Dal Test

Let the boiled paneer cool in water. Add some toor dal to the water and let it rest for 10 minutes. If the water turns light red, the paneer may be contaminated. If the colour doesn’t change, go ahead and enjoy your paneer.

3. The Texture & Taste Test

When you buy paneer, you can simply try and smell (shouldn’t smell sour) it first. If it’s sold open, taste it. It should taste milky and be soft. If it’s too chewy or like rubber, you should refrain from buying it.

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`Edited by Padmashree Pande.

As summer progresses, no Indian is a stranger to the long wait that ensues for the yellowish-green hues to transform into its ripe golden-orange form. And no one questions the long queues outside popular Gujarati joints whose aamras puri (a dish of sweet mango pulp served with deep-fried flatbread) is “to die for”, according to the regulars.

It is a juicy fact that summers in India are incomplete without mango dominating our homes and palates. This comes as no surprise. Indians have been cultivating mangoes for thousands of years, and till today, the love for the fruit hasn’t waned even one bit. 

While the Alphonso continues to hold its status as a cult favourite for its vibrant sweetness and distinct flavour, there are hundreds, if not thousands of varieties that dot the landscape of India’s mango cultivation. In fact, the lesser-known varieties make an appearance in chutneys, pickles and the like, lending them their citrusy flavour. 

This year, if you haven’t got your stock of mangoes yet, here’s a suggestion: why not get them delivered to you straight from a farm? We’ve put together a list of people, startups and local platforms that are bringing the sweetness of the mango from the tree to your plate.  

1. Athalya Vandhu Ambewale 

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The Ratnagiri Alphonso isn’t budging from being hailed as the king of mangoes. A delicious pulp, relatively sweeter than other varieties, protected by a taut golden yellow skin, has rendered it this title. And as summer dawns each year, Parag Athalye is confident that the mangoes grown on his ancestral farm will please taste buds. The platform delivers all across Bengaluru. Speaking to The Better India, he says, “The prices vary according to the time of the season when the order is placed. The season starts around 25 February. During this time, one dozen mangoes retail for Rs 2,500. Towards the end of the season, the price drops down to Rs 1,000.”

Contact: 70195 72329

2. Alphonsomango.in

Those looking to order Ratnagiri Alphonso, Devgad Alphonso and Kesar mangoes are in luck. This platform delivers organically grown mangoes from their farm right to the comfort of your home. Looking back at the last five years, Prashant Powle, founder of the platform says that it was the best decision he made to quit the corporate sector and start this initiative.  “We have served around 35,000 customers from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. Our mangoes are naturally grown and ripened through the Vedic harvesting (a traditional method where mangoes are harvested from 3.20 AM until sunrise).” As Powle explains, the mangoes are positively affected by the ozone levels during this time. “We do not use any chemicals for the process,” he emphasises. “We burn cow dung, and remove carbon dioxide and other gases from the emitted mix while keeping oxygen and ethylene. These help the mango ripen.”  A dozen costs anywhere from Rs 1,300 to Rs 2,000 depending on the city. 

Contact: https://alphonsomango.in/

3. Villa Mart 

Appalled by the news of farmer suicides in India, engineer Ramesh Biswal left his life in the US to return to his hometown in Odisha and launch Villa Mart. The mobile marketplace on wheels encourages farmers to sell their produce and earn fair prices. Since last year, Ramesh says, the platform has been focusing on mangoes. “We store mangoes in our farmhouse and ripen them without carbides or any pesticides.” He adds that the mangoes of Odisha are popular across India, spanning more than a hundred varieties. “We deliver around eight varieties including Dasheri, Amrapali, Mallika, Totapali and Mohan Bhog. A kilo costs anywhere between Rs 120 to Rs 1,200.” 

Contact: 8093123412

4. Pritam Borate’s farm 

Design professional Pritam Borate focuses on his corporate stint during the day, and tends to his passion project — a farm in Ratnagiri — during the evening. Every summer season, the farm is resplendent in mangoes, particularly the Ratnagiri Alphonso and Devgad Alphonso. “The mangoes are sold by the crate. Each crate contains around six dozen mangoes and retails for Rs 3,500,” he says. He shares that the farm is chemical residue-free and organic practices are followed. 

Contact: 77689 44440

5. Aamrai 

Three generations of the Vartak family have focused their attention on perfecting the growing and harvesting of the Ratnagiri Alphonso mango. The mango pickers, they say, have a trained eye in picking the fruit at the right time to ensure its sweetness and nutrient content are maximum. “These are ripened naturally in layers of penda (rice hay) in the old tradition, completely untouched by chemicals and middlemen,” their website reads. Along with the Alphonso, they also retail the Pairee, a plump mango with a pointed edge that develops black spots as it ripens. Pairee is a favourite for making aamras across homes in India.

Contact: https://aamrai.com/

6. Villkart

Brothers Anand and Ashish Sagar were introduced to the sorry plight of the farmers in their village in Bihar when they returned home during the COVID-19 pandemic. This compelled them to come up with the idea of Villkart as an attempt to help farmers sell their produce which would otherwise be left to rot. Speaking to The Better India, Ashish says, “Through our platform, we sell several unique varieties of mangoes. These include the Malda mango and Jardalu mango from Bihar.” The latter is a GI-tagged variety. Along with these, Kesar and Alphonso are also sold. “Our mangoes are naturally grown and organic. We are one of the first players to introduce the Malda and Jardalu mangoes across India. These mangoes are popular for their milky taste and retail for Rs 1399 for 5 kg.” 

Contact: https://villkart.com/

7. Dial a Mango

Established in 1954, Dial a Mango is helmed by Mohan Dongre and Ratnakar Karale. With numerous varieties sold under their banner — Dasheri, Neelam, Chaunsa, Raspuri, Badami, Himsagar, Kesar, Amrapali and the classic Hapus — the platform follows a stringent set of protocols to ensure that the quality does not swindle across batches. A complete inspection is carried out followed by desapping, hot water treatment, drying, ripening in a chamber, x-ray scanning, and storage in a quarantine zone. This maintains the authenticity of the mangoes. 

Contact: https://mangoalphonso.com/

8. Kubalwadi 

Why must people give up their favourite mango once the season is over? This thought led Yogesh Chakre, founder of Kubalwadi, to ensure that customers have access to Alphonso mango pulp that is prepared from the mangoes grown on their farm, year-round! During the season, the platform delivers Ratnagiri Alphonso and Devgad Alphonso mangoes that retail from Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,400 per dozen. These mangoes are grown on Chakre’s farms as well as procured from farmers across India. “The farming is chemical-free,’ he emphasises. 

Contact: https://www.kubalwadi.com/

Edited by Padmashree Pande.

Curry is central to Indian gastronomy. And, the question begs to be asked, when did India’s love affair with curries begin?

According to some reports, it was around 4,000 years ago.

As two archaeologists Arunima Kashyap and Steve Webber of Washington State University discovered through their experiment in 2010 — where they used the method of starch grain analysis to map residues of the world’s ‘oldest’ proto-curry from the shards of a handi (a clay pot) at the Harappan excavation site of Farmana (in Haryana) — the ingredients comprised traces of eggplants (brinjals), ginger, turmeric and salt in them; ingredients similar to the modern curry.

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While the history of the curry recipe is coloured, so is the history surrounding its name. Some claim that the word curry originated from the Tamil word kari, while food historian Lizzie Collingham’s book ‘Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors’ says it was the Goan caril that was the origin.

Today, with numerous takes on the dish, the curry is the heart and soul of India, so here’s exploring its many forms.

1. Gushtaba

The dish is a spicy take on a meatball curry. Flavourful mutton mince balls are married with a thick yoghurt gravy to result in this preparation that is hailed as  ‘maharajaon ka khana‘ (a feast for kings). In fact, in a traditional Kashmiri Wazwan (a feast comprising 36 dishes), gushtaba is served as the last dish before dessert.

2. Pulissery

Popular in Kerala and other parts of South India, the pulissery is a traditional yoghurt-based curry that often features pineapple as the hero ingredient. The lip-smacking dish also has a spot on the Onam saadya platter. The best part of this dish is that you can prepare it with a seasonal fruit or any vegetable of your choice. This summer, why not try it with mango?

3. Besara

A traditional flavourful gravy made with ground mustard seeds, besara is famous not just for its delectable taste but also for its religious significance. The dish is one of the 56 that are offered as mahaprasad at the Puri Shree Jagannath Temple. There are numerous variations of the besara depending on the hero ingredient. For instance, maccha besara refers to fish in mustard gravy while the poi chingudi besara features shrimp and spinach.

4. Lal Maas

A popular delicacy in Rajasthan, lal maas literally translates to ‘red meat’ and dates back to the 7th century. Legend says that the recipe for lal maas was invented on the go during hunting expeditions. Meat would be cooked with generous servings of yoghurt and ghee. But the story goes that one Maharaja rejected the dish as it still gave off a strong smell even after cooking. A cook’s quick thinking of adding chillies to the dish to take away the odour gave birth to our beloved lal maas.

5. Masor Tenga

The quintessential Assamese dish translates to a tangy fish curry and takes no more than 20 minutes to prepare. It is enjoyed for lunch and dinner with a bowl of steamed rice. It is said that the dish is a significant one in Assam and is a symbol of unity and togetherness.

6. Jholi

A speciality of Uttarakhand’s pahadi cuisine, jholi is prepared using curd and besan (chickpea flour) as the base ingredients along with tubers and vegetables and even lentils. The dish is rich in calcium, protein and probiotics, and is a favourite during the winter when the temperatures drop. An addition of spices makes it a perfect bowl of warmth.

7. Kofta Curry

A classic ‘meatballs in gravy’ dish, the kofta curry can be prepared in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian styles, with vegetables substituting the meat in the former. Lauki (gourd), raw banana, and paneer (cottage cheese) koftas are very popular in many homes across India. While the koftas are often deep-fried, some recipes also prefer them to be poached and cooked in the curry itself, making this a one-pot recipe.

8. Chura Sabji

A delicacy of Arunachal Pradesh, this dish blends fermented cheese made from yak’s milk with chilli flakes. The two ingredients are a powerhouse of flavour, and the resulting dish is eaten with fluffy rice. The dish is a staple in the state and is eaten by the members of the indigenous tribes.

Edited by Pranita Bhat.

This love affair with the dish is common to most Bengaluru residents. In 2023, the citizens of the garden city ordered a whopping 29 million dosas — with an average of 122 dosa per minute just during breakfast hours!

All these sky-touching numbers make one think — how did this delicious dish come into existence? Well, we did some research and came across some amazing theories.

The most intriguing story comes from Udupi when a cook fermented some rice in an effort to make alcohol. Failing in doing so, he poured the fermented batter on a hot pan and voila — he accidentally gave the world its first dosa!

Some believe that the dish was concocted in Tamil Nadu in the first century. While others believe that the Chalukya King Someshvara III who ruled Karnataka around 1126 CE jotted down the recipe for dosa under the name dosaka in his book ‘Manasollasa’.

Whatever the origin story may be, the dish that was created centuries ago is loved across the world even today!

Did you find these theories interesting? Here is a short video that you can watch:

(Edited by Pranita Bhat)

Remember those childhood days when mangoes were the ultimate treat of summer? We’d rush to the market, clutching a few rupees, and carefully select the ripest, juiciest mangoes. Bringing them home was like carrying a piece of sunshine.

We’d fill a large pot with cool water, gently submerging the mangoes, watching as they bobbed and danced. The wait felt endless. Finally, after what seemed like ages, peeling the mango and devouring its sweetness was the true definition of bliss.

With more than a thousand varieties of mangoes grown across the world, there is a chance that only a few might get to try them all. However, The Better India has collected a list of the world’s most expensive mangoes that have nothing aam (ordinary) about them. 

1. Sindhri Mango

Grown extensively in the Sindh region of Pakistan, these mangoes are known for their distinctively sweet and fragrant taste. Highly loved in both India and Pakistan, the mangoes are large in size and have smooth, bright yellow skin. A favourite of many, it is believed that the fertile soil and warm climate of Sindh give them their distinctive taste.

An India Today article states that a Sindhri Mango can cost as high as Rs 3,000 per piece. 

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2. Kohitur Mango 

Known for their distinctive colour and texture, Kohitur mangoes are very hard to come across. A CondeNast Traveller article states, “This mango is believed to have been created for Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah in the 18th century by a horticulturist called Hakim Ada Mohammadi, whose sole job was to create new mango varieties for the nawabs.” 

Only reserved for the royal families, this mango is a “cross between the now-extinct Kalopahar and another unrecorded variant.” The variety is extensively grown in Murshidabad in the heart of West Bengal and can cost up to Rs 3,000 a piece and go as high as Rs 12,000. 

3. Alphonso Mango

A well-known variety and a favourite of many, Alphonso Mangoes are typically grown in the coastal regions of Ratnagiri, Devgad, and the Konkan region of western India. They are also grown in the Valsad and Navsari districts of South Gujarat. 

Renowned as the “king of mangoes”,  they have a vibrant golden-orange skin, hinting at the luscious, fibreless flesh within. Last year, Indians ordered mangoes worth Rs 25 crore on Zepto (an instant delivery app) in April 2023 and Alphonso was a top favourite! The variant can cost up to Rs 1,500 per kg during peak season. 

4. Noorjahan Mango 

Another jewel in the vast variety of mangoes is Noorjahan. Just like its name, the taste of the mango is also pure royalty. The variety is said to have travelled to India all the way from Afghanistan via Gujarat. 

“While history points to the Mughal beneficence towards the development of different mango varieties, the Noorjahan’s naming is tied to the Mughal queen by way of its descriptor — mallika-e-aam or the queen of mangoes,” a CNN traveller report says. The mangoes can weigh up to 3.5 kg and can grow up to a foot-long in size. 

Coveted among mango lovers, its restricted production makes it rare and is only consumed in Gujarat. Depending on the size and season, the price can go up to Rs 1,000 per piece. 

5.  Miyazaki Mango

Grown typically in Japan, this mango is said to be the world’s most expensive mango costing up to Rs 3 lakh/kg in the international markets. These mangoes are grown in the Miyazaki Prefecture of Japan and are highly prized for their deep red skin and sweet, rich flavour.

In India, only a few farmers in the entire country from parts of West Bengal have been able to grow the variety. In 2023, the premium mango variety was showcased at a mango festival in Siliguri. These mangoes are grown under controlled conditions to ensure optimal quality. They are known for their large size, rich aroma, and intense sweetness. 

So, which of these varieties are you planning to try this mango season?

(Edited by Padmashree Pande)

In this article, we explore heritage restaurants and local spots that dish up this popular snack as well as famous idli joints in Bengaluru.

1. Veena Stores

In a video put out by food and travel platform Curly Tales, Bollywood icon Deepika Padukone declared her love for the idlis served at Veena Stores in Malleshwaram. Started in 1977, the eatery has been thrilling its customers and the who’s who of the country with its South Indian fare.

It was once completely normal to see serpentine queues line up outside the 150 sq ft space, with eager customers waiting to get a taste of owner Suryanarayana’s specialities. Along with the idlis, another popular item on the menu is the shavige bath (a dish made with rice noodles) and puliogare (tamarind rice). Office-goers often load their tiffins with generous helpings before they dash off to work.

2. Umesh Dosa Point

No one who visits this iconic eatery in the city’s Seshadripuram locality leaves without sampling their thatte idlis, vadas (a fried savoury snack made with lentils), Mangalore bajji (a fried snack prepared with gram flour, curd, spices and vegetables), Mulbagal masala dosa (a unique type of dosa that is prepared with flattened rice also known as poha), and ghee podi idlis.

While this might sound like a heavy breakfast, it is completely worth it, say loyal customers who have frequented the place for years.

As food researcher and writer Shivani Unakar shared in an interview with Conde Nast, “They [Umesh Dosa Point] are good for when you want something indulgent. They make the idlis, then pour a lot of ghee on them and sprinkle chutney podi (a flavourful condiment made with lentils and spices) on top. They’re so well known for the seasoning that they even sell packets of their chutney podi.”

3. Mavalli Tiffin Room

The pre-Independence marvel established in 1924 continues to have its hold on the people of the city and their palates. Aside from serving the perfect dosas, the eatery is known for its idlis. 

An interesting story prequels the rava idlis — It is said that during World War II, the supply of rice was stemmed. In an effort to keep the restaurant running, founder Parampalli Yagnanaryana Maiya and his brothers decided to experiment with semolina as a substitute. And voila! The rava idli was born.

Soon this innovation garnered so much love from the people of Bengaluru that the eatery continued to prepare the rava idlis even once circumstances eased.

4. IDC Kitchen

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A passion for South Indian cuisine runs deep at Bengaluru’s IDC Kitchen and as their website reads, the “holy trinity of idli, dosa and coffee” is a celebration of the culture of the land.

As Joshua Muyiwa, a Bengaluru-based poet and arts and culture writer, shared in an interview with Conde Nast, “The ghee thatte idli at IDC Kitchen (multiple outposts) is superb. The spongy idli acts as the perfect base for the goodness of ghee, and when dunked into their pungent chutney, it becomes divine. And if you’re feeling experimental, go for the podi version — a crunchy spicy peanut powder topped over — for that play of texture and taste.”

5. Rameshwaram Cafe

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On 26 November, 2023, the chefs at Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram Cafe were scrambling to bring a customer his order of ragi dosa, ghee roast dosa, medu vada (a doughnut-shaped fried snack made with lentils), ghee idli podi, kesari bath (a sweet prepared with semolina, sugar, ghee and milk), and filter coffee.

The customer was none other than Gary Mehigan, a chef of MasterChef Australia fame. The culinary legend took to Instagram to proclaim his love for the spread he was served adding that he would be back soon.

6. Akash Kunigal Thatte Idli

Having once sold idlis on a street cart by himself, Akash Kunigal now has two shops of his own in the city. As he shares with YouTube food channel ‘Food Lovers TV’, “I used to be a farmer in my village and came to the city a few years ago. Since then I have been preparing thatte idlis and these are always on the menu.”

Backed by a philosophy to serve few items but ensure they are delicious, Akash Kunigal’s food outlet serves around 2,000 idlis every evening. As he narrates his journey from a small cart initiative to now at the helm of the popular joint, Kunigal swells with pride.

7. Sri Shiva Darshana Shashi Hotel

“As light as air” is how many describe the thatte idlis at this joint that is located along the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway. The Bidadi area in the Ramanagara district that falls on this stretch of road is hailed as the birthplace of the thatte idlis, which is why the snack sometimes goes by the name Bidadi thatte idli.

The Sri Shiva Darshana Shashi Hotel in Bidadi town is a respite for travellers who stop by for a hearty breakfast or lunch, while traversing along the highway.

The story goes that the food joint came into existence in the 1950s. At the time, its acrey idli (soft triangular idlis that were precursors to the thatte idlis) was a crowd puller. Eventually, its fame grew, and today, the outlet sees travellers who are making their way to either of the two cities as well as people who come all the way just to have a wholesome breakfast.

8. Brahmin’s Coffee Bar

Idli, vada, upitu (a South Indian breakfast dish made with roasted semolina and spices), and kesari bath — this is the menu at Brahmin’s Coffee Bar in Bengaluru. Having started with these four dishes in 1965, the place continues to serve them. The recipes are a constant here.

When Narasimha Rao started the eatery, it was the coffee that was the main draw. At the time, snacks were sourced from the local bakeries. Eventually, the family began preparing South Indian items and customers swear by the chutney that is said to be the glue that holds the menu together.

Edited by Pranita Bhat

Mind you, all of the below-mentioned spots have made it to ‘Taste Atlas’ — an experiential travel online guide — and here we explore what sets them apart.

1. Paragon Restaurant, Kozhikode

Biryani and its flavours are deeply ingrained in the palates of Indians. And celebrating this association for 85 years is Paragon Restaurant in Kozhikode, Kerala.

The region’s history — the prevalence of the Mughal-Arab culture around the 1900s — set the stage for the emergence of Malabari cuisine. The biryani in particular is steeped in history and is an amalgamation of local produce seasoned by traditional cooking methods. While kaima (short groaned aromatic rice) gives the dish its unique flavour, the chicken is marinated in yoghurt and spices, and the preparation is allowed to cook in its own heat in a pot.

2. Tunday Kababi, Lucknow

What’s the best part about kebabs (meat that is roasted on skewers)? It’s juicy texture, you say? Well, you might be surprised to know that up until the 17th century, kebabs were chewy and coarse. And it was Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula who changed this reality.

Turns out it was a dental concern that led him to come up with the juicy meats. As age caught on, the nawab (sovereign ruler) began to lose teeth. But he did not want to stop gorging on the dish he loved the most. So, a contest challenging people to come up with the softest kebabs was announced.

It was a one-armed man, Haji Murad Ali, who won hands down and started Tunday Kababi in Lucknow in 1905 — where the tunday kebabs (tunday translating to ‘without an arm’) have patrons across the world. They come from far and wide to taste the galouti kebabs, which are believed to comprise over 160 spices in a unique ratio.

3. Peter Cat

Returning to the magic of the kebab, from the tunday kebabs of Lucknow, we travel eastward to Kolkata where we relish the chelo kebabs at Peter Cat founded in 1975.

Speaking to My Kolkata, founder Nitin Kothari shared, “When I opened Peter Cat in 1975, the kebab sales started to soar, and this dish called ‘Chelo Kebab’ began to dominate. To meet the demand, I had to add more tandoors. Traditionally, kebabs are eaten with naan (a flatbread), not rice. However, I’ve always had a fondness for rice, and it turns out the people in Kolkata share that preference. So, I pondered, why not create a dish that combines the best of both worlds? We added poached or fried eggs and a touch of butter. That’s how Chelo Kebab came about.”

4. Amrik Sukhdev, Murthal

They say the best food often has the most humble origins. And such is the story of Amrik Sukhdev. Little did Sardar Prakash Singh fathom that his eatery — started in 1956 as a dhaba (roadside food joint) for truck drivers — would one day attract paratha (flatbread) connoisseurs from across the world.

In the years that followed from inception, the tent and wooden pole structure transformed into a luxury outlet helmed by Singh’s sons Amrik Singh and Sukhdev Singh. If you grew up cherishing memories of your mother dunking dollops of butter on your parathas, relive the same at Amrik Sukhdev, but with a wide variety of options to choose from. The eatery offers more than 11 types of tandoori parathas among other Indian dishes.

5. Mavalli Tiffin Rooms, Bengaluru

Right from Bollywood veteran Shashi Kapoor to Kannada film legend Dr Rajkumar, everyone has loved the Mavalli Tiffin Rooms in Bengaluru, which dates back to the year 1924.

Our story begins with three brothers — Parameshwara Maiya, Ganappayya Maiya, and Yagnanarayana Maiya — who left a small, sleepy hamlet near Udupi in South Canara in search of greener pastures and found their way to Bengaluru. Skilled in cooking, the boys found employment in kitchens across the city.

Later, the brothers started MTR, born as a small restaurant on Lalbagh Fort Road in the city. To date, its rava idlis (steamed South Indian dish made of semolina) evoke nostalgia among its patrons.

6. Karim’s, New Delhi

Sample kebabs from anywhere in the world and then, those from Karim’s, and you will see how they are easily distinguishable.

The focus at Karim’s has always been on authentic and homely food that takes one back to the Mughal era when kebabs dominated the scene. With a lime and a sprinkle of onions on the side for flavour, you are in for a true feast. Since 1913 the outlet and its branches have been delighting kebab aficionados.

The story goes that Mohammed Awaiz once worked as a cook in the Mughal court and escaped when the British ransacked Delhi. While he settled in Ghaziabad, he taught the tricks of the trade to his son Haji Karimuddin who set up a food booth in 1911. The kebabs and korma (meat braised with yoghurt, spices and stock) are famous here.

7. Ram Ashraya, Mumbai

Located just outside Matunga station, the eatery — founded by an immigrant Shyambabu Shetty almost 85 years ago — is known for having its specials listed out in chalk on a board at the entrance.

The star at this outlet is the upma (a porridge made from dry roasted semolina). Among the hit items are the sheera (an Indian pudding made with semolina, ghee, sugar, cashews and raisins), butter idlis, and bisbele bhath (a tangy rice-based dish) that fuels college and office goers before they begin their day. 

Also featured in the list by Taste Atlas are —

Pune’s Kayani Bakery for its world-famous Shrewsbury biscuits and Chitale Badhu Mithaiwale for their bakarwadi (a crispy deep-fried snack that is sweet and spicy).

Kolkata’s KC Das for its rasgullas (dumpling shaped balls made of sweetened cheese and dunked in sugar syrup), Balaram Mullick and Radharaman Mullick for its sandesh (a Bengali sweet made with Indian cottage cheese), and Flurys for its delectable rumballs.

The Karachi Bakery in Hyderabad for its fruit biscuits.

Mumbai’s K Rustom & Co for the ice cream sandwich, Naturals Icecream for the tender coconut ice cream, and Apsara Ice Cream for the guava ice cream.

Delhi’s Kuremal Mohanlal Kulfi Wale for their kulfi (frozen Indian dessert) and Old Famous Jalebi Wala for their zulbia (a deep-fried pastry made with saffron sugar syrup).

Lucknow’s Prakash Kulfi for the kulfi falooda.

Pabba’s in Mangaluru for the gadbad ice cream.

Corner House in Bengaluru for their ‘Death by Chocolate’ ice cream.

(Edited by Pranita Bhat)

While such plans are commonly made, they often fail to materialise. However, if you’re one of those individuals willing to take the leap but unsure where to start, we’ve got your back.

We’ve done some homework for you by speaking to different food entrepreneurs. These individuals have successfully run their businesses and are eager to share some interesting tips!

1. Find your target consumers 

When Shekhar Mittal left his hometown Aligarh and moved to Bengaluru, what he missed the most was his mother’s homemade food.

“I craved her cooking. I struggled to adjust to the food, and soon I realised that I was not the only one. So I wondered how this section of the food industry can be tapped into,” he says. He founded ‘Maa Ka Dulaar’ and incubated over 100 mothers and homemakers to cook homestyle food. 

Maa ka Dulaar has served more than one lakh meals so far. Their menu is a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food.

2. Turning hurdles into opportunities 

While Geeta Patil’s inspiration and love for cooking comes from her aai (mother), it was a necessity to feed her family that led her to start a food business. 

In 2016, her husband lost his job and the family was fending for financial support. While Geeta was a homemaker for most of her life, she decided to convert this challenge into an opportunity. 

From 2016 to 2020, the business was run from the home kitchen, without any formal branding.

In 2021, with her son Vinit, she formally launched Patil Kaki —- a brand that sells modak, puranpoli, chakli, poha, chivda and much more. At the time of the interview, she had over 3000 customers and earned Rs 1 crore annually, at the time of interview with The Better India. 

3. Tapping the right food

Sai Krishna Popuri, the founder of Health Sutra, a millet-based startup, was always interested in starting a food business. However, he lacked direction. After completing his engineering from IIT-Delhi, he started to work a corporate job while looking for ideas. 

It was around this time that his father developed diabetes and was advised to consume millet. “To know more about them, I spoke to an aunt who worked in the food science department at a university in Andhra Pradesh. She was the one who told me how they are poised to become the next big thing,” he says.

Going with his gut and his aunt’s advice, he started Health Sutra and true enough, even the Indian government designated it as the “Year of Millets”. The company sells cereal flakes such as Jowar Flakes, Ragi Flakes, and Barley Flakes, as well as seven different types of rava for idli and upma, and biscuits made from ragi and jowar. The brand has clocked an impressive annual revenue of Rs 2.5 crores since its inception. 

4. Unlocking the power of family recipes

In an effort to revive authentic Kashmiri cuisine in Srinagar, Ruhab Lateef Mir fought resistance from her family to start a food business. It was the power of her heirloom dishes that made her get success and love from the region. 

She used the traditional recipe of Shahi Sheera — a traditional beverage of Kashmir made with berries passed down to her by her great-grandmother. The reason for choosing this dish, she says, was “because it was almost completely extinct” from Kashmiri cuisine. 

Since the launch of her brand ‘Khyen Khoardan By Ruhab’, she has received orders from over 100 weddings. 

5. Quality and affordability

Murali Gundanna, the founder of Food Box, uses his grandmother’s recipes to sell affordable food across Mysuru. His fundamental rule to success? Giving quality food at affordable prices. 

The food business sells a wide variety of food items such as ghee palak dal khichdi with raita, balekai bajji, kesari bhat, puliyogare, kheer and thatte idli.

Murali offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks at affordable prices starting from only Rs 70 per meal. He believes in redefining the quality of food with balanced nutritional value at an affordable price. As per Murali, 30 percent of Food Box’s regular customers are doctors, and a majority order food daily.

(Edited by Padmashree Pande)

For instance, take the ‘Adi Haridas Modak Mistanna Bhandar’ — one of the oldest mithai shops in the city, which has been churning magic since as far back as 1780.

For those who love starting their day on a sweet note or ending it with a feast, there is always the jibe gaja (a fried Bengali snack prepared with flour) and kalojam (flour balls deep fried in sugar syrup).

It is hearsay that the outlet was once frequented by the likes of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Raja Ram Mohan Roy. But we aren’t surprised. A closer look reveals that on any given day, it was completely normal to see one of the revolutionaries and freedom fighters, or even the British Lords stop by for a cuppa with their snack.

Today, the pictures on the walls of these iconic eateries and mithai shops are a testament to these stories. And we take a look at them.

1. Kotal’s Satyanarayan

With traditional sweets glistening in sugar syrup behind the glass facade, as well as mithais that have been perfected with a new spin, Kotal’s Satyanarayan continues to be a favourite haunt for those with a sweet tooth. The sweetmeat manufacturing business house was established in 1952 and has expanded to a chain of retail outlets across the city.

As food and travel writer Malini Banerjee shares in an interview with Conde Nast, “The nolen gurer bacchabog (a sweet made with jaggery) at Kotal’s Satyanarayan is fantastic. They are just the right balance between spongy and chewy. They also have a kheer filling in the centre, which is called kheerer guti. It’s like a little surprise rosogolla inside. The three-generation old shop is very famous in Tollygunge and Moore Avenue and the bacchabogs are priced at just Rs15.”

2. Nalin Chandra Das and Sons

A line on the website catches my eye. “From North to South and East to West, anywhere you can go but you have to go to Nalin’s shop to get delicious and exclusive varieties of sandesh.”

For anyone who is looking to spend a leisurely afternoon in the city, this has to be a stop. For over 175 years, the sweet shop has been priding itself on its sandesh (a milk-sweet made from fresh curd cheese). But even more fascinating than the taste of their sweets is the story of how they came up with the first recipe.

The founder Johuree Lall Das had fled to the city from his village in Dubrajhat — where the Britishers were forcing Indians to engage in indigo cultivation. In Kolkata, he began making sandesh. The story goes that a barrister Biswajit Ghosh of Pathuriaghata once gave Das cocoa powder that he brought back with him from his trip to England and challenged him to prepare the sandesh using the powder. Thus, Das made their very first chocolate sandesh, which they continue to serve today.

3. KC Das

Fans of the rosogolla, attention!

The story of how the sweet came to be is a fine example of what can transpire with a little innovation. The rosogolla was the result of an afternoon experiment in 1868 by a man named Nobin Chandra Das. Rolling balls of curdled milk and then boiling them in sugar syrup resulted in the beloved sweet that Kolkata and the globe adore.

According to an article in Forbes India, even Rabindranath Tagore was a fan of the place’s rosogollas. The story is often retold of a time Tagore was served a pot of rosogollas by one of his acquaintances. Tagore nibbled at one and then asked if it was Das who had prepared these. It wasn’t. Tagore then said, “If you must feed me rosogollas, make sure it’s from Nobin’s.”

4. Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick

The guest list at this 144-year-old sweet shop has always been coloured. From journalists, the likes of Barkha Dutt and Prannoy Roy; and celebrities, the likes of Ranbir Kapoor, to legendary figures such as Ashutosh Mukherjee (a prominent Bengali educator) — everyone seems to have relished the fares served here.

The founder Ganesh Chandra Mullick came to Kolkata from Konnagar in 1880. He worked for three years as a sweet karigar in a North Kolkata shop before setting up Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick in 1883 in Bhowanipore (South Kolkata) on a 450 sq ft land. The eatery is now famous for its korapak (a Bengali sweet made with cottage cheese) and nolen gur (a special jaggery found in Bengal).

During the Emergency, when milk was banned, the women of the family stepped up to create sweets out of cashews and pulses to keep the business running.

5. Chittaranjan Mistanna Bhandar

A major draw here is the spongy, sweet, dribbling in sugar syrup rosogolla. In fact, the iconic Chittaranjan Mistanna Bhandar is one of the 71 certified sweet shops in the city to sell this GI product of Bengal.

While the rosogollas at this 115-year-old eatery are delightful — earning the sweet outlet the name of ‘Rosogolla Wala of Kolkata’ — their madhuporko (a sweet made from curd, ghee and honey) is equally amazing. And a fan of it is none other than Indian chef Saransh Goila.

6. Girish Chandra Dey And Nakur Chandra Nandy

“I love Calcutta. The food is just brilliant. Every time I go, I must have sweets from Nakur (Girish Chandra Dey & Nakur Chandra Nandy), especially the jolbhora and manohara,” celebrity chef Ranveer Brar shared in an article with Telegraph India.

The eatery is a renowned one in Kolkata and one of the most legendary sweet places. As their website states, Nakur Chandra Nandy was the son-in-law of the renowned confectioner of Shimla, Girish Chandra Dey. The venture is a joint initiative by the duo and their sandesh has found love in many personalities — such as Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and Satyajit Ray among others.

7. Bhim Chandra Nag

Credited with creating the ledikeni, a popular Bengali sweet, this sweet shop, over two centuries old, has watched the city evolve into its present form. At the turn of the 19th century, as reform and renaissance were rife in Bengal, sweet shops began mushrooming across the city. That’s when Paran Chandra Nag, too, decided to channel his skills into mithai making at his shop in Bowbazar, Kolkata. Starting in 1826, this seasoned sweet shop began to amass a great crowd, and among them was Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee.

An article in Lifestyle Asia tells an anecdote of how Lady Canning, wife of the then viceroy of India, Charles John Canning, was once visiting erstwhile Calcutta in 1858 and wanted a special sweet made for her birthday. Nag took up the challenge! And it is this creation that was named after Lady Canning, which over the years became ‘ledikeni’.

8. Flury’s

A hub that saw a flurry of activity, this outlet on Park Street was founded in the year 1927 by a couple Mr and Mrs J Flury. It was frequented by some of the most notable names in both Indian and British history. A favourite tea room amongst the royal and politically inclined, the eatery has witnessed people from all over the world.

From a single eatery on Park Street to over 68 outlets across India, Flury’s brand name has continued to garner love from across the world. In fact, the eatery was featured on the 2023 list of ‘150 most legendary dessert places in the world’ released by the popular food guide Taste Atlas.

Flury’s rum balls and chocolate sponge cake are pure bliss!

Edited by Pranita Bhat.

Found every few kilometres, and loved across borders, the ice cream continues to be one of the most affordable knacks to tide through the summer. Every city has its favourite haunts, places described by guidebooks as the “best”. But today we turn to celebrities, chefs, and foodies to dissect where one should get their fill of ice cream when in Mumbai.

1. K Rustom

What’s better than an ice cream? An ice cream sandwich, of course!

And no one does it better than this Iranian joint that has fascinated its customers since 1953 when the legend K Rustom began treating the crowds at Marine Drive to ice cream bars sold on porcelain plates.

Tuck into their classics — mango, chocolate and vanilla — or get adventurous with their fusion flavours — orange marmalade and prunes! As interviews on the web suggest, the parlour is a favourite of actor Boman Irani who tucks into their pista ice cream sandwich whenever he visits.

2. Natural’s Icecream

Many enjoy the array of flavours the brand has to offer — with real fruit pieces popping up as the ice cream melts on the palate. But few know about the compelling story of how this iconic brand scaled from the ground up.

The founder, Raghunandan Srinivas Kamath, grew up in Mangaluru’s Puttur taluk. It was during his frequent visits to the family field to help his father that Kamath learnt to identify high-quality, ripe fruits. He was only 14 when his family moved to Mumbai. Failing to clear his boards got Kamath thinking that there was another dream to pursue.

In 1984, he introduced the country to his original fruit ice cream, which is hailed as one of the absolute best today.

3. Bachelorr’s

If you’re in Mumbai’s popular Girgaum Chowpatty and looking to make a pit stop at its most famous food locales, don’t miss this ice cream spot. Since 1930, the place has been doing justice to the frozen dessert, with not just ice creams to their credit but tall, drool-worthy glasses of milkshakes too!

Little did Ghaziabad’s Omprakash Agarwal guess that he would create such a loved brand in the city he ran to while escaping his home. With no money in the initial days, Agarwal was engaged in a multitude of odd jobs eventually setting up a fruit stall by the beach flocked to by the British and locals alike.

In an interview with Mid-Day, celebrity chef Vicky Ratnani was quoted proclaiming his love for the outlet. “Mumbai has a tonne of desserts to choose from. It can change from season to season. In winter, there is nothing better than the strawberry and cream at Bachelorr’s.

4. Taj Icecream

Veteran actors Madhubala and Waheeda Rehman loved their ice creams. And on any given day, if you’d ask them from where they wanted the sweet treat, they would answer ‘Taj Icecream’.

Nestled in the bylanes of Crawford Market in Mumbai and churning magic for 137 years is this outlet started by a gentleman from Kutch — Valilji Jalaji. While the business began with selling fruits and then jellies, it soon scaled to one that was giving the city some of the most wonderful ice cream flavours.

As Aamir Icecreamwala, the sixth-generation owner of the business, tells The Better India, “The original menu was bite-sized pieces of pineapple, grapefruit, and chikoo mixed in milk and dates and served cold in clay pots.”

5. Snowmans

“An upmarket neighbourhood in South Mumbai” is how the internet describes Cumballa Hill. But even amidst its skyscrapers and plush residences is a humble ice cream parlour that has found a special place in the hearts of the city’s residents.

As food and travel writer, Aatish Nath recalls in an interview with Conde Nast, “My favourite ice cream that also makes me very nostalgic is the chic choc roll from Snowmans in Breach Candy. It’s handmade and imperfect — something we’ve lost in the age of photography for Instagram. Snowmans will also always be a favourite because it’s a place we were introduced to on drives with our family. And through all these years, their menu doesn’t seem to have changed at all.”

6. Gokul Ice cream

The brand began treating Mumbaikars with its ice creams in 1970, when its founder Shri Gundraya S Kamath launched it. They also specialise in shrikhand (a creamy, thick Indian delicacy made with yoghurt, saffron, and sugar).

In an interview with Unfiltered By Samdish, director Hansal Mehta revealed an anecdote involving the ice cream spot. “My father and Rajiv Gandhi were friends. He [Rajiv Gandhi] used to feed us ice cream quite often. He loved ice cream, particularly Gokul ice cream in Santacruz. Whenever he used to come to Mumbai, he used to take us out for ice cream, and he’d order one of every flavour. He’d get sitafal (custard apple) flavour packed for himself to take back home in a special container.”

7. Haji Ali Juice Centre

Treat guests like family — as the website of this loved spot reads, this philosophy has remained a constant since the 1960s, when a gentleman Fareed Noorani opened the Haji Ali Juice Centre overlooking the shrine of Haji Ali along the Arabian Sea.

What started out with the intent of offering refreshments to weary pilgrims has transformed itself into a food-lovers paradise. While customers praise the grape juice which is guzzled down by almost every pilgrim, others proclaim their love for the sitaphal cream.

And one among its many fans is pastry chef Pooja Dhingra. In her book ‘Coming Home’, she shares her love for the dessert at the juice centre adding that it formed one of her core food memories as a child.

Cover pic credits: Instagram: Go Out Mumbai

Edited by Pranita Bhat

“As fate would have it, my aunt (Malathi) and parents (Ravindra and Nagaratna) came up with the idea of using my grandmother’s traditional rasam powder recipe to make small batches in a 10×10 square feet room and distribute it to family and friends. This was their ‘aha’ moment, and the rest, as they say, is history,” says Bharat Kaushik, director and CEO of Adukale, speaking to The Better India.

To the uninitiated, Adukale is a leading ready-to-cook (RTC) and ready-to-eat (RTE) brand that reflects the rich heritage of Sankethi cuisine.

“Adukale was born out of sheer love and passion to bring time-tested Sankethi recipes to the fore. We gained significant popularity through word-of-mouth, owing to the immense popularity and demand for homegrown recipes. We moved on to making chutney powders and gojjavalakki (prepared using thick beaten rice, rasam powder, jaggery, tamarind, salt and coconut), and subsequently opened our flagship store in Malleshwaram in 2018,” adds Bharat.

“What started as a chance encounter has now become a way of life for me,” says Malathi.

Understanding Sankethi cuisine

Before dwelling further into Adukale — which has grown from a 10×10 square feet room to a business that, this financial year, is slated to generate revenues of about (USD) $2 million (approx Rs 16.6 crore) — it’s imperative to gauge a better understanding of the Sankethi people and their cuisine.

According to a January 2011 article in The Hindu by C N Ramachandran, “The Sanketi [Sankethi] community is a small sub-sect of Smartha Brahmins, about 25,000 people who migrated from Southern Tamil Nadu, a few centuries ago. They are found mostly in old Mysuru state (especially in the neighbourhood of Kaveri and Tunga rivers), and, traditionally, they are noted for agriculture, study of the Vedas, and classical music.”

“They speak a dialect which has freely borrowed words and grammatical structures from Kannada, Malayalam, and Tulu, besides retaining certain Tamil elements,” adds Ramachandran.

On the subject of Sankethi cuisine, however, Bharat tells The Better India, “Sankethi cuisine is an eclectic blend of cultures and tastes from three diverse states — Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. The cuisine is known for dishes that are light on the palette, flavourful, and packed with nutritional wellness. The mainstay of this cuisine is characterised by the use of local ingredients, traditional cooking techniques, and authentic flavour profiles.”

What makes Sankethi cuisine fascinating is the use of a variety of grains, lentils, vegetables, and spices, reflecting the agricultural abundance of their regions.

“The beauty of Sankethi cuisine lies in its rich diversity. While the recipes across households may share a common foundation, each final dish carries its own unique essence. Whether it’s a hint of jaggery or a touch of asafoetida, perhaps some zesty tamarind for an added kick, it’s these subtle variations that distinguish one household’s creation from another. It is the minute intricacies like the proportion of spices, duration, and temperature of roasting, and when they are removed from the flame, that contribute to robust flavours that infuse the cuisine with distinctive tastes, showcasing the unique selling point of the region,” explains Bharat.

Even with almost identical rasam and sambar powders, every household crafts a distinctive signature flavour, argues Bharat. As he elaborates further, “This is a testament to the subtle techniques and personal touch that lend an edge to our products.”

In a June 2019 interview with YourStory, Nagarathna, the co-founder of Adukale said, “We were guided by my mother-in-law’s principles when it came to cooking. The ingredients would be freshly ground and powdered without the addition of any preservatives.”

When asked by The Better India about what these principles of cooking were, Bharat notes, “We use our grandmother’s recipe for cooking, and she was driven by intuition and decades of experience in the kitchen. She used to eyeball spices like dhaniya (coriander) and measure it by a fistful (she had a small fist). Spices like cinnamon were measured by the length of her fingers.”

“Building on her foundation, my parents then added some methods to this by using a weighing scale to get precise measurements of the ingredients. This method has since become standardised across all our offerings, allowing us to consistently deliver a taste that resonates the warmth and affection of food that is cooked with love,” he adds.

To ensure optimal shelf life, Adukale claims to “meticulously roast” all other products at the ideal temperature. “Additionally, we incorporate natural preservatives, such as salt, tamarind, and lemon, into our recipes. These carefully chosen ingredients not only enhance flavour profiles but also contribute to prolonging the freshness of our products,” adds Bharat.

Bringing the magic of Sankethi cuisine to the Indian market

“During the inception [of Adukale], it was heartening to watch my parents and aunt bring in their entrepreneurial prowess and passion to the brand,” recalls Bharat.

Barely a few years after establishing Adukale, demand for their products grew so extensively in Bengaluru through just word of mouth that they were compelled to move away from their small 10×10 square feet room in Malathi’s home to a 3,000 sq ft facility with a capacity of 30 tonnes. In 2018, the venture shifted to an even larger 7,000 sq ft facility in South Bengaluru with a capacity of 100 tonnes.

Despite their capacity growing multi-fold, their processes didn’t change. One of the three founding partners of the business continued to supervise each stage of production to ensure product quality didn’t wane. What also helped was Bharat joining the business in 2017.

Bharat recalls, “Witnessing great promise in the venture, I quit my profession as a software engineer in the US to join Adukale. As someone passionate about food and the culinary landscape, I wanted to bring in my global experience and innovation to scale the brand and make strides in bringing regional food to the global map.”

But does the expansion of the brand necessitate breaking away from your Sankethi roots on the odd occasion? Bharat doesn’t seem to agree, saying, “Adukale has always been a Karnataka brand; our roots are deeply embedded in the culinary heritage of the region. Similar to national brands, our products have their own USP — a key growth factor in the markets we operate.”

He adds, “Thanks to social media, the world is our platter and cross-border integration of food has never been better. People thrive on homegrown recipes and products that are a window to different cultures. Given this background, our core will always remain the same.”

After joining Adukale in 2017, Bharat became director in 2019, and subsequently the CEO in 2021.

Currently, Adukale enjoys an extensive selection of 56 products, available across 20 stores throughout Bengaluru and Mysuru. “Additionally, we’ve established a strong online presence, ensuring our offerings are accessible to customers far and wide. As Adukale continues to grow and expand its reach, it remains rooted in its core mission of showcasing the rich heritage of Karnataka cuisine to the world, one delicious product at a time,” he says.

Their range of products currently comprises RTE foods like poha, upma, gojjavalakki, and bisi bele bath (a spicy, rice-based dish), blended spices like chutney powders, sambar powder, tarkaari gojjina powder (spice mix to prepare gojju), and namkeens or savouries like nippattu (crispy deep fried rice crackers) and kayi kodubale (a popular deep-fried snack from Karnataka made using rice flour, coconut, ground roasted gram powder).

According to Bharat, these products are free of preservatives and artificial colours. Also, with millets making a comeback in Indian households as superfoods, Adukale has also launched millet-based RTC products like the ‘Instant Millets Dose [Dosa] Mix’, amongst others.

Expanding their market reach

According to a November 2022 report by Allied Market Research, the India ready-to-eat (RTE) and ready-to-cook (RTC) food market was valued at $557.6 million in 2021, and is projected to reach $2,861.3 million by 2031, registering a CAGR of 17.6% from 2022 to 2031.

How does Adukale compete with big brands like Maiya’s and MTR? “Our product range is defined by authenticity and freshness. While we are growing as a brand, our focus will remain on mastering traditional Karnataka food. This gives us a first-mover advantage in the category. Over the years, the Sankethi community has found a sweet spot in Karnataka, and we are honoured to play a role in taking the Karnataka culinary legacy forward,” says Bharat.

As M S Ravindra notes, “We take great pride in building a community of food lovers through Adukale. Our focus on the highest standards of quality, flavours, and authenticity has played an integral role in pivoting from a small room to a celebrated brand in Karnataka’s F&B industry.”

As of today, Adukale has 18 experience stores in Bengaluru and two in Mysuru, with ambitious plans to expand to 30 stores across Karnataka in the upcoming year.

“Our growth trajectory is evident from our March 2024 closing revenues, which stood at approximately USD 2 million, reflecting a consistent doubling of our revenues over the past few years. With a substantial customer base, we also recognise the immense potential of the international market. Currently exporting to the US and Australia, we are eager to tap into additional markets worldwide. Our bullish outlook on international expansion highlights our commitment to sharing authentic flavours of Karnataka with a global audience,” claims Bharat.

(If you want to find out more about Adukale, you can visit their website here.)

(Edited by Pranita Bhat; Images courtesy Adukale)

Additional Sources:

‘Trailing a tiny bunch’: by C N Ramachandran for The Hindu, Published on 16 June 2011.

‘From a one-room set up to a 7,000 sq ft factory, this startup is keeping tradition alive with its ready-to-eat Sankethi cuisine’ by Rekha Balakrishnan for YourStory; Published on 11 June 2019

‘India Ready-To-Eat (RTE) and Ready-To-Cook (RTC) Food Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report by Type, Product, Distribution Channel : Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2022-2031’ for Allied Market Research in November 2022 

At that moment, I realised that if I could eat one meal for the rest of my life, it would be momos! 

Once a treasure of Nepal and Tibet, these pockets of deliciousness have made their way into India, especially Delhi. The national capital wholeheartedly embraced these morsels of delight. Not only did people devour the dish, but they also experimented with it, creating fusions such as tandoori momos and malai momos. 

Today, hundreds, if not thousands, of momo joints have covered every nook and cranny of the city. But how do you choose the best ones?

By collecting reviews from the biggest foodies, food bloggers, and chefs, The Better India has curated a list of eight momo joints that serve the juiciest and most authentic momos in Delhi!

1. Dilli Haat

If we’re discussing momos and overlooking Dilli Haat, that would be unfair. A vibrant cultural complex in the capital city, the place is renowned for its handcrafted goods, ranging from textiles and pottery to jewellery, home decor items, and of course, food!

While many stalls serve juicy momos, one stands out — MomoMia. Food vlogger and Instagram influencer Himanshu Sehgal (@MyYellowPlate) calls their chicken momos the “best momos in Delhi”.

He wrote, “Apart from being well steamed and decently stuffed, momos were huge in size which makes them very filling and enough for 2 persons. If you like fried things in life, go for their fried chicken momos which is a party in the mouth.”

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A post shared by My Yellow Plate (@myyellowplate)

2. Majnu ka Tilla

Majnu Ka Tila is a Tibetan colony renowned for its vibrant Tibetan culture, bustling markets, and delicious food. It is said to be named after a Sufi mystic named Majnu, who is believed to have resided in the area centuries ago.

Apart from their delicious boba teas and laphing, what is most revered by all the foodies are their momos. Many small stalls serve delicious momos starting at just Rs 50.

However, if you prefer a cafe setting, you can try Delhi’s foodie Osheen Bansal’s favourite spot — Kalsang Cafe. She has been a regular at the cafe for the last five years and highly recommends their veg cheese momos.

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A post shared by Osheen Bansal ।Delhi Foodie and Recipe creator ? (@haqqsefoodie)

3. Malviya Nagar

Another hidden gem for finding some of the best momos in town is Malviya Nagar. In an interview with HT, actor Adaa Khan described her favourite momo spot in the area as Pema Momos. With a small cafe-style seating arrangement, the little eatery boasts delicious Tibetan dishes.

“Malviya Nagar ke momos are the best! In street food, I love only momos, and I love the ones I get at Malviya Nagar, at a place called Pemas. These momos keep calling me back to Delhi,” she says.

While you are at the place, also give their chicken shyaphalay and chicken thenthuk a try; thank us later!

4. Yeti — The Himalayan Kitchen

If you’re eager to explore a variety of momos, then Yeti is the place for you. Located in Hauz Khas Village, this establishment is renowned for its Tibetan, Nepalese, and Bhutanese cuisine, offering a wide range of momo options.

Indulge in their jhol momos, Yeti special kothe momos, aloo momos, or Newari momos, or opt for their momo platter for a grand feast.

Local food influencer Manmeet Singh (@Foodzaggy), with over 56,000 Instagram followers, describes his dining experience at this eatery as distinct and unique. He rates the delicious momos and overall food a perfect 5 out of 5!

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A post shared by Manmeet Singh | Food & Travel | Influencer | Delhi Ncr |?Gurgaon (@foodzaggy)

5. Mood

Bani Nanda, chef and founder of Miam Pâtisserie, describes the momos at Mood as “heavenly”. A small home kitchen run by a mother-daughter duo, their delicious momos are a must-try in Delhi.

“I have major concerns regarding hygiene when it comes to roadside momos — which have been a major trend in Delhi for about 15 years. I now only eat momos at MOOD Delhi, a small home-run kitchen by the most adorable mother-daughter duo — Nicole and Kusuma Aunty,” said Bani in an interview with Conde Nast.

“Their smoked pork momos are heavenly. When you bite in, you will almost always destroy the momo because of the sheer amount of juices and fatty bits that ooze out. The tamatar chutney is not to be missed!” she added.

6. Hunger Strike

Another delightful place if you like to devour tandoori momos, Hunger Strike is located in Lajpat Nagar. A Lifestyle Asia report noted, “Their chicken Afghani momos and paneer tandoori momos are some of the juiciest momos you will ever have, so make sure to try these.” 

A well-known food blogger Karan Marwah said that the momos here take him back to his college days. “Although they didn’t invent it, Hunger Strike’s tandoori chicken momo was actually my introduction to this Delhi twist of this classic dish. Momo done in the tandoor and tossed in butter, chaat masala and coriander, these momos are addictive,” he wrote on Instagram.

7.  Dolma Aunty Momo

Speaking of momos in Delhi, how could we ever miss out on this iconic place. Serving Delhi since the early 1990s, Dolma Tersing aka Dolma Aunty has been the go-to place for most Delhi residents.

She started selling a plate of momos for Rs 15 and won the capital city with the taste. Today, she has three stalls in Delhi. The eatery offers a variety of momo fillings, including vegetarian and non-vegetarian options such as chicken and pork.

8. Amar Jyoti Restaurant

Located in Sarojini Nagar, the restaurant is food influencer Sameer Bawa (@Spiceitupwithsam)’s go-to joint for a momo fix! He says that the moment he took a bite of their famous tandoori momos, he was left speechless. “Best tandoori chicken momo in Delhi,” he exclaimed on an Instagram reel. “These are the real deal. They are flash-fried chicken momos, marinated in a special masala and then cooked in a tandoor. Chunky, juicy, and full of flavours, they are perfectly complemented by the three dips they give.”

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(Edited by Pranita Bhat; All free images)

If you’ve lived in India long enough, you aren’t a stranger to the khau gallis (streets lined with food stalls). But as familiar as you might be with these, they take on a completely new avatar during the holy month of Ramadan. 

A slew of stalls pop up in addition to the pre-existing ones to cater to the burgeoning demand. And as their clientele testifies, their meaty affairs are fit for kings. With every stall claiming to be the best and serving truly delicious meals, the overall effect is quite chaotic, exuberant and thrilling.

This Ramadan as you take a walk with The Better India through the khau gallis of Bengaluru, take a moment to absorb it all in. Be prepared for the aromas of nalli nihari (a mutton stew cooked with spices), the sizzling sounds of kebabs (meat roasted on skewers) hitting the oil and the gentle bubbling of shirkurma (a Mughlai dessert made with vermicelli, milk and nuts) to meet your senses as you walk down the Frazer Town. 

Pushing aside the notion that iftar (the meal eaten after sunset during Ramadan to break the day-long fast) is a meat-heavy feast, these stalls are also focusing on their lentil-based fares, fruit desserts and south Indian snacks. There is something for everyone. 

1. Albert Bakery

The cocktail samosas, hot cross buns and mutton bheja puffs (a savoury, flaky pastry with sheep brain stuffing) at this iconic bakery do not need an occasion to make an appearance. Started by a man named Mohammad Suleman in 1902, the bakery was set up in a godown in Sangam Lane off Kamaraj Road. And, for over a century, it has been serving its customers snacks that are said to be “too good to be true”. But what is now acclaimed for its meat-heavy menu was once a go-to spot for biscuits and bread that found customers in the British in the Cantonment area. That being said, no trip to the bakery is complete without trying out the mutton keema samosa (a snack made with minced mutton), chicken malai cutlet and chicken roll.

2. Karama Restaurant 

Any guest who stops by the famous Karama Restaurant — which is known for its mutton dishes — is roped in to try the ‘Mohabbat ka Sharbat’. The iconic drink is prepared by mixing milk with watermelon chunks, sugar and rose syrup and the result is a gastronomic delight. An interesting story prequels the invention of this drink. Unable to get the woman of his dreams to say yes to marrying him, a heartbroken Nawab Qureshi moved from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi. Looking for a way to express this unrequited love, he came up with the pink drink as a symbol. At Karama, not only will you find this drink but also a host of Kashmiri, Arabic and Mughlai cuisines to choose between.  The must-haves on the menu are tandoori chicken, kalmi kebabs (chicken drumsticks) and teetar fry (fried quail). 

3. Makkah Cafe 

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They say the best way to find your way to this place is by trying to spot the crowds. More often than not, that serves as the marker of the popular Makkah Cafe where everyone — from businessmen to college-goers to couples and retired folk — comes for their piping hot cup of Sulaimani tea (spiced black tea without milk). While you are here, at least one person is sure to treat you to the tale of how the Johnson Market (where the cafe is located) was once a group of stables before the British took over in the 1920s and transformed the place. Years later in 1984, the Makkah Cafe — originally called ‘Makkah Stores’ — was started by a man named Farooq Khan, who popularised the one rupee chai and 60 paisa samosa breakfast. While the prices have dramatically changed today, the old-world charm remains.  

4. Charminar Kabab Paradise 

Plating up flavours that are both traditional and fusion is the Charminar Kabab Paradise. But through the decades that the place has remained relevant, one signature dish has been the ‘Charminar Special Mutton Anda Keema Roti’. Try it out! And we recommend if you still have space in your tummy, you can sample the barbeque chicken tikka, the chicken seekh roll, the patther ghosht (a lamb dish cooked with spices), chicken cutlets, and camel meat kebabs. A meal at this spot panders to both the palate as well as the eyes as you watch juicy marinated pieces of meat transforming into the most delicious snacks right in front of your eyes. 

5. Rahhams Families International 

The story of this eatery starts in 1988 when a man named Abdul Rashid began selling home-cooked biryani from his kitchen. Today, the business has expanded and is helmed by Rashid’s son, Muddasir, who still follows the same recipe set by his dad. For anyone who is looking for recommendations to try here, we hear that the ghee rice, the tawa fried Noorani mutton chops, the mutton seekh kebabs (minced mutton cooked on skewers), the chicken sholay kebas (boneless chicken that is deep-fried) and the deep fried teetar (quail) are hits. 

6. Chichaba’s Taj

Our story begins one afternoon in the summer of 1934 when a young spice trader, Abdul Rahman, was having a heated conversation with a customer. The customer wanted to return the stock of spices he had just purchased claiming that they were not good. But Rahman’s stance was firm. He only sold the best spices. So, to prove his point he cooked a meal of biryani using the same batch of spices and invited the customer to taste it. Needless to say, the customer loved it. This was the inception of Rahman’s biryani outlet that started in 1935. Founded in a small hut that he rented for Rs 20 a month on Jumma Masjid Road, Rahman was fondly called chichaba (respected uncle) and eventually, the eatery came to be known as Chichaba’s Taj. Owing to the reputation Rahman built for himself, the third generation of the family continues seeing the result of his labour of love. In fact, the eatery is a favourite of 2019 MasterChef Australia contestant, Sandeep Pandit. 

7. Hotel Fanoos 

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Hotel Fanoos’ modus operandi is rooted in regional tradition and heritage recipes. From a humble kebab kiosk opened in 1975 by the late Ajaz Husain to the famous outlet it now is, the restaurant has come a long way. However, catering to the city’s trademark gastronomy isn’t the only reason behind its success. Sheer hard work is also to credit. As Shahid, Ajaz’s son recalls in an interview with The New Indian Express, “This place started small. My father was the son of an influential man. But he wanted to make a name for himself. So he started selling kebabs in a handcart.” He added that the magic lay in the masalas his father ground. Following Ajaz’s death, Shahid found the secret recipes written down on sheets of paper in his father’s wardrobe. And that’s how the legacy continues. 

8. Sharief Bhai 

Expect to see some phenomenal trademark gastronomy at this eatery located in Bengaluru. The spice quotient is kept intact and so are the traditional flavours that are characteristic of a Ramadan feast. It is hearsay that the eatery’s patthar gosht (lamb marinated in pepper and spices), the gosht shami kabab (a mutton patty stuffed with a boiled egg), the nalli nihari (lamb leg served in a spicy curry), the gosht cutt kufte ande (brown gravy made with horse gram, meatballs and boiled eggs), and the phirni (a thick creamy pudding made from ground rice) are truly delicious. 

Edited by Padmashree Pande.

Interspersed in these moments of hustle is the smell of coffee wafting from the cafes that line the sidewalk, the aroma acting like a beacon that draws to it all the above.  

Keenly watching this whole scene unfold is a woman. Her desi attire is suggestive of her origins. Her gaze is unwavering as she watches the cacophony of the northeastern US state. One might say her position on the side of the vibrant pink food truck is strategic, considering the view of 400 Central Ave, Jersey City she has from there.  

Behind the pink doors beside her illustration, magic is steamed (and fried) every day by a duo of Indian origin. The variety of momos whipped up in the food truck borrow their taste from the authentic fusion flavours that Ankita Nagpal —- one half of the duo that helms the ‘Fomo Momo’ venture — feasted on when she was a child growing up in Delhi. 

Her business partner and friend, Impreet Sodhi, and she watch smilingly as the residents of New Jersey tackle plates after plates of their momos every day from 3 pm to 9 pm. What is astounding is that the duo operate this very successful venture whilst juggling full-time jobs as tech professionals. 

A penchant for momos 

“The tastiest momos you’ve had in India have got to be the ones from Delhi, right?” Ankita asks me, daring me to counter this. “Yes,” I replied truthfully, seemingly pleasing her with the answer. 

Growing up, Ankita spent her weekends sampling street food across the bazaars of the national capital. But the momos remained her favourite. So, years later, when she met Impreet in the US at a dinner organised by their husbands, who are college friends, and the latter proclaimed her love for momos, Ankita knew she had found her food soulmate. 

“It was that conversation that gave us the idea of bringing authentic street food from Delhi to the US,” Ankita shares. Throughout the journey of setting up this food truck, the duo has been keen on showing the world how amazing the flavours of Indian momos are, and how diversified they can be in the palates they cater to. 

They say the food truck was simply a eureka moment that tied their passion and ideas together. 

But changing gears from the venture being a mere idea to a full-blown food truck was a challenge, Impreet admits. The biggest hurdle was visibility. “I think our first challenge was to capture the market. If you look at it, even in India itself, momos are popular in North India while people of South India are not as well acquainted with the dish. Similarly, here in New Jersey, we noticed that there are some Americans who are familiar with the dish while several immigrants aren’t,” Ankita adds. 

To navigate through this, the duo began giving out free samples in the initial days of setting up. And to everyone who asked what the difference between the sample (momo) and a dumpling was, they would patiently explain. 

What sets a dumpling, momo and dim sum apart? 

With a unique story of origin and an equally unique taste, the three culinary delights are so different, yet so similar. 

Dim sums refer to the broad category of bite-sized dishes in Chinese cuisine, with a thin casing enveloping the stuffing of meat, seafood or vegetables. Dumplings fall under the category of dim sums and refer to dough pockets that can be fried, baked or steamed. Momos, on the other hand, have the most coloured history of the three. 

Having originated in Tibet as early as the 14th century, these local delicacies came to India in the 1960s when a large number of Tibetans settled in Sikkim, Darjeeling, Delhi, Ladakh and Dharamshala. Another theory suggests that the Newar merchants of Kathmandu brought the momos to India from Tibet and Nepal during their travels. 

Today, numerous variations exist. These range from tandoori momos paired with red chilli chutney and mayonnaise, Afghani momos which are a sweeter and creamier version of tandoori momos, steamed jhol momos that are served in soup in Nepal, chilli momos that are tossed in chilli sauce and ketchup, Kothey momos that are pan-fried and belong to the Himalayas and have a strong ginger flavour. The list goes on and on. 

And it is this magic that Ankita and Impreet are bringing to New Jersey. 

Crafting a unique menu

It is amusing to watch Americans whose palates love more subtle flavours, gorging on the spicy tandoori momos at the Fomo Momo food truck. Ankita and Impreet love watching the scene as they strike a friendly banter with their clientele. They can often tell what a person is going to order, based on their past favourites and often have the order ready to go! Helming a food truck comes with these moments, they add. 

Once considered a ramshackle, food trucks are starting to be increasingly popular around New Jersey and the United States. They provide outlets for relationship building with customers, something that isn’t as possible in a traditional brick-and-mortar setting. That being said, running a food truck, where the wind and weather often play spoilsport, is tougher than a traditional storefront, says the duo. 

“There are many logistics. Someone is needed in the kitchen to prepare the food, a driver is needed to navigate the truck from one location to the other, over a dozen people are working inside the truck at all times; it is a challenge,” Ankita admits. 

But, that being said, it also gives the duo a chance to bond with their customers. Perhaps it is these bonding moments that are the reason for Fomo Momo’s business thriving from the outset. Recalling the first customers they served, Ankita says it was at the Smorgasburg Food Festival in Jersey City in 2021. “This seemed a great option as food festivals attract people who want to taste items from all across the world,” she notes. 

So, at the food festival, amidst the stalls that had Filipino food, Mexican food, Japanese food and more, there was a stall for Indian momos. And Ankita and Impreet watched with bated breath as people came to see what the hype was all about. 

“It gave us a chance to test the market. What we observed was that though people did not know much about the momos, they wanted to try it out. Once they sampled it, they would return for some more. We developed a small fan base,” they share. 

Sensing that the idea would do well, the duo bought a food truck and started a business in 2023. 

However, they add that they continue to serve momos at the World Trade Centre’s food festival in New York that runs from April through October. To cater to every diaspora, the menu is divided into subtle options. For instance, the butter garlic momos are a hit with the Americans while the spicier options suit the Indian palate. 

They emphasise, however, that perfecting the momo recipe has been a challenge. Eight months of experimenting finally led them to come up with a momo that had the ideal wrapper size, one that wasn’t too chewy but at the same time thick enough to hold the herbs and spices and veggies, and of course a momo that ticked all the boxes for taste. 

Nevertheless, the journey has been telling. As the clock strikes 5 pm, Ankita and Impreet brace themselves for the office crowd that will soon be stopping at the food truck for their snack. The sizzles and chopping sounds travel through the call as they prepare the fillings for the momos for the hungry customers who will soon be there.

Edited by Padmashree Pande

The culinary delights of the city are known worldwide, with the famous Hyderabadi biryani leading the way. As the sun sets, the city becomes even more vibrant with twinkling lights and delicious food places. The aroma of kebabs, biryanis, and paaya engulfs the city, sending its visitors into a food coma.

If you are visiting this city of coma-inducing aromas of food, what you’ll need is a fool-proof guide of what not to miss eating in the city. Well-known for its biryani, The Better India has gathered a list of foods you should try other than the epic biryani. Some of these suggestions are even backed by some of the biggest foodies in the country.

1. Irani Chai

Pride of every citizen of Hyderabad, Irani chai is something that you cannot miss. Originating from Persian immigrants who settled in the city, this tea carries with it a legacy that spans generations.

Served in small cups, the tea is a blend of strong, aromatic black tea infused with spices like cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon, with cream simmered to perfection. Usually paired with crisp, buttery Osmania biscuits or decadent Irani samosas, sipping Irani chai in the bustling city is an experience you cannot miss.

Chef Sarash Goila, a lover of this creamy tea, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his love for the chai and recommended Cafe Bahar. He recommends sipping the creamy tea with “Osmania biscoot”.

Irani Chai (milky sweet in white ceramic cup) w Osmania biscoot (Rs. 3 only, flaky savoury) at Cafe Bahar #Hyderabad pic.twitter.com/svbjOfzg4C

— Saransh Goila (@SaranshGoila) November 28, 2015

2. Lukhmi 

Lukhmi, a culinary gem originating from the royal kitchens of Hyderabad, is a savoury pastry that embodies the city’s rich gastronomic heritage. A breakfast dish, it will be perfect to start your day with.

Lukhmi is typically made by enclosing a spiced minced meat filling, often lamb or beef, within layers of thin, flaky pastry dough. The small squares or triangles pastries are deep-fried to golden perfection!

According to Chef Ranveer Brar, Hotel Nayab is the best place to try this delicacy. In a YouTube video, he is seen exploring the city and visiting the decades old iconic eatery.

3. Osmania Biscuits

Osmania biscuits over the years have become synonymous with the culinary identity of Hyderabad. Named after the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan, these biscuits have a unique buttery texture to them.

They are typically made with a combination of flour, sugar, butter, and eggs, resulting in a crumbly yet melt-in-your-mouth texture. They can be found in bakeries and tea stalls across Hyderabad, where they continue to delight locals and visitors alike with their irresistible charm and timeless taste.

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4. Paaya

If you have not tried Paaya yet, then you are missing out on a whole new culinary experience. The preparation of paaya involves a meticulous cooking process, where the trotters are first cleaned and then simmered for several hours with aromatic spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and bay leaves.

This slow cooking allows the flavours to meld together, resulting in a hearty and nourishing broth. Local food blogger and YouTuber Bhukka Nawab, with over 56.7k followers, suggests visiting Hotel Misken for the best Paaya in town. Besides, you can also visit Shah Ghouse, Maqdoom ke Paya and Nayab Hotel for paaya.

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5. Khubani-ka-Meetha

This list would be incomplete without mentioning this delicacy from the city. The name “Khubani-ka-Meetha” translates to “Sweet made from Apricots”, reflecting its key ingredient. This dessert is typically made from dried apricots, which are soaked overnight until they become soft and plump.

As per a Lifestyle Asia article,  “Legend has it that Mughal emperor, Babur, loved this simple preparation that originally came from Ferghana in Uzbekistan, that was supposed to have been his native land.” The article suggests to try Meethe Miya ‘s Qubani ka Meetha in Film Nagar.

6. Jauzi Halwa

Another traditional dessert of Hyderabad, Jauzi Halwa also known as Jauziya Halwa or Jauziyana Halwa, is a delectable dish that holds a special place in every resident’s heart. It is made with Jauzi or Jowar, which is also known as Sorghum, a nutritious and gluten-free grain widely cultivated in India.

To prepare this halwa, the Jauzi grains are first soaked overnight to soften them. Then, they are ground into a coarse paste, which forms the base of the halwa.

The ground Jauzi paste is then cooked with ghee (clarified butter), sugar, milk, and aromatic spices such as cardamom, saffron, and nutmeg. In a food interview for Times Foodie, chef Ranveer Brar takes his guest to the iconic Hameedi confectionery to try the delicacy. 

7. Haleem

Haleem is a savory and hearty stew that is immensely popular in Hyderabad, as well as in other parts of India, Pakistan, and the Middle East. The dish is made by slow-cooking a mixture of lentils, usually a combination of wheat, barley, and sometimes rice, along with meat (typically lamb or chicken), until it reaches a thick, porridge-like consistency.

This slow cooking process, often lasting several hours, allows the flavours to meld together, resulting in a rich and velvety texture.

With over hundreds of people visiting the place everyday, you should try Pista House’s haleem at least once in your life. Garnished with fried onions, fresh cilantro, mint leaves, and a squeeze of lemon, Pista House Haleem is a feast for the senses, captivating diners with its irresistible aroma and sumptuous taste. 

8. Pathar ka Gosht

If you are in Hyderabad and have not tried the delicious Pathar Ka Gosht, your trip is incomplete. Pathar ka Gosht, which translates to “Meat cooked on stone”, is prepared by cooking marinated meat on a hot stone, infusing it with a unique smoky flavour and tender texture.

As the meat cooks on the hot stone, it absorbs the heat, resulting in a seared exterior and a juicy, succulent interior. If you are looking for the perfect place to try them, then Bade Miyan Kabab is the answer. According to a News18 article, the place is one of the best in Hyderabad and “they (the restaurant) have been following the recipe since 1954, encompassing two generations. The tradition of making Patthar Ka Gosht is said to date way back to the Nizam era.”

(Edited by Padmashree Pande)

The cafe has become an icon of the city, particularly for its ghee-soaked dosas. Birthed in the ingenious mind of an IIM graduate Divya Rao, the cafe is today a chain of restaurants with outlets in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Dubai.

“We wanted to dedicate the restaurant to A P J Abdul Kalam, so we have named it after his birthplace Rameswaram,” informs Divya.

After becoming a CA at just the age of 21 years, Divya decided to an MBA and went to IIM Ahmedabad. Wanting to build a food chain business that takes South Indian cuisine to every corner of the world, Divya studied the marketing strategy of food chains like McDonald’s and KFC.

Partnering with food industry expert Raghav Rao, who is also her husband, she decided to open The Rameshwaram Cafe. However, her decision to open the restaurant was not well received by her family who wanted her to get a high-paying job that her qualifications deserved. But she pursued her dream anyway.

Their dosas and idlis are made with fresh ingredients and served alongside their spicy chutney, which is a big hit among food enthusiasts. Their food went viral on social media with food bloggers and celebrities flocking to their cafe to have a taste.

The outlets open early in the morning and are open beyond midnight, providing healthy and delicious food to its hungry customers. The couple is now planning to take the chain to Singapore and many other foreign countries.

Loved their delicious journey to success? Watch this short video to learn more:

(Edited by Pranita Bhat)

And that was a lightbulb moment for one of the family members, 43-year-old Saroj Prajapati.

The homemaker and mother of two had long harboured a dream of ‘doing something’ and making a name for herself. When she saw that two homemakers had been able to create a business out of a skill she had mastered, she knew that she had found her calling. Her pickles, especially her mango pickle, were always in demand with relatives and friends making a beeline for it every year. 

As it turns out, her son, Amit Prajapati, runs a brand building and digital marketing agency. The 19-year-old quickly set up social media pages under their brand name Moms Magic Pickle India in June 2023, ran a few ads, and soon, they had their first order.  

Saroj would make and pack the pickle and Amit helped her brand, label and dispatch it. In the next few months, their business grew and they had to set up a bigger space and hire women. Today, the 43-year-old sells over 800 pickles per month and earns Rs 2.5 lakhs per month seven months after starting her business. The woman who never set foot in a school is providing employment to 30 women today as well.

So how did she set up a business from scratch with no prior experience? Here’s her incredible story –

‘I made my first pickle at 15’

Born in Berkhedi village in Madhya Pradesh, Saroj was one among nine daughters. Her parents were farmers and there weren’t many education opportunities for them. She spent her childhood on the fields watching her mother make food and pickles, eventually picking up the skills from her. 

While she learnt to cook everything, what really fascinated her were pickles. She tells The Better India that she made a raw mango pickle for the first time as a 15-year-old. Little did she know that this would help her live her entrepreneurship dream almost 18 years later.

As was the norm then, she was married at 20 and moved to Shadora. Soon, she was busy with responsibilities at home and taking care of her two children. But her husband, Bablu Prajapati, always encouraged her, she says.

“All I had seen before marriage was our village. My husband wanted me to grow, and encouraged me to participate in matters of local governance,” Saroj shares.

When an opportunity presented itself to contribute to her community, she grabbed it, and  served as the village sarpanch for eight years. During her tenure, she met many women from rural areas and learnt about their financial problems. 

“I knew then that I wanted to help provide an income for them,” she adds.  

After she stepped down, she became busy discharging duties at home. Soon, both her children left for college and she was left with a burning desire to build something. She got the answer for her ‘what to do’ after watching the two women on Shark Tank India. 

Amit tells The Better India that it so happened that his mother was making pickles at the time as mangoes were in season. 

“Every relative or friend who comes home during the mango season always takes a pickle jar home. Everyone who tastes it becomes a fan. I thought that this would be a perfect business opportunity,” says Amit.

Started with an investment of Rs 4,000

The first thing the family did was order other homemade pickles to check the taste, packaging and pricing. After assessing their competitors, Amit, who stays in Indore, worked on the design and name of the business. 

“I learnt SEO on YouTube and decided that Moms Magic Pickle India would be a good name. I set up Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) pages. I bought jars and got labels printed. We put up 10 posts online, ran a few Whatsapp ads at a cost of Rs 200 per day, and within a few days, we got 30 orders from all over the country,” says Amit.

Starting with just the mango pickle, they soon introduced more pickles like green chilli, lemon, mixed vegetable, and sweet mangoes. Amit says that their products are cheaper than others available on the market. They sell trial packs of four pickles of 100 gm each at Rs 299. Another hot seller is the combo pack of four 200 gm pickles which each sells for Rs 349. 

Their bestseller, the mango pickle, sells for Rs 199 for a 200 gm pack, Rs 299 for 400 gm and Rs 599 for 800 gm. 

Saroj says that all pickles are made by her using traditional recipes passed on to her by her mother.

“I make the spice mix myself and buy the mangoes and vegetables locally. All pickles are made without chemicals and preservatives. We sun-dry the pickles and store them in barnis (traditional jars),” she adds.

The first 200 orders were made and packaged at home itself, by Saroj. As orders increased, they needed a bigger space. They set up the Moms Magic Pickle India unit at an empty space owned by her husband in Shadora itself. They also called local women to help in the packaging of the products.   

So, what was the happiest day in her entrepreneurial journey? “The day I got my first order. I felt very good that I did something,” she smiles.

Gyanendra Singh, who bought a pack of four pickle jars, states that the quality of their pickles stands out. 

“Usually, the pickles we buy have vinegar in them, which affects the taste. Moms Magic Pickles are refreshing, don’t cause any burning, and are of very high quality. Maa ke haath ka swaad hai inme (It reminds you of your mother’s cooking),” he says. 

What stands out in this story of a mother’s passion is also her son’s quick thinking and digital marketing skills. 

Amit’s father, he shares, encouraged him to follow his passion. The teenager first wished to pursue engineering, for which he went to Kota, Rajasthan, for coaching. As he attended classes for JEE coaching, his interest soon shifted to digital marketing and business development.

“I started learning about SEO and marketing on YouTube. I worked with a digital marketing agency when I was in Class 9 and earned about Rs 25,000 per month. The lockdown was also imposed during this time and I informed my father of my change of mind,” he adds.

While we read stories of how parents force their children to pursue JEE and NEET, especially in Kota, Bablu Prajapati is an outlier. He asked his son to follow his passion and pursue education in the field of his choice.

Amit then completed his schooling through long distance education and moved to Indore where he is pursuing a BBA currently. His company’s name is Adverse India, which is a one-stop solution for all your digital marketing needs.

And what are his plans for the future? “I want my mother to go ahead. I have my entire life ahead of me. First, I want my parents to pursue their dreams,” he says. This mother and son are the perfect blend of passion, a traditional skill and new age marketing that makes their brand a success. 

You can purchase Moms Magic Pickle through their website or via Whatsapp. They are soon planning to expand to Amazon and Flipkart as well.

Edited by Padmashree Pande.

Once a dish for kings, the biryani’s stance has evolved and now reflects local sensibilities in every version. And speaking of versions, Bengaluru seems to have plenty of its own. Here, we explore them.

1. Shivaji Military Hotel

When in Bengaluru, your trip is incomplete without a visit to one of the city’s iconic military hotels. The story of their advent traces back to the 17th century following the Maratha’s conquest of the city. As the Maratha communities settled and expanded across Bengaluru, they introduced protein-rich dishes to satisfy the hunger of their soldiers.

To date, these military hotels — run by the Kannadigas of Maratha origin — continue this tradition with their meaty affairs. One of the oldest military hotels, ‘Shivaji Military Hotel’ in Jayanagar was started in 1924 by a Maratha named S Mannaji Rao. It serves “spectacular” donne biryani, according to food journalist and author Kunal Vijayakar.

As he notes, “Spicy, tangy, filled with masalas…but you’ll have to taste it to believe it!”

2. Nagarjuna

Over three decades ago in 1984, an agriculturist from Andhra Pradesh, N Krishna Reddy came to the shores of Bengaluru with a dream and a love for cooking. People flocked to his eatery on Residency Road to sample food that combined their favourite meats with the earthy flavours from the coastal town of Andhra.

The biryanis here are claimed to be ‘robust’ because of the powerful spices that make their way into each dish. Today, these hit flavours can be tasted across the many outlets of Nagarjuna at Koramangala, Bannerghatta and Indiranagar. While the original recipe is a closely guarded secret, customers are urged to try the chicken biryani, the mutton meatballs, and the Chick 65 fry.

3. Ranganna Military Hotel

A household name, among the city’s foodies, whose story of inception is as fascinating as the biryani served here. The story goes that the owner R Munirangappa was a famous wrestler in the 70s. In an interview with The Times of India, he recalled, “My grandmother Thayaramma who was a specialist in Kannada cuisine, started the eatery using her savings. It became a gradual success, and my father shifted the business to Yediyur in 1967 after she retired due to old age.”

The mutton and chicken biryanis attract great fanfare with their seductive aromas and masalas that Munirangappa says are ground using traditional stone grinders.

4. SG Rao Military Hotel

An aromatic symphony is brewed at this legendary hotel in the Cottonpet area of Bengaluru. The Sri Govinda Rao Military Hotel has managed to amass quite a loyal set of patrons over the last century that it has been around. And the astounding feat has been managed with zero publicity.

This particular military hotel was born when Govinda Rao from Ramanagara came to the Petta area of Old Bengaluru in the early 1900s looking for jobs in eateries. His love for cooking soon led him to start one of his own in 1908 in a thatched room where the aromas of donne biryani lured the public. You’ll be surprised to know that the eatery opens at 4 am to serve piping hot paya soup to all.

5. Ambur Star Biryani

One of Deepika Padukone’s favourites, as she mentioned in an interview with Curly Tales, the ambur biryani is steeped in history and is a one-pot meal where succulent pieces of meat are cooked in jeera samba rice.

As the venture’s website notes, it was the legendary Hussian Baig, a cook in the Moghul kitchen, who came up with the original recipe in 1890 and began selling biryani from his home. To carry this legacy ahead, his son and their children opened multiple outlets in the city all serving the famed ambur biryani.

6. Dum Durust

In contrast to the traditional eateries with varied histories, the ‘biryani in a box’ concept by Dum Durust is a modern take. Whether it is contemporary biryanis you are craving — Classic Hyderabadi biryani, Nellore biryani, Awadhi biryani, or even newer recipes and flavours, Dum Durust has your back.

Chef Manu Chandra recalled in an interview with Condé Nast how he is a fan of the Awadhi biryani. “The rice-to-meat proportion is great, and they don’t scrimp on quality and quantity either. Plus, Bengalis in Bangalore swear that the Calcutta biryani there is the closest you’ll get to anything like it in the city.”

7. Meghana’s

Similar to Dum Durust, Meghana’s caters to an audience that is looking for biryanis on the go in contrast to those who would like to experience a sit-down lunch. With outlets all across the city, Meghana’s prides itself on the Andhra-style food they serve and encourages their customers to choose among 100 varieties. The must-haves, according to customers are the prawns ghee roast and the nati chicken biryani.

8. Koshy’s

A timeless landmark in Bengaluru, Koshy’s is not just a restaurant, it is nostalgia preserved amidst the once-colonial ambience. Koshy’s was the brainchild of a bank executive P Oommen Koshy. He lost his job during World War II and opened a bakery in the Cantonment area of Bengaluru where he baked bread for the garrisons. In 1952 he leased a plot behind the cathedral at St Marks Road corner, moved his bakery, and opened ‘Parade Café’ adjacent to it, which would one day be known as Koshy’s.

A Condé Nast article claims that the late Gundu Rao, erstwhile chief minister of Karnataka, once told owner Prem Koshy, “I have met your father and grandfather and seen you as a kid. I have travelled across the globe looking for peace and quiet, and this is the only place I find it.” A classic here is the fish biryani.

Edited by Pranita Bhat

The vibrant city takes great pride in its gastronomy and has enjoyed breathless coverage of its military-era hotels. And history lets us in on their inception. 

The story goes that it was during World War II that these military outlets mushroomed in a bid to satisfy the troops’ hunger. Now, neither the emergence of the newer Chettinad restaurants nor the glam of the fine-dining spots can dim the allure that military hotels continue to retain in the city. From politicians to the who’s who of Southern cinema, everyone has stopped here for a bite and has a story to tell. 

Here we chronicle the city’s best dosa and thali joints where you can expect a tasty fiesta. 

1. Ravi Anna Kadai 

The eatery hasn’t ever had a formal name. In fact, it was inconspicuous for the most part. But when locals observed crowds — comprising the elite business class and labourers alike — thronging to the area behind Pondy Bazaar, it needed to be christened. The ‘nei podi dosai’ at this way-side eatery is the first choice of youngsters who flock to it late at night when all other dosa outlets are shut. 

In an interview with Conde Nast, Mathangi Kumar, chef and culinary consultant recalled how he finds it tough to stop himself at just one dosa. “As a family, we have been going here for years now. Their dosas are always super crisp with a generous amount of ghee, chutney and sambar. Their podi is a little different from how it’s usually made at home.”

2. Tanjavur Military Hotel

Claiming to be “the first inheritance hotel in Chettinad, built on a property that has been with the family for almost 105 years”, Tanjavur Military Hotel is located in Parktown heart of Chennai city. The boundary-pushing chefs merge traditional cooking styles with modern palates to serve an array of mouth-watering South Indian food such as pepper chicken and varuval (dry dish fried with spices and onions). Another must-have is any of their succulent mutton dishes with the mutton biryani taking the prize. 

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3. Anjappar

The restaurant says it serves the “world’s favourite Chettinad cuisine” and no one is arguing that! Through its franchise model, Anjappar has expanded to over 25 countries thus becoming “the world’s largest Chettinad chain of restaurants”. While these accolades add their feathers to its cap, the family’s humble beginnings continue to be their pride. 

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Anjappan, the founder, was a little boy growing up in Tamil Nadu and spent much of his time in the messes around his village. He’d watch fascinatedly as masalas added magic to any dish they were incorporated into. In 1964, he set the foundation of his dream by starting his first restaurant located in Royapettah, Chennai, with the blessings of the beloved, M G Ramachandran. An article in The New Indian Express mentions that Mollywood stars, including Aju Varghese, Mamta Mohandas, Asif Ali, Vineeth Sreenivasan, and former cricketer, S Sreesanth, are regulars here.

4. Ponnusamy 

What is the largest meal you’ve ever had? Whatever it is, the 32-inch Baahubali thali is sure to beat it. Featuring 50 dishes (both meat and vegetarian), the thali shouldn’t be on your list if you’re doing a food trail in the city. It deserves a day to itself. 

Here’s what you can expect to see on your plate: ura puttu, vanjaram meen varuval, mutton nalli, mutton sukka, prawn masala, mutton biryani, daal fry, sambhar, rasam, naan, white rice and desserts (plural, of course). While you get comfortable with your thali, you will be treated to the legacy of the hotel. Started in 1952 by two teenagers A R Velu Pillai and his younger brother, Ponnusamy, the hotel grew in scope and is an empire today. 

5. Nair’s Mess

Located on Mohammed Abdullah Street, Nair’s mess serves an unparalleled seafood platter complete with prawn masala and fish delicacies. But the vanjaram fish fry is said to be one of the most impressively prepared seafood fares one can come across. While there isn’t a way of confirming this, it is hearsay that the place was frequented by former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, MG Ramachandran.

6. Paati Veedu 

Bringing an element of fine dining to the traditional thali concept in Chennai, Paati Veedu is attempting to recreate the nostalgia that comes with growing up on one’s grandmother’s food. There are three concepts of food here. The first, Poorna Bhakshana, includes a seven-course unlimited meal that is akin to a grand feast. The second, Bhakshanam, caters to delightful sweets and savouries with a combination of traditional and contemporary elements. The third, Decoction, is a traditional take on fast food. 

7. Ratna Cafe 

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Steeped in nostalgia, Ratna Cafe, established in 1948 by Jaggilal Gupta, a Mathura resident, is known for its sambar that is drunk by the litre. If you happen to stop by this eatery in Triplicane, you’ll be amused to see staff carrying around mini-buckets with them. Look inside and you’ll spot the delicious hot sambar. Lokesh Gupta (30), the fourth-generation scion currently at the helm of affairs at the cafe, says there are close to 1,500 litres of sambar that are made at this iconic eatery, and some days, that number reaches 2,000 litres.

Edited by Padmashree Pande

Truly a piece of heaven on the plate, kebabs epitomise indulgence, satisfaction, and sheer culinary bliss. While nearly every part of India offers its own version of kebabs, if you reside in Delhi, consider yourself truly blessed.

The Better India scoured the capital city for the best kebab places and compiled a list supported by some of the biggest foodies in the country.

1. Qureshi’s Kabab

Delhi’s iconic and beloved eatery comes highly recommended by Delhi’s foodie, Anubhav Sapra of Delhi Food Walks.

Whether you’re savouring the tender and succulent Seekh Kebabs, the aromatic and flavourful Boti Kebabs, or the melt-in-your-mouth Galouti Kebabs, each bite is a testament to the mastery of the Qureshi family’s craft.

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2. Al Nisar

Recommended to you by a famous food blogger Shirin Mehrotra and many locals of the city is Al Nisar opposite Jama Masjid. Known for their mouth-watering seekh and boti kebab, the eatery is a must-try.

“Their mutton seekh is super juicy which is wrapped in a roomali and eaten with chutney. In my limited experience of eating kebabs in Delhi, this is easily one of the best,” she says in a tweet.

I love kababs from Al Nisar opp. Jama Masjid. Same lane as Qureshi's. Their mutton seekh is super juicy which is wrapped in a roomali and eaten with chutney. In my limited experience of eating kababs in Delhi, this is easily one of the best. pic.twitter.com/fcZi2mnSNx

— Shirin شیریں शीरीं (@shirinmehrotra) June 10, 2022

3. Al Jawahar

Situated right in front of the Jama Masjid, Al Jawahar is a hidden gem, offering the perfect opportunity to indulge in authentic Mughlai cuisine.

In addition to its delicious kebabs, the eatery is renowned for specialties such as Jahangiri, Changezi, and Afghani Chicken. The iconic eatery is a favourite of rapper and singer Honey Singh. “I love their pherni, tikki and kebab,” he had said in an interview.

4. Saleem Javed

When actor and influencer Swara Bhaskar was in college in Delhi, her favourite food to snack on used to be kebabs. In an interview with Netflix, she says, “We used to bunk classes and go to this shop, it was just a small makeshift place in Khan Market. They have now expanded and are called Saleem Javed but their recipe is the same. We used to devour their chicken and mutton tikka. This used to be followed by a bunta (localised version of a lemonade) from a stall right in front of the eatery.”

Apart from his juicy tikka, Saleem Javed is also famous for its delicious rolls made with paper-thin roomali roti wrapped with the meat of your choice.

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5. Karim’s

It would be unfair of us to compile a list of kebab places in Delhi and not talk about the iconic Karim’s. The iconic eatery is said to have first opened in 1913 and generations of loyal customers have flocked to Karim’s to indulge in its signature dishes.

Be it the succulent Tandoori Raan (roast leg of lamb), the aromatic Mutton Seekh Kebabs, the rich and creamy Mutton Korma, and the legendary Chicken Jahangiri, every dish at the eatery is heavenly. 

It is a favourite spot of top politicians, diplomats, film stars, and cricketers from both India and Pakistan including Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.

In an interview, Manoj Bajpayye says, “Agar Dilli aao toh yeh do jagah (Karim’s and Jawahar) toh zaroor jaana.” (If you come to Delhi, then you must try Karim’s and Jawahar).

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6. Babu Bhai Kebab Wale

Situated at Bazar Chitli Kabar, near Masjid Sayed Rfai Wali, this tiny shop, no bigger than a two-wheeler scooter, churns out kilos of seekh kebabs every day. Famous for their tender and juicy kebab, the place is a go-to kebab place for many Delhi locals.

In a quest to find the best kebabs in Delhi, popular food blogger ‘Spice it With Sam’ rates all the places he tried the kebabs from. So no guesses as to which was his favourite — Babu Bhai Kebab Wale. His more than 180k followers seemed to agree with his list. “Babu Bhai’s kebabs are to die for, yaar! I’ve been a regular since my dad used to take me there as a kid. Now I miss it, but whenever I’m back in Delhi, visiting Babu Bhai’s is my first stop!” says one of his ardent followers.

7. Rajinder ka Dhaba

Gary Mehigan, an English-Australian chef and restaurateur who was one of the original judges of the Network 10 series, MasterChef Australia, visited this iconic eatery in Delhi to devour their delicious curries and of course, their juicy kebabs.

Serving taste buds since 1968, the eatery was just a small roadside stall. Over the decades, it has grown to take over the marketplace in Safdarjung. Serving both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, the dhaba now has both open and closed seating areas for you to enjoy your meals in.

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8. Sab Ke Khatir and MI Food Center

Located on Lodhi Road, both the eateries are a favourite of many Delhi locals. Vivek Rana, executive chef, The Claridges, who has decades of culinary experience says in an interview with Conde Nast, “I still remember going to eat butter malai tikka and mutton galauti at Sab ke Khatir after long shifts; this place is still popular with hoteliers since it is open until wee hours and I still go there.”

“Another favourite is MI Food Center. They make excellent kebabs of all kinds,” he adds.

So how many of these kebab places have you been to?

(Edited by Padmashree Pande)

Designed for mushroom enthusiasts, mushroom consumers, and even kids, this mushroom growing kit allows anyone to harvest mushrooms from the box, straight to their plate.

The simple DIY kit allows you to cultivate exotic mushrooms — including pink oyster mushrooms, Indian high-protein oyster mushrooms, king tuber oyster mushrooms, grey oyster mushrooms, and elm oyster mushrooms — in just 10 days.

By making mushroom cultivation easy, the startup’s main objective is to enhance people’s understanding of fungi and bring the healing benefits of mushrooms to every Indian household.

We sat down with the co-founders Prithvi Kini (30) and Jashid Hameed (32) to learn more about the DIY kits and their obsession with mushrooms that took them to Shark Tank.

The shared fondness for mushrooms

In 2014, after completing her higher studies in philosophy at Delhi’s Lady Shri Ram College For Women, Prithvi worked with Bengaluru-based startups focusing on science and technology. Whereas Jashid graduated from BITS Pilani and then pursued his master’s from IIM Indore in 2017. He worked with Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd as area operations manager.

A turning point came in their lives when they met each other on an online dating application. As their love story evolved, they discovered their life goals in the food industry.

It was amid the COVID-19 pandemic that the couple discovered the benefits of mushroom-based extracts and started sourcing wellness products from the United States.

“Mushrooms essentially help in stress relief, mental well-being, gut health, anxiety, cardiovascular health, and athletic performance. After experiencing their health benefits, we started looking for alternatives or Indian brands that were making mushroom-based supplements. Sadly, we couldn’t find any such brand,” Jashid tells The Better India.

“We wanted to build a brand to bridge this gap. But when we started, we found that there weren’t enough people growing it. Then the question came, how do we cultivate these? We realised that we have to start from scratch, make our own spawn to make extracts and eventually the wellness products,” he adds.

In 2020, Jashid undertook training at the Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR) in Bengaluru to understand the nitty-gritty of cultivating mushrooms. After a year of research and development, the couple officially launched their company Nuvedo in 2021 by exhausting their collective savings of Rs 30 lakh.

How to Grow Mushrooms at Home?

When the couple started researching the field, they found a lack of awareness about the cultivation of mushrooms. “People have misconceptions surrounding mushrooms because they are seen growing in agricultural waste and unhygienic conditions,” Prithvi tells The Better India.

It became essential for them to come up with a solution that allowed people to be educated on mushroom cultivation. Their quest led them to design a DIY mushroom kit.

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Jashid shares, “We wanted to build a community of mushroom enthusiasts by using these growing kits because we felt that directly launching mushroom supplements in a market that doesn’t know anything about mushrooms would have been hard to target. So, when people themselves nurture and consume mushrooms, they’ll understand its importance.”

The kit which is about arm’s length, comprises a cardboard bag containing ragi straw, which has mushroom mycelium growing on it. It serves as the growing medium of the mushroom fungi. Along with this, the kit also contains a small spray bottle.

Explaining how the kit works, Prithvi says, “You fill the water bottle with drinking water and spray the bag three times a day. This will provide a moist and humid atmosphere to activate the myceliated substrate. In about 10 days, you will get your first harvest of organic mushrooms. With this, you can harvest a total of 500 grams of mushroom in two to three harvests from one kit.”

“They are completely sustainable as they grow on agricultural waste. It doesn’t require sunlight and anybody can grow them,” she adds.

Last year, Nithin George bought their pink oyster grow kit and says that he continues to be fascinated with it. “Coming from a non-agricultural background, I had no idea about the world of mushrooms. When I attended a workshop by Nuvedo, I got to learn about how mushrooms are beneficial to our health and well-being,” he tells The Better India.

“This sparked my curiosity and I tried growing them at home. And the cultivation process was the most beautiful sight. My family kept staring at those beautiful produce and later plucked them for consumption. Their kit is just a well-crafted gateway into this vast mystical world of mycophiles,” he adds.

Priced at Rs 699, the couple has sold these kits to at least 20,000 customers across the country and has found major demand in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kochi, and Pune.

The Shark Tank experience

On 7 February, 2024, the couple made it to the centre stage of Shark Tank India Season 3. Although they did not bag a deal, Jashid says, “We were not able to get a deal as sharks wanted to understand the market trend first. They themselves were not really aware of mushrooms because we had to start the pitch by explaining that mushrooms are not plants, they’re fungi.”

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“But I think we were somewhat successful in being able to break some myths around mushrooms and highlight the healing benefits and properties of our products,” adds Prithvi.

Anyway, our primary target audience, Jashid says, were people who have some fascination for mushrooms and are open to growing them in their house for consumption.

That said, the couple believes their lives have been “mushrooming” since the launch of the company that today clocks an annual revenue of Rs 50 lakh.

“Over these years, we have visited several farmers and places to understand the biodiversity that our country has to offer. With these mushrooms, we are healing our own selves every day. I don’t think any other corporate job would have given both of us the opportunities and the fulfilment that has come through this space,” smiles Prithvi.

(Edited by Pranita Bhat; All photos: Nuvedo)

When his father took over the shop following his grandfather’s illness, Harshit recounts how ‘Janta Dairy’ assumed the role of the third child of the family, growing alongside the boys. “He [my father] loved it dearly,” he smiles.

It was this ardent love for the mithai business that compelled Harshit and his younger brother Tanay to do everything in their power to keep the legacy alive when it was threatened amidst the pandemic. The brother duo aren’t halwais — Harshit is a film producer and Tanay a literature graduate — but that did not stop them from testing new ground with their cloud kitchen Pistabarfi that they launched at the peak of the pandemic.

Was the foray into the mithai scene challenging? “Not if you grew up in my family where it’s in our DNA,” laughs Harshit.

The journey from being innocent children playing around in Janta Dairy to teaming up to save the family business is a memorable one for the brothers. They share their story with The Better India.

A sweet ride

What is your favourite mithai? For Harshit it is kalakand.

He recounts Tanay’s and his childhood being bundled in a repertoire of flavours of different sweets and savouries. The locals of Mumbai, particularly Elphinstone Road, distinguished Janta Dairy by two things — an aroma of sweets wafting out and a smiling man who was a constant fixture at the counter.

Since 1968, Harshit’s father has had a front-row seat to the evolution of Elphinstone Road and Mumbai alike. And the shop has seen a trajectory of its own — from a dairy that sold the area’s best quality milk, curd, paneer, and lassi to a shop that added mithais and samosas to its list of items.

The boys loved spending all their free time here.

Though Harshit never trained as a halwai, he recounts anecdotes that were silently shaping this skill in him. Hours spent sampling the mithais — mawa pedhas, balusaahi (a crispy sweet made with flour and butter), kaju katli, motichoor laddoo, kalakand (a sweet cheese confection), Bombay halwa, Mahim halwa, dry mysore pak (which compared to its wet counterpart has a biscuit texture), dink laddoo (made using resin, nuts and ghee) and methi laddoo — turned Harshit into a connoisseur of sweets at an early age.

He recalls how he’d sometimes point out to his father when a batch of sweets did not “taste quite right”. He adds, “My father would immediately discard the batch. I’ve never seen him try to salvage a batch of mithai by mixing the old batch with the new — a common act among most mithai makers. Instead, he’d bear the losses but ensure his customers were getting the best.”

And thus grew the fame of Janta Dairy.

The brothers hardly remember seeing their father at home. Harshit goes on, “You see, my father has gone to the shop every single day, ever since he took over in Class 12. He has never missed work. It’s home, shop, and back home for dinner. Even on Sundays, the routine continues.”

Until one day, the routine stopped. The COVID pandemic had extended its reach to Mumbai.

Reimagining old-school classics

It was disheartening for the boys to watch their father, who loved the dairy, now sit at home. Business was at an all-time low. And somewhere, Harshit felt their family legacy was going to falter unless they stepped in.

Pistabarfi was born out of a quest to save a heirloom business. Though testing new waters, the brothers say there was absolutely no friction. Tanay brought his expertise in dealing with the logistics, while Harshit was in charge of the creative aspect of the venture.

The idea was for the family to continue selling mithai through a cloud kitchen approach until Janta Dairy was ready to reopen. The first two years were not so much about sales but building a brand voice, says Tanay.

Two things would set Pistabarfi apart, the brothers decided. The packaging and the quality of ingredients.

Elaborating on the first, Harshit says, “The mithai scene in India is a very unorganised market. I’m talking about the early 2000s when there wasn’t a lot of emphasis on packaging. Cost-cutting was rampant. Today, the scene has slightly improved. If you see the usual mithai boxes they usually feature designs like a cow, milk, etc. The imagery is not exciting.”

He adds, “Even brands that focus on good packaging do not tell a story through it. There’s no voice.”

The second pain point was that of quality.

“It’s tough for the mithais in Mumbai to rival that in other cities. This is because, for quality mithai, quality raw materials are needed. These are expensive. If employed, this would in turn increase the cost of the mithai. So, most mithai makers resort to ingredients that can help them achieve a balance between cost-effectiveness and taste,” he shares.

Pistabarfi is built on addressing these points. The brothers emphasise that the idea behind the venture has always been to stick to their traditional roots and play to their strengths.

Taking the legacy forward

While designing the brand identity, Harshit was clear that quality needed to be premium, which is also why Pistabarfi products retail at a higher rate than most mithais.

The brand retails three products — pistabarfi made from crushed Peshawari pistachios, kaju katli (made with premium cashew nuts and 400 g of sugar in contrast to the 600 g variants in the market) and gur laddoo made with jowar, bajra, nachni, wheat, rice, jaggery and ghee.

The reason behind this limited selection, says Tanay, is quality. “We are very sure of the three mithais we have. It takes a lot of time to do R&D and to crack the correct taste. Also, some of these recipes have been carried down from generation to generation and that makes it special. We are looking to include Mysore pak next, trials for which have been underway for quite some time now.”

And their packaging parallels the mithais when it comes to allure. 

Elaborating on how he came across this idea of using Gond art on the mithai boxes, Harshit says, “I stumbled upon this form of art while assisting director Devashish Makhija on his short film back in 2015. He gifted me the book ‘The Night Life of Trees’ which featured Gond art in it. I was so taken up by this image and its traditional linkages that when coming up with the packaging for Pistabarfi, I got the image licensed from Tara Books, and they were more than happy to oblige.”

So, is Pistabarfi the new Janta Dairy?

“Absolutely not,” says Harshit. He is firm that the former was created as an ode to the latter’s legacy with a slightly different approach. “The end consumer is very different for both places. Janta Dairy targets the locals who have been coming to the shop since my grandfather’s time. It’s a very repeat clientele. On the other hand, Pistabarfi has a niche audience.”

Today, Pistabarfi delivers all over India and is well on its way to coming up with value-added snacking products that break the myth of mithais only being a festive reason. For instance, take the kaju katli mithai bar, a chocolate bar-shaped product that is actually kaju katli!

“One can keep it in their pocket and snack on it when they want to. It isn’t necessarily what I would call ‘fusion’. It’s more like we’re making products that are accessible,” he shares.

But even while the brothers have broken into the mithai segment with their unique cloud kitchen approach, Harshit minces no words when he says it is foolish to assume one could bring a complete shift.

“We are so accustomed to just walking down the road and entering a mithai shop, asking to taste the various sweets as we take our pick. It’s an emotion. That’s what Janta Dairy will always give its customers. I’m not going to change that,” he says.

Speaking about watching his sons step in, Narottam (56) says, “I have been at the shop since I was in Class 12. That’s the only reality I know and lived for all these years. My idea was to pull through for as long as I could because it’s a part of my identity and losing the shop would mean losing a part of myself. My sons prevented that from happening.”

“What they have done is quite different from what I could have ever imagined. It’s unique and I feel proud as a father,” he remarks.

Edited by Pranita Bhat

You may recall how a couple of years ago, the dish had its moment when Australian cricketer Pat Cummins discovered it on his trip to Mumbai. Cummins was aghast at not having tasted it earlier. Well, it’s safe to assume that he is now a fan of the Mumbai pav bhaji and here are eight places you can get your fill too.

1. Sukh Sagar

Chowpatty Beach is resplendent with food stalls galore, each claiming to cook up a storm on a plate, but we promise the pav bhaji at Sukh Sagar lives up to this claim. Four buttered pavs with a side of onions and steaming gravy is just what the owners want their customers to begin the day with.

In an interview with Lifestyle Asia, Chef Varun Totlani, head chef at Mumbai’s Masque Restaurant, shared fond memories of gorging on this ubiquitous dish at Sukh Sagar, going on to add that it is his all-time favourite place in Mumbai.

2. Sadguru

Chembur — a suburb in central Mumbai — has two worlds in one. On one side, the high rises and skyscrapers with their lofty facades, and on the other side, a chaotic jumble of old buildings interspersed with some of the oldest and most heavenly eateries of the city. Take your pick.

The latter was born when refugees, who migrated to the then Bombay following the Partition, set up camps and increased in numbers. Food bonds people like nothing else and the area soon became synonymous with some of the most iconic food outlets the city has been witness to.

One among these is Sadguru, just opposite Chembur Station. Once famous as a juice centre, Sadguru’s is now a culinary ambassador for the best pav bhaji in the city.

3. Sardar Pav Bhaji

Located in Tardeo is a restaurant with a magnetic pull. As soon as you are in close quarters to Sardar Pav Bhaji, you will be drawn by an aroma that is so enticing, that you can’t help but make your way to it. The place has treated everyone — from millworkers in yesteryears to canoodling couples, daily wage workers, rickshaw pullers, college-goers, families and even celebrities — to its pav bhaji for over 50 years.

It started as an outlet where a gentleman, Sardar Ahmed, would sell snacks to mill workers making their way home after a tiring shift. Today, its pav bhaji thrills the masses and has a cult following from across the world.

Chef Umesh Patel whose family has been carrying on the legacy of the ‘Bombay Pav Bhaji‘ through their eateries, recounts in an interview, “In every visit to India, we always stop by there first, before heading anywhere else. The taste is exactly the same as it used to be 30 years ago. With twice the butter compared to other places.” Even English food writer and television cook Nigella Lawson stopped by the outlet whilst in Mumbai and deemed the pav bhaji “the most marvellous mush”.

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4. Manohar Pav Bhaji

Said to be over a century old, this outlet in Mumbai’s Girgaum is a crowd-puller for many reasons. It melds a great recipe with consistency as batches of bhaji are allowed to simmer on the giant tawa at the entrance, with generous dollops of butter being added at intervals.

You will never be at a loss for company even when alone. The owner is a great storyteller who loves treating guests to how they have been consistently delivering “Mumbai’s number 1 pav bhaji” for decades now. They also offer a Jain version made with peas, tomatoes and capsicums that still manages to deliver a punch of flavour in every mouthful.

But the main hero is an accolade on the wall — a framed cutout of an article that chronicles Chicago-based food historian Colleen Taylor Sen’s quest for the best pav bhaji in the city. Manohar’s was the winner!

5. Amar Juice Centre

While historians may choose the pav bhaji at Manohar’s, celebrities love the one at this iconic outlet in Mumbai’s Vile Parle. Actress Sonam Kapoor who loves experimenting with street food outlets has often mentioned that her personal favourite for pav bhaji is Amar Juice Centre. Swara Bhaskar too shares this love. Even Sanjana Sanghi (of ‘Dil Bechara’ fame) revealed in an interview that she adores the outlet for its pav bhaji.

6. Cannon Pav Bhaji

If food bloggers who have visited this iconic eatery in Mumbai’s Fort area are to be believed, over 50 kg of butter is used daily to churn out the thousands of plates of pav bhaji that this eatery makes per day. That isn’t the only fascinating fact. Cannon Pav Bhaji’s feat even made it to a popular television commercial advertising the astounding power of a detergent in cleaning stains!

The eatery’s proximity to the bustling Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus means it sees crowds flocking to it, especially during peak hours. But nothing daunts the team of women who are at the helm of affairs.

7. Achija

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The khaugallis of Mumbai are filled with numerous hole-in-the-wall eateries. If you’re stopping by the khaugalli at Ghatkopar, don’t miss out on the Achija outlet which serves a finger-licking masala pav bhaji which we hear is heavenly. They also serve cheese and butter versions of pav bhaji, which are equally good, but the masala version is the reason for serpentine queues around the block.

8. Shree Siddhivinayak Fast Food

The outlet is located on Juhu Beach, promising you a great view while you gorge on some of the most appetising pav bhaji. The head chef here is popularly known as the ‘Master Pav Bhaji Maker of Mumbai’ and he does not disappoint with his makes. Though numerous eateries dot the landscape of the beach, you’ll be able to tell which one is Shree Siddhivinayak Fast Food just from the crowd gathered outside.

Edited by Pranita Bhat

It has been eight months since they first queued up for a similar exercise. At the time, the results had been shocking. A notable 27 percent of the sample size was found to be malnourished. This incited a probe into the matter by IAS officer Shubham Gupta, the Assistant Collector, Etapalli, whose role as project officer of the Integrated Tribal Development Project, Bhamragadas meant overseeing eight government schools in the area.

The day Gupta was presented with the findings of the study — 61 girls out of 222 being malnourished — it confirmed his hunch. As he watches the queue snaking its way, inching closer to the machine, the Jaipur-born officer shares how he conceived this project.

“It all started with an observation I made. During my posting as a project officer, I would frequent these Government schools to oversee infrastructure projects, academics, etc. Once, on a visit to the Todsa Ashram School, I observed that the girls looked slightly undernourished,” he says.

But the question of why the children’s state was this despite being provided with all meals at school, begged to be asked. “It definitely got me thinking,” the officer shares. He adds that as per his knowledge, the Government was providing substantial funding to schools to see that every child was getting their fill of the daily nutrient requirement.

Then where did the problem lie?

A growing problem of undernourishment

Before taking stock of how Gupta attempted to solve this problem, let’s backtrack to the growing crisis of malnourishment in India. The latest statistics as of March 2023 reveal findings by the Government’s Poshan Tracker. The mobile app was rolled out by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in March 2021 and is leveraged to identify conditions, such as stunting and under-weight prevalence, as well as the last mile tracking of nutrition service delivery.

Simply put, the tracker is an attempt to aid anganwadi centres in identifying which children are not getting their due right of nutrients. So, in March 2023, when the results of two years’ worth of data revealed that over 14 lakh children in India are “severely malnourished”, it segued into conversations revolving around how children’s nutrition requirements could be better seen.

Gupta, who chose a civil service line of work in an attempt “to give back to society and do something for his people”, is grateful that he could champion a project like the one he undertook at the Todsa Ashram School.

Recalling his own journey of working from the age of 15 at his father’s shoe shop, Gupta says he was no stranger to making the most of meagre resources. An education at Vapi was followed by preparation for the UPSC exam at Delhi, where Gupta got an AIR 6 on his fourth attempt.

It was during his posting at Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli in 2020 that he was introduced to Etapalli’s “extremely backward, poor, rural society where even basic facilities were tough to come by”. The tribal children in this Naxalite area often bear the brunt of this lack of resources. But, as Gupta explains, a desire to change their destiny was the crux of the initiatives that he undertook for the 25 months (2021 to 2023) he was posted in the area.

Why students were malnourished despite all the meals being supplied to them remained a mystery, which in Gupta’s opinion, manual intervention couldn’t solve. He knew he needed to radically alter his approach and introduce technology.

“Earlier people would write it off as a lack of funds. They would say this was the reason for children not getting their nutrients and meals. But since I personally knew the meals were being provided, I had to get to the bottom of this. I would need tech to arrive at the answers,” he shares.

AI to the rescue

It was while ideating on pre-emptive measures to tackle the problem that Gupta reached out to Feeding India — the non-profit arm of food delivery platform Zomato, intending to tackle malnutrition in India — which put him in touch with Udyog Yantra. The platform has tech at its core and intends to streamline the process right from food procuring to food distribution by integrating algorithms.

Image recognition and a language of pre-fed codes came in handy allowing the machine to recognise the patterns in the food quality that were being served to the tribal children, and point out the anomalies.

All that needed to be done was for the machine — now ready with the pre-fed data — to be installed into the district school. Every lunchtime saw the girls line up in front of the machine with a plate full of the day’s servings. A snapshot later, the machine would crawl through 2,100 images and data points that had been coded into it to deliver a set of results on whether the food was up to the mark.

Among the many data points analysed were the temperature of the food, the physical appearance of the fruit, the quality of the eggs, etc.

However, a bemused Gupta laughs at how even before coming to any conclusive findings about the main culprit for kids’ declining nutrition, the eggs and bananas suddenly started to improve in quality.

“Our strict watch had made people vigilant. They knew that stringent checks were being conducted on the food and that in itself contributed to a significant improvement in the quality.” But even so, the machine’s dutiful relaying of findings helped the team understand where the problem lay.

Elaborating on this, Gupta shares, “We noticed that in some cases, children were wasting or not taking the snack or fruit because it was overripe or because it did not look palatable. In this case, there are two problems — one that an overripe fruit is not giving children the exact amount of nutrients they need, and the second that children are not even getting a portion of it when they choose to waste it.”

Being in the loop of the Government system for years now, Gupta wondered why the problem of malnourishment was so severe when the Government provided each district with the set requirements a meal should have to fulfil children’s daily needs. “Artificial intelligence (AI) enabled us to co-relate this too with the data being relayed by the machine. It helped us plan the local menus and incorporate which local produce must be used in the meals,” he adds.

Gratis the machine’s deep tech, the team soon arrived at the main problem — menu compliance.

The beauty of the algorithm

“We concluded that out of the five items that were supposed to be served to the students on a particular day, only four were getting served,” explains Gupta citing why menu compliance is an issue. He adds that the fifth item was not being paid for and hence wasn’t served. “To this end, the students were getting less nourishment according to the menu itself.”

To resolve this, Gupta and his team worked out the logistics with the school and district authorities. But even so, the deteriorating quality of food remained a concern. Watery dal, rice that was cooked to a sticky glue, and hard eggs were some of the major concerns.

Months of working closely with suppliers, checking the raw materials to ensure their storage was at the right temperatures, and ensuring these negligences were not a frequent oddity soon achieved its desired result. The food served to the kids significantly improved.

“We also alerted everyone involved in the process that we’d be conducting random checks on any day to assess whether all rules were being adhered to. I think all these measures resulted in better food quality,” notes the officer.

Dilip Miralwar, superintendent, Todsa Government Ashram School, said, “The technology is really transformational. It has not only helped us improve the nutritional parameters but also ensured menu compliance and quality food for the students.”

In fact, the success of the pilot led the team to replicate this in the other schools of the district. “It wasn’t easy considering my team was unfamiliar with the tech aspect of it initially, but eventually it became seamless,” he adds.

Reeling from the success of this pilot, Gupta is all set to take on a new project this time in his capacity as chief executive officer, Zilla Parishad in Maharashtra’s Dhule district. His enthusiasm is rife as he talks about an upcoming app that he’s developing which, similar to the machine, will assess students’ nutritional needs, but at the click of a button.

“This app may not be able to detect the temperature of the meal, but it will be able to judge whether the nutrient criteria and the quantity of food are right, and also check parameters about the quality.”

Meanwhile, the line of students filing in queue to have their BMI checked has almost reached its end. “Only 20 students are still undernourished compared to the previous 61!” Gupta exclaims, happiness etched on his face.

As worrying statistics of malnourishment in India’s remote areas come to light every year, it beckons everyone to take inspiration from this officer. Before a tipping point is reached, there is a lot that can be done to avert the catastrophe.

Edited by Pranita Bhat.

Over the past few years, the London-based former TV producer noticed that people started ordering in a lot of food, which led to a lot of plastic waste. She found the packaging wasteful, greasy, and unrecyclable.

A quest to find a better way to order led to her starting Dabba Drop with her neighbour and fellow mom, Renee Williams, in 2018.

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Their venture is an eco-friendly delivery business inspired by Mumbai’s famous Dabbawalas, serving home-cooked Indian and South Asian meals in dabbas (tiffins) to Londoners.

Starting from Anshu’s house, they slowly moved into a kitchen. Having grown through word of mouth, their venture went from having 150 subscribers in November 2018 to around 1,500 now.

Since the model works on a subscription basis, the duo knows exactly how much food to prepare and cook, thus ensuring zero wastage. The dabbas are then delivered on bicycles, e-bikes or other emission-free vehicles.

So far, they claim to have saved 2,03,370 plastic containers and prevented 2,500 kg of food waste through their venture.

Edited by Pranita Bhat.

This 72-year-old runs ‘Girijapaati Foods’ where she sells traditional home-style South Indian food items with “secret family recipes that are over 100 years old!”

Under the brand, she offers around 40 varieties of authentic homemade podis, snacks, sweets, pickles, and savouries — including garlic paruppu podi, bisibele bath, thengai podi, vepillai katti, black ulundhu laddu — and the list goes on.

To make the festival more joyous for urban residents, she recently launched ready-to-cook Pongal must-haves like Chakkarai Pongal, Ven Pongal, and the crispy Paruppu Vadai.

“Nowadays, many children move out for studies and jobs. While they crave traditional food, they lack time to cook it, so I decided to provide them with easy access to authentic home-style food. Although it is best if you cook your food at home to live a long healthy life. But if you lack time, then you come to me because I’ll give you what I eat and what my family eats,” she says.

Irrespective of the large number of orders the business receives, Girija says she prepares all food items just the way she cooks for her grandchildren.

No doubt then that her phone is constantly ringing as demand for her South Indian delights is far and wide. But here’s something interesting, this Chennai resident had not always been fond of cooking. Then how did she set up a brand that is enslaving people’s tastebuds?

In conversation with The Better India, paati shares all about her entrepreneurial journey.

A kitchen mishap that led to a fulfilling culinary journey

Born in Chennai, Girija was the eldest of six siblings. Her family hailed from Kalpathi village, located on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border.

“We lived in a big joint family of 40 people. My mother would be occupied in the kitchen. So, I was entrusted with the duties of taking care of my siblings — from waking them up, taking them to school, and helping them finish their homework to feeding them and putting them to sleep,” she says.

Girija never entered the kitchen until 1968, which is when she got married. The 18-year-old bride was asked to fry papadums for the family. “I had never cooked before. This was the first time that I had stepped inside the kitchen. I did not know what to do but I was scared to tell it to my mother-in-law,” she recalls.

“Anyway, I poured oil into a large pan and stood like half a foot away from it. I threw a piece of papadum into the overheated oil. It splattered over me. As a result, my blouse got stuck to the skin and I suffered severe burns on my shoulder. For the next month, I couldn’t come out of my room as I couldn’t wear a blouse. So, that is how my first day of cooking at my in-laws’ went,” she laughs.

But that day, Girija decided she must learn to cook.

“My mother-in-law started teaching me the basics and nuances of cooking. Eventually, she taught me the traditional family recipes. Whenever I would visit my mother, she would also share her culinary skills with me. I was learning diverse recipes from both of my mothers. In fact, my grandmothers also passed on their knowledge to me,” says Girija, who lives with her small joint family.

That was how Girija’s culinary journey began. And today, a grandmother herself, she uses her family’s secret recipes to feed thousands of people who crave home-style South Indian food.

It’s never too late to run a business!

Before starting the food company, Girija had been cooking traditional delights for her relatives and friends for over five decades. She commercialised her products when the demand for her products grew outside her extended family.

The idea to run a company came to her amid the COVID-19 pandemic when men from low-income backgrounds in her community started losing their jobs. “Their wives would come to me for jobs as they lost their means to feed their families,” she says.

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Lovingly called paati (Tamil for grandmother), Girija started employing those women in her kitchen. Alongside, as the demand for her products grew, she officially launched her company ‘Girija Paati’s’ in 2021.

Every festive season, the team caters to at least 2,000 orders from across the country from states like Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Gujarat.

Meanwhile, Girija, even at the age of 72, continues to dedicate at least 10 hours to cooking every day. Her day starts with cooking meals for her workers, then experimenting with food items in the kitchen, supervising the workers, and winding up the day by checking the accounts.

“If it was not for this business, I don’t know what I would have been doing. About 10 years back, I lost my husband, and gradually, all my children and grandchildren moved out one by one. I had nothing much to do. Once, I had 100 members in my extended family, now I did not have enough people to take care of. Everybody got busy. But now I have so many people to feed,” she smiles.

“I agree that I need to slow down. I know that in 10 years, I may not have this energy level. But I do not wish to take retirement till my last day,” says paati as she goes on to cater to her next set of orders for Pongal.

If you want to try Girija Paati’s South Indian delights, you can order here.

Edited by Pranita Bhat. All photos: Girija Paati.

If you haven’t guessed already — it’s momos!

This popular dish captivates the taste buds of children, youth, and elders alike, evolving into an emotion for many.

Reflecting on a few years ago, these heavenly pockets of flavours weren’t as readily available as they are now. Growing up with a mother who hails from the Northeast, momos were a treat that she crafted on special occasions.

It became a family affair — my mom intricately weaving the momo design, me managing the dough, and my brother always ready to dash out for any last-minute ingredients. Our family friends would even take a break from their busy schedules just to savour the taste of my mother’s special momos.

Like any other Indian household, we would discuss elaborate business plans while delighting in the tender meat filling. The common consensus — since no one else is making it, you’re destined for huge success. But while my mother was satisfied with the compliments from friends and family, someone out there was taking the business opportunity seriously.

This notable success story in the ‘momo world’ is of Shouvik Dhar, the Founder of Prabhati Foods Private Limited and Zomoz.

Zomoz harbours a unique secret — beyond simply delighting lakhs of customers with its delicious momos, it has pioneered an automated momo-making machine. “We stand as the only brand with 100 percent automated operations at our centre. Thanks to our momo machine, we’ve been able to significantly scale up production,” Shouvik Dhar tells The Better India.

Spreading the joy of momos

Born and raised in Silchar, Assam, Shouvik developed a fondness for momos from a young age. While pursuing his studies at NIT Silchar, Shouvik had no initial plans of venturing into entrepreneurship.

“After completing my engineering, I joined DRDO as a scientist. Though I hadn’t envisioned a career switch, I felt a strong inclination to pursue a master’s course,” he explains.

Following his stint with DRDO, Shouvik decided to pursue an MBA. “After completing my MBA, I realised that starting my own venture was my true calling. Before Zomoz, I ventured into several businesses, ranging from a skill training company to a tech firm,” he recalls.

Despite the success of his businesses, Shouvik desired to explore an untapped market. “Momos are a staple in the Northeast, integral to our lives. However, when I was living in Hyderabad, I noticed a lack of awareness about them,” he reflects.

“For instance, people in Hyderabad had not tasted the magic of momos! There were some vendors here and there but people did not have many good options. I could see that there might be a market there and welcome a new product,” he says.

With not a lot of competition in hand, Shouvik decided to sell his existing tech business and take the leap with Zomoz.

In 2016, Zomoz opened its first outlet in Inorbit Mall in Hyderabad. “It was our first joint. We immediately started to see an increase in the sales,” he recalls.

“I knew people who made exceptional momos, so I hired a few individuals from Northeast India and brought them here. We started the operations with a small team, and currently, we have grown to 173 people and 75 outlets across India,” he beams.

Inventing a fully automated momo-making system

Once the first outlet was opened in Hyderabad, Zomoz started gaining popularity and more outlets started springing up.

In 2017, the company was approached by a cinema chain to supply momos in all their theatres in Hyderabad, Kerala and Vijayawada. “I was happy and we readily accepted, however, in three months, we realised that our kitchens and staff are not gonna be able to meet the demand,” he says.

The obvious choice of hiring more people was there but Shouvik decided to go for something different. “The process of hiring and training felt lengthy and repetitive to me, so I decided to innovate something new. This set me on a quest to explore different types of machines used for making food items to eventually invent my own,” he shares.

Shouvik embarked on journeys to countries like China and Korea to study their practices. “I discovered various machinery, reverse-engineered many, and ultimately developed my own momo-making machine. By 2018, the machine was up and running. Currently, our company operates entirely on automated machinery,” he proudly states.

Explaining how the machine works, he says, “There’s the outer cover and the filling. In our case, the filling goes through a meticulous process from cutting to washing. Let’s take the example of a vegetable momo being prepared. All the veggies arrive in the kitchen and then the cutting process is automated. Various machines, ranging from dicing to shredding, handle this stage.”

He continues, “After the automated cutting, the veggies are washed and transferred to a cooking wok. We use an automated cooking wok — a robotic wok, essentially — to cook the filling. Multiple woks are operated simultaneously to meet demand.”

During this phase, Shouvik explains that the focus shifts to dough processing, with the dough being prepared in a vacuum dough mixer — a specialised equipment that ensures even mixing by creating a vacuum.

Once the dough and filling are prepared, the dough is fed into a forming machine, where it is taken in, and the filling is loaded onto a filling hopper.

“These machines work automatically to shape the momos. Each production line consists of three different units, and each line can produce around 8,000 pieces in an hour. Each machine can produce 2.25 lakh momos every day. The momos come out like on a conveyor belt, moving to the other end and entering the steamer. They are steamed for approximately four and a half minutes,” he says.

Following the steaming process, the momos are placed in a pre-cooling chamber and then shock-frozen. This rapid freezing process ensures the preservation of the momos. Once frozen, the momos are packed, and they have a shelf life of about nine months.

Currently, Zomoz makes more than one lakh momos every day, and the company is earning Rs 25 crore annually.

The company makes a wide range of momos including chicken momos, chicken and cheese momos, vegetable momos, paneer momos, crispy fried momos and more. Among these, 65 percent of the demand comes from chicken momos, he adds.

Yashika Rawat, a regular customer of Zomoz says, “I did not know that the momos are actually not made by a chef. Momos made by a fully automated machine sounds so absurd but I have to say that it tastes the same, or even better! My favourite is chicken and cheese momos and they always taste fresh.” 

Talking about his future plans, Shouvik says, “Tier two cities, known for their price sensitivity in comparison to tier one cities like Bengaluru, have proven to be a promising market for us. Despite the price sensitivity, our outlets in tier-two cities have demonstrated significant success. Over the next few months, or within the next year, we plan to further expand our presence in the existing cities and explore additional tier-two cities in proximity.”

Furthermore, he adds that they have collaborated with another food business to open 13 outlets in the UAE.

Edited by Pranita Bhat

The dish, you see, is not just a prime piece of desi gastronomy, but rather an emotion. And it seems everyone has a special memory associated with a place that serves it. So instead of zeroing in on the best refuge for chole bhature lovers in Delhi, we bring you eight hubs that people swear by.

1. Civil Lines Wala

When cricket sensation Virat Kohli swears by a chole bhature outlet, we blindly accept it. Hours spent during childhood frequenting various eateries around the national capital have made Kohli an expert in identifying the best ones.

In a recent interview with food and travel platform Curly Tales, Kohli spoke about the delectable chole bhature served at Civil Lines Wala — a haunt in Sector 15 of Gurugram which has been treating loyal customers to Punjabi dishes, such as rajma chawal, aloo kulchas and more, for over a decade now. But, among everything they serve, their chole is winning hearts.

2. Nand Di Hatti

Here’s some great news for all those who like to stay away from onion and garlic in food because of religious and dietary preferences! This chole bhature spot tucked in Delhi’s Sardar Bazaar claims they have a secret. Their recipe delivers appetising chole bhature without the use of onion and garlic.

But this is not the only thing that makes them special. The owner Bharat Makkar shares their fascinating story with anyone who will listen — the tale of how his late grandfather Nand Lal Makkar started the outlet after fleeing to Delhi following the Partition of 1947. It is their family that made bhaturas popular, he smiles.

3. Rama Chole Bhature

Another of Kohli’s favourites, this outlet on Jail Road dishes up a scrumptious chole bhature paired with meethi lassi.

Sharing his love for the snack, Kohli said in an interview, “Hands down they are the best chole bhature I have tasted. You should go and have it fresh. The bhaturas are so soft that a finger’s touch can flatten them. Paired with onions, green chutney and mirch ka aachar, it’s just fabulous.”

4. Sita Ram Diwan Chand

In a sprawling place like Delhi where numerous chole bhature eateries have marked their territory, continuing to be hailed as the ‘best’ is a feat to be proud of. And this 74-year-old eatery certainly is.

The story goes that the brand was started by a duo Shri Sita Ram ji and Shri Diwan Chand ji who came to India after Partition. At the time they would pedal the snack on a bicycle in front of Delhi’s Paharganj DAV School. Today, they have built an empire, whose client list includes chef Sanjeev Kapoor.

5. Bhogal Chole Bhature Wala

Fair warning: The eatery is almost always crowded with queues lining up for their decadent chole bhature, which as one customer describes “tastes like heaven on a plate”. Along with the chole, the matar kulcha is equally delicious, and the duo have earned this eatery its reputation of being one of Delhiites’ first choices for a sumptuous Punjabi affair.

MasterChef India 2016 finalist and author Sadaf Hussain proclaimed his love for the dish in an interview with Conde Nast. “I love places, especially food joints that are non-pretentious, and this one reeks of simplicity and really solid homestyle food. Instead of black chole, they serve up the regular yellow-coloured one, which is what you’d usually have at home. And the pickle that they serve tastes like what your grandmother would make.”

6. Chache Di Hatti

“The place does not have any competition,” says Aayush Sapra, an Indian food blogger whose videos chronicle the city’s best eating haunts. He recommends the aloo chole bhature from here stuffed with potatoes, a true feast for the eyes and mouth. It is astounding what this 10 ft x 4 ft eatery has managed to achieve with its ‘true to consistency’ motto.

As Kawal Kishor Saluja, the second-generation owner of the shop shared in an interview with The Indian Express, “Any student who has studied in the North Campus definitely knows about our shop and would have come here at least once.” He adds that actor Amitabh Bachchan, who studied at KMC, “used to jump over the walls of his college to gorge on the famous chacha ke chole.”

7. Manohar Dhaba

So famous is the place’s Japani samosas that it even made it to a Japanese news publication, as the owner shares in the video. While no one knows why these samosas are named so, there is a theory that their name comes from the shop being started during the Second World War, when Japan was one of the combatants.

Since 1924, the eatery’s snack has been its selling point. But, the chole bhature is as popular and determined not to be left behind. In fact, as the owner mentions, celebrity chef Ranveer Brar too loves it and frequents the outlet.

8. Kwality Restaurant

“A crowd puller” is how fans of this 1940s eatery describe it. The story goes that it was a gentleman Peshori Lal Lamba who came to Delhi from Lahore and started an outlet serving hand-cranked ice cream along with au gratin, sandwiches, a la kiev, mulligatawny soup, and puddings.

Eventually, however, the place’s identity came to be the butter-soft chole bhature that Lamba would prepare using a recipe he learned from a halwai. The place has found love in a wide diaspora of people from actors to politicians with Rahul Gandhi too frequenting it!

Edited by Pranita Bhat

Growing up in Ramgarh, Jharkhand, Aman Chhabra remembers his mother preparing delicious dishes with jackfruit, a readily available vegetable. However, now at 33 and residing in Mumbai, he noticed the absence of jackfruit in both households and restaurant menus.

“Jackfruit is not a popular vegetable choice for urban residents because it is hard to find. And even when available, cleaning and cooking it is a time-consuming task. So gradually, jackfruit lost its place in our daily diet that is now largely dominated by lab-grown food products,” he explains.

To make jackfruit future-ready, Aman decided to simplify the accessibility to kathal. To achieve this, he launched a startup ‘Kathalfy’, which currently offers 13 varieties of ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook jackfruit items — from jackfruit makhani, jackfruit tikka masala, jackfruit Malabar curry, jackfruit Lucknowi keema to products like seed flour, pickles, pancake mix, vacuum fried chips and even chocolates!

Not just your regular vegetable

After completing his graduation from Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University, Aman moved to Mumbai to pursue a career in the events and entertainment industry. “In 2013, I started an event management company and it was performing well until the COVID-19 pandemic hit,” he says.

For the initial couple of months, Aman enjoyed cooking as a hobby and spent his days watching a new web series. “But I realised that I couldn’t sit idle for long. I started conceptualising ideas that are futuristic, purpose-driven and which do not get affected by a pandemic situation,” he adds.

Eventually, Aman zeroed down to the food processing industry. “With the pandemic, people became more health conscious and started switching to plant-based diets. I read about various food items that India generously produces like bananas, jamun and jackfruit. But the latter hit me hard when I found out that almost Rs 2,000 crore worth of jackfruit goes to waste every year in India,” he adds.

”At a time when people were focused on producing protein-based foods in labs, the nutrient-rich jackfruit was going to waste. I planned to work towards a better value proposition of this fruit in the market,” he says.

From founder’s kitchen to yours

Today, Kathalfy has been able to stack thousands of household pantries with jackfruit food items. Every month, the brand caters to at least 600 orders from across the country majorly from states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, and the Delhi-NCR region.

But this journey also came with its set of challenges, the first being conceptualising a wide range of unique food items. During the initial years of research and development, Aman met several jackfruit farmers, food scientists, and institutions to come up with unique recipes. But no one could satisfactorily help him in developing the products he envisioned.

During his interview with Shree Padre though, a jackfruit activist and journalist, he learnt how minimal processing of jackfruit could do wonders and help solve most of India’s lifestyle problems like diabetes and heart ailments while diversifying their food plates, naturally.

So without losing hope, Aman took the matter into his own hands. “I used to try different recipes and collect feedback from my friends and neighbours. After multiple trials and positive feedback, I hired a professional chef to help develop the recipes,” he says.

Finally, after three years of research and development, Kathalfy was able to launch the products in April last year, though being formally registered in 2021.

“For Indians, when it comes to food, taste is the most important factor. Hence developing products that are delectable to the taste buds while retaining their nutrients and keeping them free of artificial chemicals has always been my goal. I only wanted to sell products that my family and I would consume ourselves,” he adds.

Aman says, “Since day one, I have focussed on selling jackfruit to uplift its social status. Unlike other brands, I never wanted to term it a meat replacement product. Instead, I always promote jackfruit for what it is, which is also reflected in our brand name Kathalfy, which is Kathal plus Simplify.”

“I am glad that our customer base is increasing month on month and people once again are including kathal in their diets while loving the taste of our products. Anyway, it is just the beginning. There is a long way to go,” he remarks.

You can buy jackfruit-based products from Kathalfy here.

(Edited by Pranita Bhat; All photos courtesy Kathalfy)

Source:

Nutritional and Health Benefits of Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.): A Review: Published in PubMed Central in January 2019.

Today, we explore these stories.

But as we delve into them, we encourage you to sit down with a bowl of this timeless winter favourite. As the first spoon of the orange halwa hits your tastebuds, feel the riot of flavours erupting in your mouth, each bite a celebration in itself.

Halwas in Indian homes often take on the role of family members who drop in unannounced but are always welcome. No matter the occasion, their surprise visits are much-awaited. So, whether it is moong dal halwa, badam halwa, sooji halwa or our favourite gajar ka halwa, each has a reserved spot at the family table.

As we dunk into the history of the great halwa, the most popular tale is of its name. The word halwa comes from the Arabic word ‘hulw’ which translates to ‘sweet’.

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The word’s first appearance in the English language dates back to 1850. In fact, it is these Arabic origins that back the theory that halwa was a dish that came from Persia to India. One of the first to acknowledge this was ‘Guzishta Lucknow’ written by Abdul Halim Sharar, a 20th-century author and historian.

Recipes of halwa can be traced to the legendary Kitab al-Tabikh (The Book of Dishes), a 13th-century Arabic text. Here, Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan Ibn al-Karīm mentioned different recipes of halwa. Cut to the 16th century when one of Akbar’s court historians, Abul Fazl mentioned — in the Ain-i-Akbari — halwa as one among the repertoire of dishes prepared for the ruler whilst he abstained from meat.

But while you digest these origins of the dessert, there are still other versions.

While some argue that the Ottoman Empire also known as the Turkish Empire is credited with making halwa popular — with the sultanate reserving a special kitchen the ‘Helvahane’ for the sweet — others say it was the Byzantine Empire in the 12th century that should be credited. 

This theory of the halwa’s entry into the world between the 13th and 16th centuries is backed by Chicago-based food historian Colleen Taylor Sen in her book ‘Feasts and Fasts’. Here, she writes, “Halwa arrived in India with the advent of the Delhi Sultanate, gaining popularity from the early thirteenth to the mid-sixteenth century.”

From these early roots, the sweet dish has branched out into numerous versions, each the pride of a different city in India. For instance, the banana halwa of coastal Karnataka, the Tirunelveli halwa of the South, the Cholar dal halwa of West Bengal, gosht halwa made with lamb mince, mohanlal halwa of Gujarat, kada prasad made by the Sikh community, and the jauzi halwa of Lucknow.

As for the story of how the gajar ka halwa came to be, the Dutch are credited for this winter special. It is the result of carrots, indigenous to Afghanistan, being brought to India by the Dutch in the 17th century as the latter wanted to pay tribute to William III, the Prince of Orange.

The root vegetable became so popular in Punjab on its advent into the region, that it was added to almost every dish. Soon, it made its way into the dessert scene and thus was born the gajar ka halwa.

The tradition is followed to date.

Come winter, and carrots find themselves grated and dunked into milk where they slowly simmer and mix with sugar and ghee, only to land in a bowl and be cherished by one and all.

You’ll be surprised to know that while gajar ka halwa is tied to its orange hues, in Lucknow it is the black version that finds fame. Made with black carrots that are said to provide a warming effect, this halwa is equally, if not more, delicious.

For those of you who cannot wait to dig into this dessert, here’s a recipe by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor that you can try.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp ghee
• 10 grated carrots
• 2 cups milk
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• 1 cup grated khoya 
• ¾ cup sugar 
• 2 tbsp blanched and sliced almonds
• 2 tbsp chopped cashew nuts
• 15 raisins 

Method 

Step 1: Heat 3 tablespoons of ghee.

Step 2: Add 10 grated carrots and sauté for 5 minutes.

Step 3: Add 2 cups milk, ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder, and cook till the carrots are soft.

Step 4: Add 1 cup grated khoya and ¾ cup sugar and cook till sugar melts.

Step 5: Garnish with 2 tablespoons blanched and sliced almonds, 2 tablespoons chopped cashew nuts and 15 raisins.

Step 6: Serve hot!

(Edited by Pranita Bhat)

Sources

How the sweet dish halwa came to India and grew regional variations by Scroll, Published on 13 July 2022.

Gajar Ka Halwa- Dipped In History by Slurrp, Published on 28 November 2022.

The fascinating story of ‘Halwa’ by Times of India, Published on 17 July 2021.

Her neighbours were enamoured by her food and couldn’t get enough of it. However, the bachelors in her building were the ones who actually inspired and pushed her to start her own business. They would initially drop in at the end of the day, requesting her for some curry or salan (a spicy gravy) to have with their dinner. Soon, they asked her to make tiffins for them, which kicked off her journey into the food business.

Their insistence gave birth to ‘Anjum’s kitchen’, which became one of the first women-owned cloud kitchens in Hyderabad, leading to many more blossoming in its wake. 

From delivering her first order in 2016, the home kitchen has now delivered over 20,000 orders so far. The enterprising chef delivered over 500 orders during the COVID-19 pandemic and keeps looking for new ways to deliver authentic homemade, healthy food to Hyderabadis. 

Anjum’s drive reflects over the phone as she passionately talks about what food means to her. It’s been a vessel for her to achieve her dreams and serve others, she says.  

Biryani- The meal to everyone’s heart

Persuaded by her neighbours, Anjum’s first trial of sorts was during the month of Ramadan in 2016 while making desserts. She sold her ‘Double Ka Meetha’, a delectable Hyderabadi dessert, and ‘lauki halwa’ (bottle gourd) at her brother-in-law’s restaurant. Both were a runaway success, and instilled confidence in Anjum that she was on the right path.  

Shortly after, she received her first order, which she remembers like yesterday. It was a mutton dum biryani for a small home gathering in HITEC City. The guests relished it so much that they too started placing orders with her. 

Her business has grown through word-of-mouth and via posts on her Facebook page. Anjum would make all the orders on her own from her kitchen, after she finished cooking for her children and husband. 

When she started, no one thought she would grow so much, and she was a one-woman army. She laughs as she recalls that she started with just Rs 80.

“Anjum’s kitchen began all of a sudden, when I got the first order. I had confidence in myself and knew that I would do it. I used the Rs 80 to buy the vegetables I needed. I was the first home chef in Hyderabad at that time. Since it was new, no one knew whether something like this would even work,” Anjum tells The Better India. 

It is this self-confidence and hard work that has made Anjum’s Kitchen so successful today. She has about 25-50 orders daily, which include daily tiffins and biryanis. She also gets party orders and dessert orders. 

She doesn’t do any marketing, she says, as she has her hands full. While she did everything from cooking to delivering by herself in the beginning, she soon had to hire two delivery boys and a help to prep the meals. 

Her day starts at 4:30am with her morning prayers, followed by making breakfast for her three children at 6 am. After they are off to school, she enters the kitchen at 9 am for her daily orders. 

“I make everything fresh daily. My husband gets the meat and vegetables every morning. Once my helper is done with the cutting-chopping-peeling, from 9am-12pm, I focus on making the curries, rice, and chapatis myself to not compromise on the taste,” she explains.

By 2 pm, her two delivery boys deliver all the orders across the city. After lunch, she starts working on her evening orders, which are mainly for parties, and include starters, biryanis, chicken curries and desserts. She accepts party orders about 4 times a week. 

She sends these out by 5:30 pm after which it’s time for her kids to return from school. 

A stickler for quality

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What has made Anjum survive in the cloud kitchen business, which is extremely competitive today, is her constant innovations. When she realised that people wanted something beyond biryani, she introduced ‘iftar platter for one’, which includes a dahi wada, haleem, starters, fruits and dates, among other things. 

“I introduce something new every few months as people expect that. You need to innovate constantly. I started with the iftar platter, which people really liked. During the COVID-19 waves, I started ‘jashn-e-dawat’, which was wedding food, served in one tray, for one person, as people were not able to attend weddings and missed that food,” she says.

She also introduced desserts like Panjiri ke ladoo, gond ke laddoo during winters. She got permission from the government to serve food during the COVID-19 lockdown and served over 500 meals. 

Her daily tiffins have a set menu, which she also tries to give something new, like mirchi (Chilli) bajji, pakode, custard and more. They cost Rs 400 for lunch and dinner per day. 

“I keep thinking about my customers, especially the older men and women who order. I try to give something different. Since many are diabetics but love sweets, I give them something like a custard which I make with very little sugar for them,” she adds. 

One of Anjum’s regular diners is Obaid Khan, who has been ordering his daily meals from her for two years. He says that her food reminds him of home. 

“The taste, quantity and quality is really good. What really differentiates Anjum’s food is the quantity, which is much more than what others offer. She keeps the menu interesting as well. Her mutton kofta curry is out of this world,” says Obaid, who works in Hyderabad.

Anjum’s bestseller is the mutton biryani, which sells for Rs 1800/kg and can feed 6-8 people. The reason, she says, is that she uses equal quantities of mutton and rice in her biryani. Other crowd favourites are the double ka meetha and chicken tikka.

Despite her busy schedule, Anjum finds the time to conduct online cooking classes for people living abroad.

Crediting her success to sheer hard work, Anjum says, “If we want to make a name for ourselves, we have to work very hard. It requires a lot of effort. I have been blessed with good orders since the time I started and have a very cooperative family.”

Ultimately, taste and quality matter, and that’s where Anjum stands out, according to customers like Obaid.

Starting with Rs 80, Anjum earns over Rs 1 lakh per month today. For anyone wishing to start a business, dedicating yourself completely to the job is the only way to thrive. 

“Keep hustling and put in your 100 percent. Practice makes one perfect. Keep at it till you become the best. Don’t work for money. I experimented with my tiffins and look where I am today. You too can make it if you keep your eyes on the goal and enjoy what you do,” says Anjum.

You can place orders through Anjum’s facebook page. 

Edited by Padmashree Pande.

As you try to find a seat in the bustling eatery, your nostrils will be tickled by the aromatic spices emanating from the delicious biryani and kebabs. At this point, there is no escape — even if you have to wait an hour, you’ll find yourself succumbing to the irresistible allure of that biryani.

A favourite spot among locals, Noon’s Biryani is a paradise for biryani lovers.

“What’s special about our biryani is that it’s infused with love,” says Mohammed, “Every ingredient is hand-picked and made in my wife’s home kitchen. The biryani will not remind you of any big restaurant but of your home.”

A family recipe passed on to generations

Presently 63 years old,  Mohammed started Noon’s Biryani nearly a decade and a half ago.

“I was not in the food business at all. I had a small transport business which faced severe losses, leaving us almost bankrupt. I had lost faith in the city and wanted to return to my hometown,” he recalls.

With no money to feed his family of three, Mohammed was all set on leaving Bengaluru and returning to Hyderabad.

“When dreams do not come true, it becomes hard to bounce back. I really thought that I would not be able to survive in a city like Bengaluru, but it was my wife who became my rock back then,” he says.

While Mohammed was ready to leave, it was his wife, Asiya (53), who pushed her husband to give the city another chance. This time she decided to man the ropes with her husband.

She suggested doing what she knew best — cooking! “She told me that we are not moving back. She said she would make the food and I should go sell it. With utmost faith in her voice and determination to survive, she asked to start selling biryani,” he recalls.

The couple divided the duties with Asiya being the cook and Mohammed looking at everything from sales to procuring raw materials. “It was essentially a group effort, a true family business with our son helping us out. My wife would make the biryani and I would pack it and take it to sell,” he says.

Initially, the couple did not own a shop or a restaurant but just a makeshift space that they moved from one mall to another. “We would stand outside different malls and sell the biryani initially as we did not have the money to invest in a restaurant. The initial response was very good and people really enjoyed the taste,” he says.

Most days Asiya’s delicious biryani would run out with customers returning empty-handed. “We could see that people liked the taste and wanted more. We started to save to invest in a shop,” he says.

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After two years, the family had finally saved enough money to start a small restaurant in Bengaluru’s HSR Layout, Sector 7. “The place is small but a labour of love and effort. We have recurring customers every day and new ones adding almost every week,” he says.

Noon’s Asli Hyderabadi Biryani

When you enter the restaurant, it’s not your typical fancy establishment but a humble one with old-fashioned tables and chairs. “We have limited seating but space for everyone in our hearts. While some days the place is crowded, a lot of people prefer to pack the biryani and take it home,” he says.

Claiming their biryani to be “asli” (real) Hyderabadi biryani, Noon’s Biryani also has a homemade taste to it. The reason? Because it is actually made in the home kitchen of the family. “The biryani is not too heavy on the spices but is a perfect mix that helps us bring out every flavour,” he says.

It is served with raita and salan and a small plate of salad. However, Mohammed suggests eating the biryani without salan to feel the burst of flavour in your mouth.

The couple serves two to three types of biryanis — chicken biryani, mutton biryani, egg biryani — and kebabs. The eatery follows a strict no artificial ingredients policy, and even the food colour in the biryani comes from natural turmeric powder.

At this eatery, customers can also request to lower or increase the spice level. It also offers biryani made in olive oil for health-conscious people; this biryani is only available on demand.

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When asked who taught Asiya the art of biryani making, he responds, “Cooking biryani is a slow process of patience. This recipe is a family heritage passed down from my mother to my wife. She uses her tips and tricks to make the biryani that is adored by so many people.”

He adds, “It is in the small things like how long you marinate the meat or whether you soak your spices before you put them in oil that make the difference in the overall taste.”

Noon’s Biryani serves nearly 100 plates of their star dish every day and has served thousands of hungry customers for the past decade and a half. Reflecting on his journey so far, Mohammad says, “Starting Noon’s was a leap of faith for me. If it was not for my wife’s faith in God and life, I would have packed my bags and left long back.”

(Edited by Pranita Bhat)

1. Vienna Bakery

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Once a hotspot of buns and bread, the setup in Mumbai’s Santacruz area soon evolved into one of the city’s most loved bakeries. But even amongst its array of baked goods — puffs, Swiss rolls and patties — it’s the bakery’s plum cake that steals the show. Be sure to place your order well in advance as their Christmas cakes are fast-selling items. While you’re awaiting your delicious fondant-topped sweet course, don’t forget to order some of their Christmas sweets. We’ve heard the cult favourites are milk creams and jujubes. 

2. Celebrations Fine Confections

What do you get when pudding and cake come together? Well, a ‘Pud Cake’ of course! Find your sweet spot in the blend of both these treats with Chef Mehernosh Khajotia’s amazing recipe. As Chef Khajotia writes on his page, “This is my very own, signature creation. It is moist with a crumb texture, with lots of fruits, nuts, spices and totally boozed up with rum. Soaked in rum’s warmth, a symphony of taste, Christmas whispers through every sweet embrace. Tradition and joy, a blend so divine, PudCake’s magic, in every bite, will shine.”

3. Hearsch Bakery 

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In a blog post in 2013, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor revealed that his festive plans are often incomplete without cakes from the legendary Bandra bakery. Mumbaikars have often heard the tale of how the outlet was started by a German baker J Hearsch and moved ownership in the 1920s at the time of the Great War in Germany. The bakery continues to amass a fan following with queues waiting to try their fare of sandwiches, croissants, chocolate eclairs and more. 

4. B Merwans 

For over 100 years, generations of the family have been delighting Mumbaikars with their mawa cakes and more. The business began with Mr Boman Merwan selling baked goods in 1914. Soon their delectable products found love and ‘B Merwans’ was born. Among their many delicious bakes, the mawa cakes and plum cakes continue to enthral. 

The bakery is a favourite of celebrated Parsi chef Cyrus Todiwala who said in an article to Live Mint, “The B Merwan family bakes the best mawa cakes ever. In fact, we have three mini ones in our freezer right now,” says Todiwala. 

5. Le15 Patisserie 

It was a treat to spend time in Pooja’s kitchen. Her passion for baking and the business she’s created is a reminder of what’s possible when you follow your dreams. Great to see how she uses iPhone and Mac in her creative process. Best macaron I’ve ever had! https://t.co/pMcBxXJK4x pic.twitter.com/IZSpcihZow

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) April 21, 2023

It is no surprise that the macarons at this Mumbai outlet spearheaded by Chef Pooja Dhingra are bites of heaven. But it isn’t just the city’s folk who are fans of her concoctions. Apple CEO Tim Cook too seemed to be taken up with them. On his India Tour in April this year, the American business executive visited Dhingra’s kitchen only to be welcomed with a pile of French desserts. But his highlight was the buttery macarons. 

As his X post later read, “It was a treat to spend time in Pooja’s kitchen. Her passion for baking and the business she’s created is a reminder of what’s possible when you follow your dreams. Great to see how she uses the iPhone and Mac in her creative process. Best macaron I’ve ever had!” If you’re looking to get your hands on some Christmas delights, the bakery is a wonderful place to do so. 

6. Mama Z’s

Zarine — the founder of Mama Z’s whose baked goodies are all the rage — was seven when she observed her maternal grandmother whip up a storm in the kitchen. Today, she attempts to do the same. “I stayed true to the old-fashioned style of abundance. Cooking for family and friends brings so much happiness that Mama Z’s was inevitable.” Whether you decide to go on a gastronomic adventure with the chocolate loaf with strawberries or the mini Xmas cupcakes, you are sure to be thrilled. 

As Shaan Khanna, co-founder of Spicy Sangria shared in an article in Condé Nast, “They (the carrot cake and Christmas hamper) are amazing. I would also suggest trying her Christmas special: Eton mess with yoghurt and berries with the perfect crunch. I also love the Brie topped with pecan, rosemary, and cranberries.”

7. American Express Bakery 

Since 1908 the Carvalho family in Mumbai has been making everyone’s Christmas a whole lot brighter with their desserts and cakes. Baking runs in the blood, as the family website reads. In their initial days the outlet introduced imported cheeses and meats to their menu which they would deliver to American cruise ships. Thus the name. Though the bakery is always bustling, come Christmas the frenzy takes on a whole new avatar. Their cakes, pies, tarts, flan and pudding will add life to your Christmas feast. 

8. Toshin Patisserie 

Toshin Shetty, the culinary genius behind this patisserie, was gifted a chef coat on his 10th birthday. Such was his love for cooking that his fondest memories of childhood involve the time spent at his father’s restaurant in Mumbai. An ardent lover of chocolate, Toshin has started the patisserie as a way of bringing his love for food and business together.

This Christmas if you’re looking to order cakes, handcrafted praline and more for your meal Toshin’s has got you covered. But the real hero of the menu is the crispy ginger tartlets that have the right balance of spice and richness to add to your festive cheer. 

Edited by Padmashree Pande

At a time when her peers wanted to become princesses, Azmat’s childhood fantasy was to become a travel journalist or own a caravan food truck and go around the city serving grilled hot dogs. Instead of watching cartoons, she would spend her day watching food channels, enriching her knowledge of Kashmiri delights.

But this fantasy got lost as she grew up. Azmat became a computer science engineer and moved to Bengaluru in 2018.

Fast forward to 2023, 30-year-old Azmat is now fulfilling her childhood dream with an eatery that offers authentic Kashmiri food that remains packed throughout the week with foodies. We sat down with her to trace her journey of opening a Kashmiri restaurant in Bengaluru.

A reality check

Before moving to Bengaluru, Azmat was married into a non-Kashmiri family. She immensely missed her home and everything associated with it, especially its native food and language.

In the quest to be in touch with her roots, she started looking for restaurants that offered Kashmiri food in the city. “I visited a few places that claimed to serve traditional food but I would come back very disappointed. It was nothing close to what the real Kashmiri food was about,” she tells The Better India.

“Most of the restaurants claimed to serve Wazwan which requires a highly skilled food preparation style. If you miss out on one step, it will not taste the same. Gushtabae yakhein and ristae are two complex dishes to cook. In this, meat has to be pounded on a heavy stone slab using a walnut wood hammer. It is a labour-intensive process. People here use grinders which break the meat and the texture left is that of a kofta rather than a sausage,” she explains.

“Other than this, if I talk about Kashmiri pulao, people here serve it with pineapples and cherries. Whereas a real Kashmiri pulao is cooked in a bone marrow stock that gives it a savoury taste. It is then topped with dry fruits and nuts, not pineapples and cherries! What hurt me most was that people here did not wish to make any effort to understand the authentic method of preparation,” says Azmat.

When Kashmiris unite outside of Kashmir

Meanwhile, there was no relief to Azmat’s longing for her homeland. So, in 2019, she decided to catch up with her college friends who were settled in the city. “I created a WhatsApp group but an hour later, 200 people joined the group. Later, this number grew much bigger than what I anticipated. I ended up hosting a ticketed event for 1,000 people,” she adds.

For this, Azmat not only sourced spices from Kashmir but also traditional bands, comedians, singers, poets, and chefs called Wazas from her wedding. “It was a massive success. It was the first time Kashmiris got together outside Kashmir,” she says with pride.

Taking this as an opportunity and an attempt to do her bit so that her region’s food is represented in a real authentic manner, Azmat launched Sarposh. The eatery offers a wide range of authentic Kashmiri delights from the multi-course meal Wazwan that comprises tabak maaz, methi maaz, seekh kabab, rogan josh, gushtabae yakhein, ristae, marchewangan kormeh, to kong kahwae, and more.

To ensure the food is prepared in a traditional manner, Azmat has employed 15 experienced Wazas from Kashmir and gets spices like cumin from Gurez, Kashmiri red chillies from Pulwama, saffron from Pampore, apricots from Ladakh, and walnuts from the homes of her team members.

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Setting up a small Kashmir in Bengaluru

Besides food, Azmat tried to give a homely vibe with Sarposh’s ambiance. Set up on a 3,500 square feet area, the eatery imitates an extension of her Srinagar home. “We have given cosy spaces, a carpeted floor seating area, and a lounge area to relax. One should not feel that they are walking into a restaurant, but rather walking into a living room of a Kashmiri home,” she adds.

The eatery has also incorporated traditional craft items like walnut wood, papier mache, pashmina, and pottery, into the decor of the space. 

Today, her 70-seater eatery remains packed with 100 percent occupancy in multiple rotations. But this feat was not as easy.

Looking back to the challenging phase of her entrepreneurial journey, Azmat says, “In 2019, I quit my job to dedicate myself to establishing this restaurant. But soon Article 370 was revoked and my team got stuck in Kashmir. I lost contact with my team along with all the money that I used to kick off the eatery,” she says.

A few months later, when Azmat got in touch with her team, she again invested hefty amounts to restart the work. “But as soon as we were about to announce our launch, the COVID-19 pandemic-induced lockdown was announced. Without a single day in operation, our place was shut. I wasn’t sure what to do anymore,” she adds.

Heartbroken Azmat went to her parents in Srinagar. “By this time, we had exhausted all our finances. I had accepted my failure and went back home. However, my parents encouraged me to not give up because of financial constraints. I gave myself another two months and decided that if somebody does not walk in now then I will shut it even though it would be a very hard decision,” she adds.

As soon as people adjusted to the new normal, Azmat’s place also started welcoming diners in large numbers. “And since then, there has been no looking back,” she smiles.

“I would have never in my wildest dreams imagined that my life would take this turn. Not everybody gets such an opportunity. Many people wake up in the morning without any enthusiasm for their work. I am so grateful that finally, I am doing something I am genuinely passionate about,” says Azmat.

Edited by Padmashree Pande. All photos: Sarposh (Instagram)

However, the tradition broke off as Sandeep moved to other parts of the country as part of his work in rural development. It was only during his brief visit to the tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh that he recollected the memories of kanji that brought back old memories.

“While drinking fermented mahua was a common phenomenon here, I found that tribal people also drink the kanji beverage. Unlike kanji that we drank at home only during summer, here it was considered a winter beverage,” says Sandeep, who works with the non-profit Watershed Support Services and Activities Network (WASSAN).

“It is prepared using black carrots and beetroot. People drink it to aid digestion, cure bloating, and gastrointestinal problems. I was curious to taste it,” he adds.

Sandeep was so fascinated by the drink that he learnt the recipe and kanji became one of his favourite beverages. “I would drink kanji as my everyday tea. Now that winter has arrived, it will be a part of my daily routine,” the Delhi resident tells The Better India.

From ‘Karat’ – a goldmine of nutrients

When the outside temperature dips, North Indians know it is time to prepare kanji. Considered one of the simplest joys of winter, this concoction is made with earthy black carrots, mustard seeds, water, and black salt in huge ceramic barnee (containers). The mixture is left to ferment in the sunlight for a couple of days before being strained and served.

Antioxidant-rich black carrots impart a rich reddish hue to the drink that mildly tastes sweet and sour. Drinking this one of the popular north Indian winter beverages is an annual ritual in most households.

Fermented beverages like kanji and food items like dosa have been a significant part of traditional Indian cuisine. However, over the past few years, kanji has been losing its popularity with the arrival of fermented drinks like Kombucha which has become a beverage of choice for many in northern India. Today, one can find Kombucha at a grocery store in any Indian metropolitan city or on cafe menus.

It is believed that Kombucha was first recorded in China around 221 BC during the Tsin Dynasty. A Korean physician Dr Kombu is said to have brought the fermented tea to Japan in 414 AD. Subsequently, the drink gained popularity far and wide.

Interestingly, numerous studies have been conducted to back the health benefits of staple kanji beverage to catapult it to prominence.

Besides stimulating one’s appetite, this probiotic-rich drink is considered excellent for gut health and in digesting even the heaviest ghee-laden laddoos that are consumed to ward off winter illnesses.

Studies have characterised the kanji beverage as a potential plant-based probiotic with high antioxidant activity. A 2023 study titled Assessment of safety criteria, probiotic potential and other health attributes of lactic acid bacteria islolated from Kanji reveals that this winter brew possesses health attributes like cholesterol and oxalate degradation, antioxidation potential, and the ability to utilise prebiotic inulin.

Moreover, a 2021 study titled Physicochemical and microbiological evaluation of antioxidant-rich traditional black carrot beverage: Kanji mentions that anthocyanin-rich black carrots – cultivated mainly in Northern India – are the focus due to their high anthocyanin content and extraordinary quality parameters. This makes the kanji beverage diuretic, digestive tract soothing, hepatoprotective, and uterine stimulating potential.

The 2021 study also reveals that kanji shows its potential as probiotics, acid-bile salt tolerance, and antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogens. Kanji also holds a promising alternative for dairy-based probiotics.

Let’s make kanji

Here are the ingredients required to prepare black carrot kanji:

Black carrots: 4 large

Coarsely powdered mustard seeds: 4 tablespoons

Salt: 3 tablespoons

Coarse red chilli powder: 1.5 tablespoons

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Method

Step 1: First, scrub black carrots and wash them under running water. Peel (optional) and cut carrots into batons. Then, take eighteen cups of water in a large jar or a matka (clay pot) with a capacity to hold four litres of water.

Step 2: Add black carrots, mustard powder, salt and red chilli powder in water and mix. Cover the pot with a muslin cloth and tie it up around the rim of the jar.

Step 3: Let the jar stand in the sunlight for three to four days. When the mixture gets ready, keep it in the fridge to cool. Pour into tall glasses with some pieces of carrot. The beverage is served chilled.

Source:

Assessment of safety criteria, probiotic potential and other health attributes of lactic acid bacteria islolated from Kanji: Published by Amit Madhusudan Sagvekar and Meghana Gore in Journal of Applied Biological Sciences on 31 May 2023.

Physicochemical and microbiological evaluation of antioxidant-rich traditional black carrot beverage: Kanji: Published by Chetna Sharma, Param Pal Sahota, and Sarabjit Kaur in PubMed Central on 10 August 2021.

How to make Black Carrot Kanji: Published by Sanjeev Kapoor Recipes.

How Kombucha tea is becoming a beverage of choice for many in Delhi-NCR: Published by Dyuti Roy in The Indian Express on 21 November 2021.

Edited by Padmashree Pande.

Every weekend would mean parties hosted by the couple. And what Rashmi cherishes 31 years later is the time they spent cooking together for these parties. It was a real bonding experience, she shares. She enjoyed watching her husband present different dishes and create interesting elements on the plate. 

“When we travel, I get busy shopping for clothes while he buys different pots and pans,” laughs Rashmi. 

This continued well after their daughters, Vibha (28) and Isha (21), were born. Rashmi saw the ‘family man’ emerge in Harish who would look after the girls and feed them. Harry, as he is called, started cooking for his daughters too, and would make their dabbas (tiffins) for school. While they were given traditional rice, sambar, rasam and roti-sabzi, the parents saw that they didn’t finish it.

To make the food interesting, the couple started adding some paneer and cheese to the sabzis. They also made pastas, which the girls loved, and finally, the dabbas would come back empty. “They found this food exciting,” says Harry.

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Thus, food and cooking became a strong bonding activity for the family too. Isha tells The Better India that many of her core memories with her father are in the kitchen. For almost 15 years, till the girls finished college, Harry and Rashmi would pack tiffins for their daughters. 

In the last week of her college, Isha realised that this would probably be the last few days that her father would cook his scrumptious meals for her. 

Wanting to share her wonderful father’s cooking with the world, she took a video of him making a lunchbox and put that reel out on Instagram. To her surprise, it got over 10,000 views on the first day. And so began the journey of ‘Harry’s lunchbox’, which was a stepping stone to the 58-year-old man auditioning for MasterChef India, where he is now in the Top 6.

So how did this entrepreneur’s tryst with food begin? Here’s his story.  

Breaking gender roles

Youngest of five siblings, Harry grew up in a big family in Bengaluru in the 1960s. He would spend a lot of time in the kitchen and was his mother’s sous chef. The four brothers and sister would partake in all activities at home, from adding firewood to heating water, gardening and cleaning. 

They also saw their father cook during festivals and family gatherings, which left a lasting impression on the young children.

“We were all involved in cooking at home. I didn’t think that a boy cooking and being comfortable in the kitchen was anything different. We enjoyed partaking in activities at home and that mindset stays with me even today. For us, our father was ‘Mr Fixit’ around the house,” Harry shares fondly.

The importance of family was instilled in him by his parents and he realised early on that working with the family and doing everyday chores together was a priority.

He loved making desserts and would make truffles using bournvita and make his own rabri. He cooked a full meal after joining college at 18. He heard his engineering college friends, who stayed at the hostel, complain about the quality of food. He decided to whip up a meal for them. 

“I tasted the food at the hostel and it was awful. I decided to try cooking and feeding my friends. I would cook at home and take the food to the hostel. They really enjoyed what I made,” he adds.

He would cook South Indian meals which included rice, rasam and poriyal for his friends. They loved it, and it also made him a big hit with his friends at the BMS College of Engineering, Bengaluru. This kicked off his cooking journey, which helped immensely when he moved to Singapore for work.

It not only helped him cook for himself, and later his family, but it also won him a lot of friends right up to his professional life in Singapore and Australia.

“Food breaks barriers and connects people. When we migrated to Australia, we started hosting barbecues. We could connect much better with the locals over our shared love of food,” adds Harry.

A family that cooks together, stays together

Whenever Isha wants to cook something, she always reaches out to her father for advice. A lot of their conversations revolve around it. Harry, too, says that she probably thinks of food when she thinks of him. 

In September 2022, he put out a reel on Instagram which he titled ‘Pack A Lunchbox With Me’ Day 1 where he made a tomato zucchini rice, baked crispy potatoes with a tomato sauce marinade and a fresh orange and cucumber salad. It was a tremendous hit and earned him a great following. So far, he has made 63 healthy, balanced lunch boxes with a following of over 5.27 lakh people. 

While they made the videos just for fun, Harry soon realised that he was solving a real problem faced in most households. What to make for the next day’s lunchbox and how to make it nutritious yet interesting for the child?

“My daughters don’t like straightforward South Indian food and I started making lots of changes. I would make different types of fried rice, noodles, pastas and breads. I would make pasta with Indian flavours. By mixing different flavours and fusing them with the Indian touch, I would give about 50-60 different kinds of tiffins,” he says.

He ensures that each meal is balanced with enough carbohydrates, good fats and protein. His lunchbox series always include these elements. 

Some of his popular dabbas are paneer paddu with a beetroot chutney and carrot salad, rajma pepper rice with tomato masala and chia fruit salad, peas fritters with a sweet potato yogurt dip, masala paneer roll with tomato broccoli salad, a high protein upma with dry coconut chutney and a carrot vinegar salad and many more.

His favourite meal is rajma rice with a warm salad while his daughters love pastas and mexican rice with an avocado dip.

What fascinates Harry about cooking?

“I love the chemistry of food. I love how different ingredients work together to give a beautiful, tasty outcome. The whole process of seeing simple ingredients become an extremely palatable dish fascinates me,” he adds.

As the page grew, his daughter encouraged him to apply for MasterChef India. After a tough audition process across two cities and four rounds, Harish is today one of the Top 6 contestants. He wowed everyone with his watermelon rice in Chef Marco Pierre White’s challenge where they had to cook with just 250 ml water.  

While not cooking, Harish runs a chain of art and craft supplies stores with Rashmi called Itsy Bitsy, through which they provide employment to rural women in Karnataka. 

He starts his day early making and packing a tiffin for Isha, who now incidentally takes it to work, then exercises, goes to office and comes back late. The trick, the entrepreneur says, is to enjoy it all. 

Harry’s positivity and warmth is unmissable, even on a conversation over the phone, and through his Instagram reels.

“One of the reasons for my cooking journey to be so exciting is the fact that I cook with my wife and kids. When you cook with your partner, it will help improve your relationship. I would ask all the young boys and girls to cook with your special someone and make it into a fun activity, if possible every day,” he says.

In fact, he chortles and says that he’s got quite a few of his friends in trouble as their wives/daughters are expecting them to cook. But isn’t that how it should be? Harry adds that when both husband and wife are working, it’s only fair that they share the chores at home.

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“See, it will take time to come to an equation as to who is going to do what at home. It took us some time and effort to come to the conclusion about our roles, but it’s worth it. You have to be flexible. Whoever is free at that point of time can do whatever chore is pending,” he adds.

While Harry has been shattering stereotypes, Isha says that it was usually rare for her classmates to get lunchboxes made by their father. 

“I’m so proud of my father. It’s really not that common for fathers to cook, but it should be. I would have been dead against just my mom cooking. It’s just so much fun to cook together,” she says.

Harry hopes to use his MasterChef experience to make more interesting lunch boxes in a shorter time span like 20 minutes to help busy parents. Rashmi playfully adds that one of these days, she is going to stay back late at work to come home to a fully cooked meal by her husband, much like the initial days of their marriage. 

Edited by Padmashree Pande

This list encompasses recommendations by chefs, influencers, food bloggers and the likes to ensure you get your fill of the fermented delight. 

1. Vidyarthi Bhavan

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Cut to the year 1943 when a bunch of students in Bengaluru set up a small eatery serving local snacks. Today, the space is known as Vidyarthi Bhavan — one of the legacy dosa spots in the city. The eatery stands as a testament to what resilience and hard work can achieve over time. While many patronisers hail the dosas here as “heavenly”, you must pay a visit here and witness it for yourself. 

2. Veena Stores 

The idlis here have an unparalleled texture, almost like clouds on a plate. But frequent goers also recommend the shavige bath served at this iconic spot. The rice noodle delight is said to be so delicious that people can often be seen bringing their tiffins and getting heaps of helpings before proceeding to a long day’s work. If you’ve worked up an appetite, don’t miss out on the puliogare (tamarind rice).  

3. Central Tiffin Room 

If Dosa is on your mind when you're in Bengaluru then at Shri Sagar CTR is the best place. Do you agree? #nomnom #foodlove pic.twitter.com/ndiAStz57o

— Sanjeev Kapoor (@SanjeevKapoor) December 18, 2016

At the intersection of benne dosa, coffee and bonda lies the magic that the Central Tiffin Room has been creating since the 1920s. The eatery has had a varied diaspora of guests and one anecdote suggests the Maharaja of Mysuru was one of them. 

Rechristened as Shri Sagar later when the ownership changed hands, the place continues to be a draw for its ‘melt-in-the-mouth’ benne (butter) masala dosa, maddur vada and Mangalore bajji. In fact, the spot is one of Chef Sanjeev Kapoor’s favourites. 

4. Mavalli Tiffin Room 

Another pre-Independence marvel, the Mavalli Tiffin Room was established in 1924 and continues to thrill the people of Bengaluru with its fare. Aside from serving the perfect dosas, the eatery continues to gain traction with its rava idlis, a result of serendipity. 

It is said that during World War II, the short rice supply compelled the eatery to experiment with semolina as a substitute. Thus the rava idlis were born. 

Naren Thimmaiah, a culinary legend behind the success of Karavalli kitchens of Bengaluru, shared his love for the place in an interview with Bangalore Mirror. “I love eating at Mavalli Tiffin Room because the food there is very tasty and not run-of-the-mill stuff. The food is traditional and eating there is an experience in itself. I love the Masala Dosa and Bisibelebath there,” he was quoted saying. 

5. The Rameshwaram Cafe

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What do you do when a Masterchef Australia judge walks into your South Indian eatery asking to be surprised? You serve him the best dosa you can manage. Well, that’s exactly what the chefs at The Rameshwaram Cafe did when Gary Mehigan visited the outlet. Mehigan was in the city with his co-judges Matt Preston and George Calombaris for a gala dinner. Needless to say, the dosa found favour with Mehigan who took to social media to proclaim his love for it. 

“Well, that was a ‘proper’ dosa. Love this place @therameshwaramcafe. We ate ragi dosa, ghee roast dosa, medu vada, ghee idli podi, kesari baath and some seriously great filter coffee! I’ll be back.”

6. Taaza Thindi 

Touted as one of the most hygienic places for dosa in Bengaluru, Taaza Thindi punches well above its weight with the amazing fare it delivers at nominal prices. Dosas, fluffy idlis and kesari bhat amid other South Indian items fill the menu — the perfect starter for a lazy Sunday morning. 

As one Zomato user wrote, “Crunchy vadas, soft idlis, crisp dosas (not deep fried in ghee), divine khara bhaat and a sweet finish with a kesari bhaat and filter coffee. Taking value for money and consistent quality and taste to the next level, Tazaa Thindi shines on!”

7. RK Dosa Camp 

What is the biggest dosa you’ve ever eaten? Whatever the dimension, the dosa at this eatery is bound to beat it. Four feet and counting the RK Dosa Camp’s ‘family dosa’ ensures your meal is a hearty affair with everyone joining in to help you finish. Needless to say, you’d do well to arrive on an empty stomach. A fiesta awaits! 

8. Chikkanna Tiffin Room

Started over sixty years ago, CTR has been delighting Bengalureans in Cubbonpet. Foodies are often stuck at an impasse when it comes to choosing between the mini dosas served here and their larger versions. We’d say pick both. The minis come in sizes that are no bigger than 6 inches and customers love the ghee topped versions. But a must-eat is the saagu (a mint and coconut-based Karnataka-style curry) and chutney whose taste is said to have remained consistent to this day. 

Edited by Padmashree Pande.

So, here’s a chance to book that date with yourself, sip on your cuppa and turn a page.

1. The Other Space, Dharamshala

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If you’re an artist, you’re going to love the setup at The Other Space. Designed by the team behind ‘Illiterati Books and Coffee’ — one of the most popular library cafes in McLeodganj — this space is brimming with creativity.

Here, you can spend the afternoon exploring the mind-boggling works of various artists, as this place is a hotspot for numerous painters and poets from the region.

Situated against the backdrop of the mighty Dhauladhar range, you needn’t worry about finding a quiet spot at the cafe. The breathtaking views coupled with the selection of books make for an amazing treat. Apart from good coffee and books, you can also find stimulating conversations here that are an added bonus. 

Open all week from 9 am to 8 pm

2. Kunzum Travel Cafe, Delhi

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An interesting story prequels the inception of the Kunzum Travel Cafe.

Journalist Ajay Jain was looking to start a gallery for his books and photography. In an interview with Travel and Leisure, he recounted, “The idea was to create a space that would transport people to travel destinations even when they could not travel. We did this with a display of photography from my journeys, a library of travel magazines and books including my own, events like travel talks, a place where one could plan their trips with other guests etc.”

This was the start of the cafe in Hauz Khas Village of New Delhi, which is now home to a community for readers, authors, designers, editors and publishers to come together. On any given day, one can find gigs, stand-up shows and debates happening here.

We highly recommend the signature brownie cookies served here.

Open all week from 11 am to 7.30 pm

3. Atta Galatta, Bengaluru

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Since early on in life, founder Lakshmi Sankar was insistent on the idea of wanting to start a bookstore. Her studies in English Literature fuelled this passion. Today, the dream stands realised in the form of the book cafe on the busy streets of Bengaluru.

She wanted the bookstore to be a hub of activity, and thus the name. In an interview with She The People, Sankar explained, “Galatta means noise. We wanted the bookstore to be the place where lots of things happen. We want to bring different kinds of people — college kids, married couples — to the store.”

With bookshelves lining the walls, there is a mighty selection to look forward to. These include over 10,000 literary works in English and other languages. Happy reading!

Open from Tuesday to Sunday 11 am to 7 pm

4. Higginbothams’s Writer’s Cafe, Chennai

Munch on a ‘Flammkuchen’, the Swiss version of a pizza, while you read a page-turner. This and many other delicacies are prepared by burn attack survivors who are employed at the cafe.

Whilst you’re browsing through the menu to pick your next dish, the Higginbothams bookstore has an equally amazing selection of literary works. Touted as the “most famous bookstore in South India”, the place has been in existence since 1884 and has been giving Chennai its dose of fairytales since then.

Open all week from 10 am to 10 pm

5. Bahrison’s, Delhi

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The story of Bahrison’s is one of resilience. It was started in 1953 by a gentleman Balraj Bahri Malhotra who was displaced from his hometown of Malakwal, Punjab, during the Partition. 

In the next six years that followed, Malhotra worked to set up a bookshop in Khan Market, Delhi. To counter the problem of meagre funds, he sold his mother’s gold bangles to raise money, and Bahrison’s was born. Since then, the bookstore has been a family-run affair.

Open all week from 10.30 am to 8.30 pm

6. Kitab Khana, Mumbai

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An old-world charm surrounds the bookstore that resides in a 150-year-old building in Fort, Mumbai. Started in 2010 by couple Samir Somaiya and Amrita Somaiya, the bookstore cafe has been treating Mumbaikars to a literary feast.

As their website reads, “Bookshops are places where minds are opened and worlds become large. A place where one can enter a book and explore a world that’s never seen, not imagined. A place where mindsets change, where one can dream of changing the world. We created Kitab Khana in response to the rise of the online world.”

Open all week from 10.30 am to 7.30 pm

7. Champaca Books, Bengaluru

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The bookstore entices its readers with a range of works — caste narratives from rural India, books on dystopian futures, moving personal memoirs on mental health, and translations from over 20 languages.

Browse through a selection of books on nature writing, science, fiction, non-fiction, the social sciences, and more. In addition to this, the place also frequently organises public events, discussions, screenings of indie films and artist meetups.

Open from Tuesday to Sunday 10 am to 7 pm

8. StepOut Cafe Jaipur

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Started by three engineer friends, Stepout Café is designed using upcycled materials and boasts a library of over 500 books. Located in Central Jaipur, a walk away from major tourist attractions, here, you can read to your heart’s content as you are served delicacies picked from a multi-cuisine menu.

The eclectic walls coupled with an equally fascinating selection of books and food make the cafe a great space to hang out and get a quiet moment.

Open all week from 7.30 am to 10 pm

Edited by Pranita Bhat

Loaded with protein, minerals and essential nutrients, these dishes could give you just the boost you need before the winter lays its icy fingers on the country.

Try out these fun recipes for a gush of flavour mixed with health.

1. Bajra ni Raab

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“Comforting” is how the drink can be described. As the first sip of the jaggery melange coats the palate, a lovely warmth is sure to envelop you. The immunity booster’s blend of ingredients is perfect for anyone who is fighting a cold or cough or looking to prevent it.

2. Millet Sweet Corn Soup 

Tell us a better duo than ragi and corn. We’ll wait!

A superpower of ragi is that it keeps one’s stomach full, while also preventing any unnecessary cravings. The millet is best suited to be consumed in the morning. The balance of protein, iron, calcium and zinc will give you the right start to your day.

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3. Lemon Millet Soup 

You can add some cloves and black peppers to the soup to ensure that you have your guard up against the winter chill. The wholesome mix of vegetables and herbs can be combined with any millet as per your preference. The lemon zest will add that much-needed tinge to it.

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4. Ragi Soup

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There’s no better way to beat the nip in the air than with some warm soup loaded with vegetables, spices and herbs. Millet soups are a great way to include immunity-boosting ingredients in the diet. If you are a fan of meaty delicacies, you may want to add some chicken to the broth.

5. Pumpkin Millet Soup

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Packed with vital nutrients, pumpkin is said to bolster the body’s defences. It is a versatile vegetable and pairs well with numerous millets and other veggies. This interesting item can get the kids craving some more pumpkin!

Edited by Pranita Bhat

Slathered with a dollop of butter, coconut chutney, and vegetable stew, nothing gets better than the soft and fluffy idlis as the first meal of the day. Not only in Southern India, but the humble idli today is one of the most popular breakfast choices across the country.

Over the years, cooks have added their own twists to prepare these steamed rice cakes. From traditional rice idli, rava idli, ragi idli, podi idli, plate-sized thatte idli, mini idli, button idli, mallige idli, and the khotte kadubu … the options are aplenty.

However, away from the hustle and competitive crowd of restaurants in Bengaluru, this small eatery called ‘Babu Hotel’ has been offering unique ‘chiblu idlis’ for nearly 70 years.

Located in a small hamlet Halaguru in the scenic countryside of Karnataka, the restaurant lures up to 500 customers on any weekday. Weekends and public holidays add more footfall.

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The Better India got in touch with the restaurant owner Bhakta Vatsala to learn the secret behind his popular idlis.

Behind the scenes

In the 1950s, Vatsala’s grandfather Shivanna started a small hotel — it came to be christened as ‘Babu Hotel’ very recently — alongside farming to earn an additional income. Later on, his father took charge of running the eatery.

Although a graduate in sociology, Vatsala never dreamed big because of financial hardships in the family. So he chose to stick to his roots and continue the family business, unlike many of his peers who migrated to the nearby Bengaluru city for odd jobs.

In the absence of present-day idli makers, steamers and containers, the 45-year-old says that his family would steam idlis in small bamboo baskets, known as chiblu in Kannada.

Vatsala says, “Bamboo is available in abundance in our village. The villagers make and sell many items made using bamboo. That’s probably why my ancestors chose to utilise bamboo containers to make idlis back then. Moreover using bamboo makes the process very natural.”

Explaining the unique preparation method, he says, “Firstly, we pour the batter into the chiblus. They are small bowl-shaped moulds made using bamboo. The container gives the batter a perfect idli shape. We then place these small bamboo bowls into a large aluminium utensil using bamboo sticks for support. Then we let the idlis slowly steam over firewood.”

Vatsala informs that these aluminium vessels — around two feet in diameter — have the capacity to cook 80 idlis at a time. Every day, Vatsala and his team of six helpers prepare at least eight batches of 80 idlis to serve their now ever-growing customer base.

What makes these idlis distinctive from other cooking methods is their rich aroma and flavour. Vatsala says, “We prepare the batter in the same manner as others. But the whole process of cooking it in bamboo baskets on firewood imparts a rustic aroma and flavour to the idlis,” he says.

So far, these chiblu idlis have attracted thousands of customers including YouTubers, Government officials, ministers, movie celebrities and more.

After the popularity of Babu Hotel rose, Vatsala says, several other restaurants have cropped up around his village that are offering chiblu idlis using the same technique. “But they are unable to attract as much footfall as we do because the making of these chiblu idlis is an art. Every step of the process needs attention to detail. I grew up watching my family do this, so my learning is authentic. Otherwise, it is a cumbersome process,” he says.

However, the art of making idlis in this traditional manner is slowly disappearing because of time-saving idli makers. “We never thought of switching to idli steamers. This technique is all we know,” he says adding that they have been practising only this technique since his grandfather started.

Priced at Rs 10 a piece, the hot chiblu idlis at Babu Hotel are served with generous amounts of homemade butter, palya (fried vegetable stew) and fiery chilli chutney. Other than the popular idlis, the eatery also offers crisp ghee roast dosas like tuppa, bene and masala dosa, chitranna (spiced rice), rice baath, and palya.

‘We might close the eatery soon’

A typical day for Vatsala starts at 5.30 am and before 7 am, his hotel is up and running, ready to welcome their customers. “At noon, we soak the grains required for the next day’s batter. They need to soak for at least three to four hours. By 4 pm, we grind the soaked grains, and by late evening, we add salt to the batter, mix well, and keep it for fermentation. The batter then rises enough to make soft idlis in the morning,” he shares.

Babu Idli hotel, Halagur. Malavalli. Mandya. #Karnataka @sribasavaraju pic.twitter.com/oBMn1U7RsV

— DP SATISH (@dp_satish) November 3, 2020

Babu Hotel is open for business between 7 am and 11 am every day. “We exhaust all our batter in this period. It takes us the remaining day to prepare batter for the next day. We are able to wind up only by 8 pm,” he says.

Until recently, this place was an obscure eatery located in a nondescript hamlet with a loyal customer base. But with the arrival of YouTubers and social media publicity, Vatsala says, he has gained popularity overnight, so much so that he might have to shut the business in a couple of years.

“Even earlier, our business was doing well, but with the internet, my business has flourished more than we imagined and can handle. Although the business is thriving now, I am exhausted with all the increased workload. I am unable to sustain the crowd, and I intend to shut the eatery in the near future,” he says.

Talking about hiring more people, Vatsala says, “We only have two village families comprising women in their 50s who help me to grind the grains. They’ve been with us for the past 15 to 20 years. Other than them, local people here are often not reliable. They come for a day and then disappear the next day.”

When asked why he is not considering expansion, he says, “I’m 45 years old, my father is in his 70s, and my son is just five! Though popularity has come to our business, the timing has been unfortunate. It is becoming increasingly difficult for me to sustain this very hotel and I cannot, at the moment, think of opening any other branches. In fact, now I am scared of the social media reach because my only hope to keep this place up is if I get reliable employees or volunteers to share the load.”

Today, Vatsala feels fulfilled looking back at a life of service, hard work, and dedication to his family and business. He finds joy in having transformed his family’s business into a lasting legacy.

If you wish to help Bhakta Vatsala keep ‘Babu Hotel’ running, you can contact him here: +91 98863 75522.

Edited by Pranita Bhat

Coming from an inter-religious family, the definition of the festive season keeps changing as each new month begins. As soon as we enter December, my father sits with his cutting board chopping walnuts for the cake, while my mother starts grinding rice to make my favourite sel rote (a sweet bread-like dish made with rice flour). 

My brother and I were in charge of the decorations, and, of course, indulging in the delicacies from both of our parents’ cultures. I always considered myself lucky as I got to enjoy treats from two different cultures.

While cakes, hot chocolate, and eggnog are mainly associated with Christmas, India — with its diverse cultures — has much more to offer. The Better India has compiled a list of Christmas delicacies from different states that you can try this Christmas.

1. Kerala’s Neyyappam

A native to god’s own country Kerala, Neyyappam is a delicacy prepared during festivities like Christmas. These are small, deep-fried rice cakes made with a simple batter comprising rice flour, all-purpose flour (maida), jaggery (or sugar), grated coconut, and cardamom. Deep-fried in ghee, the rice cakes have a smooth and buttery texture. 

Shaped like discs with a slightly crispy exterior and a soft, fluffy interior, the delicacy feels like heaven on a plate.

Learn to make Neyyappam with this simple recipe. 

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2. Goa’s Bebinca

A testament to the rich culinary heritage of Goa, Bebinca stands as a captivating delicacy, especially cherished during festive seasons. Originating here, this layered dessert is a symphony of flavours that adds grandeur to any celebration.

Made with coconut milk, eggs, flour, and sugar, each layer is meticulously cooked or baked before the addition of the next, creating a delightful stack of flavours.

Learn to make this desert here. 

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3. Duck Moilee from Maharashtra

Coming from the Anglo-Indian kitchens of Maharashtra, the juicy duck meat dish is like a burst of flavour in your mouth. Also widely popular in Kerala, Christmas festivities are incomplete without this dish. 

The dish is left to marinate in different spices and then cooked until tender so that the meat is soft and flavorful. It is usually served with steamed rice, allowing the flavours to blend seamlessly.

Try your hand at cooking this delicious dish with this easy recipe. 

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4. Nagaland’s Smoked pork with Zutho

A land of unique cultures, tribes and traditions, Nagaland’s Christmas is incomplete without Smoked pork and their favourite drink Zutho. As the name suggests, Naga smoked pork is dried pork traditionally smoked over an open fire. The smoking process and the right wood selection are extremely important for a flavourful dish. 

It is usually paired with Zutho — a beer made out of fermented rice. The taste can range from mildly sweet to slightly sour, and the alcohol content varies depending on factors such as the length of fermentation.

Try making Zutho and Naga Smoked Pork here. 

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5. Manipur’s Nga Atobia Thongba 

Nga Atobia Thongba is a traditional Manipuri fish curry. In Manipuri, ‘Nga’ refers to fish, ‘Atobia’ means hot chilli, and ‘Thongba’ refers to a curry or stew. It sometimes also includes bamboo shoots and is often served with rice. 

It highlights Manipur’s culinary heritage with its local ingredients and bold, spicy flavours. Often shared during festivals, this dish fosters a sense of community, bringing people together over its warm and inviting taste.

Learn how to make this spicy delicacy here. 

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6. Maharashtra’s Guava Cheese

Believe it or not, in Maharashtra, there’s a beloved Christmas delicacy that combines cheese and guava! It’s called ‘Perad’ or ‘Goiabada’. This sweet and fudgy treat is made from guava pulp, sugar, and sometimes a dash of lemon juice. It’s a unique and delicious part of the festive celebrations in the region.

To make this unusual yet delightful treat, you cook guava pulp with sugar until it becomes thick and fudgy. The mixture is then poured into moulds to cool and solidify. Once it’s set, you cut it into squares or diamonds, ready to be served and enjoyed!

Click here for the recipe for this delicious treat. 

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7. Goa’s Rose cookies

These crispy and intricate flower-shaped cookies are a traditional part of Goan Christmas sweets. Made by combining all-purpose flour, sugar, coconut milk, and eggs, these little cookies are shaped like flowers. 

Some recipes may include a touch of rice flour for extra crispiness. The preparation of these cookies also reflects the culinary heritage of Goa, where the fusion of Indian and Portuguese influences has resulted in a unique and diverse range of dishes.

Click here for the full recipe. 

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8. Andhra Pradesh’s Gongura Mutton

Gongura Mutton is a must-have for Andhra Christmas feasts. This tangy curry combines goat meat with Gongura leaves, giving it a unique and flavorful twist. Served alongside rice, biryani, or Indian bread like naan or roti, the dish stands out with its distinctive sour taste. 

The use of aromatic spices like mustard seeds, cumin seeds, ginger-garlic paste, and a blend of ground spices such as red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and coriander powder adds a rich and spicy aroma to this festive delicacy.

Check out the full recipe here. 

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9. Vivikam cake from Puducherry 

The Vivikam cake, a Christmas tradition in Puducherry, is a rich delight with Creole roots. Packed with pure ghee, semolina, and a mix of alcohol-soaked raisins, cashew nuts, candied orange peels, and fruits, it’s a boozy and indulgent treat.

Typically made with rum or brandy, this cake gets better with age and can be stored for weeks without refrigeration. Enjoyed on Christmas Eve, it’s often paired with a glass of cognac for an extra festive touch.

Try out your hand at this delicacy using this recipe. 

10. Allahadadi Cake 

When discussing traditional Christmas dishes, omitting Allahabadi cake would be a crime. Hailing from Prayagraj, this cake has a melt-in-your-mouth quality that keeps its ingredients a delightful mystery. 

It ingeniously combines petha (candied ash gourd), rum-soaked dried fruits and nuts, marmalade, desi ghee, and an array of spices including ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, fennel, and mace. The result is a fragrant, rich, and unmistakably desi confection that captures the essence of Christmas in every bite.

Check out more about this delicacy here. 

So which of these dishes and desserts are you planning to try out this Christmas? 

(Edited by Padmashree Pande)

What bothered her more was the perception of the Northeast culture and food. Wanting to educate her friends about the intricacies of her food, she looked for YouTube channels. Finding that most of the channels were in local languages, in 2015, she decided to start her own called ‘Eat Your Kappa’ to document Northeastern food.

Being one of the few food bloggers from the region at the time, Nambie shot to fame, as she gave the viewers a glimpse into life in the hills.

What strikes me about Nambie, watching her videos, and later, speaking to her, is her simplicity, authenticity and realness. She takes her viewers on a journey to Upper Rangsa, showing how they pick fresh vegetables, fruits, and spices, and cook them on a fire stove outside their house.

She has over 60,000 followers across social media channels.

The popularity of her channel and the authenticity of her food led to a chance to audition for MasterChef India. Today, she’s among the top eight finalists and has stumped the judges and viewers with her innovative use of Northeastern ingredients in various dishes.

Married to a South Indian, she also makes interesting dishes combining the two cuisines.

Another hat that the 35-year-old proudly wears is that of a teacher. Along with her husband Sunny, she has adopted a school in Upper Rangsa, taking responsibility for the education of over 85 children from their village and the neighbouring ones.

In a conversation with The Better India, Nambie unpacks the remarkable journey that took her across Shillong, Chennai, Karnataka, and back to her roots.

Taking us to Meghalaya through her lens

Growing up in Shillong, Nambie’s initiation to the kitchen started fairly young as her mother encouraged the children to make their own meals.

“I have been cooking for as far as I can remember. My mother worked really hard to put food on the table. She would weave clothes, do embroidery and some small businesses. While she did this to provide us with a good life, she would make sure that we cooked our own meals,” says Nambie.

Even after winning over top chefs — including British Chef Marco Pierre White — she says that she’s “not so good at cooking!”

“I love to eat the most. I know how to cook but what I really enjoy is eating and finding new recipes in books and YouTube channels,” she says.

While she calls herself a “rookie cook”, the foundation for her stint as a cook was strengthened in school, where she took home science as an elective subject. It was strengthened further when she started living by herself in Chennai, where she moved for her postgraduate studies and worked for a few years.

While working as an assistant professor in a college, she also found time for her YouTube videos. She would go home during vacations and shoot videos every single day. Since her village doesn’t have internet connectivity, she would edit and upload the videos after returning to Chennai.

On her channel, she’s breaking stereotypes about Northeastern cuisine. People often think it’s all about “eating bizarre food” or “eating anything that moves”, according to her.

A harbinger of hope

Kappa is the cooking technique used by the Garo tribe, to which Nambie belongs, in which meat and vegetables are cooked using liquid alkali (called kalchi in Garo). She calls Kappa “synonymous with Northeastern cuisine”.

In households in the West Khasi Hills, food is really simple and made using locally sourced ingredients, usually from their farms.

“We are rice eaters and don’t eat breakfast. Our mornings begin with some red or black tea. We eat lunch by 10 am, which gives the residents, mostly farmers, energy to work throughout the day. We have dinner by 5 pm,” she shares.

“We eat a lot of meat as it gets very cold during winter. We save our meat and fish by smoking them. A typical meal includes rice, dal, meat or dried fish, and lots of vegetables available in our backyard (root, wild, leafy vegetables) with a side of chutney. We also dry vegetables,” she adds.

In her dishes, Nambie heroes ingredients grown in Meghalaya — like fiddlehead ferns, elephant apple, elephant foot yams, purple yams, Indian sorrel, fish mint leaves, sohiong (blackberry), sohplhang (a root vegetable) and more.

She makes chutneys using ingredients like brinjal and dry fish, fermented fish chutney, dried roselle with chicken pura (rice flour), jadoh (a Khasi rice recipe), beef trotter soup, muskmelon and pork gravy dish, and much more.

While she was appreciated by many, she also faced vicious trolling and hate. Trolls ridiculed her for cooking outdoors, the food she cooked, and even the fact that she wore slippers.

“There were some really harsh comments. People said things like “Your food looks like dog food” and “Why are you wearing those slippers?”. I cook outside as we don’t have electricity most of the time at home, and I wanted to show our surroundings,” she shares.

The trolling reached a point where she considered quitting social media due to the excessive negativity. All she was trying to do was showcase her home, surroundings and food. Realising that she would let the naysayers win if she gave up, she decided to overcome the hate by growing a thick skin. She focused on the positive comments, which were also many in number.

“I decided to accept that there will be negativity and people trying to pull you down. What matters is that you should believe in what you do. I didn’t want to let the haters win. What I’m doing is trying to showcase my cuisine and break the stereotypes associated with it,” she adds.

She overcame the xenophobia and became a harbinger for many more YouTubers from the Northeast, which led to her cementing a position in MasterChef today.

Providing a new lease of life to children

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While her YouTube channel was flourishing, she had to move back home as her mother was ill. In 2019, she packed her bags and moved to Upper Rangsa with her infant daughter. A few months later, her husband, also a teacher, packed his bags, quit his job and followed suit.

Being the two most educated people in the entire village of 150 people, they were soon presented with an opportunity to create change, when a private school in the neighbouring village was about to shut down.

“Last year, the person running the school found it difficult to manage the school. He abandoned the school and the children and left. The village head came to us and asked us to help as it is the only school for the children in the neighbourhood,” says Nambie.

Offered a school on a plate and a chance to help villagers, the couple took up the challenge. They adopted the school and the 19 students at the time.

“Our village sits near the border, and with poor roads, commuting to schools outside daily isn’t feasible. If this school closes, it’ll disrupt many farmers’ lives. They might need to move to Assam, straining resources and losing their income. We didn’t want them to worry about where their kids go to school. We only want them to focus on their farms,” explains Nambie.

In the past year, the strength of the school has increased from 19 to 85. They do this for free, only charging a nominal fee to pay the other teachers.

In their spare time, the couple tends to a farm, cultivating lemongrass. They sell lemongrass oil, while Nambie pursues her passion for pickling by starting a pickle business. She also dreams of opening a restaurant someday.

What’s more important to Nambie — teaching or cooking?

“I have always been connected to food and I really enjoy being around children. You learn something new in both teaching and cooking. Every day is a new day in the kitchen as well as the classroom. I love it. Why would I choose between the two?” laughs Nambie.

Edited by Pranita Bhat

Today, countless small businesses and startups follow the trail illuminated by these legacy food businesses. With growth models that have stood the test of time, they are still on their way to scale higher. 

1. Lijjat Papad 

In 1959, people were amused to see seven Gujarati women gathered on a terrace in South Mumbai. They were kneading and sun-drying papads (a deep-fried snack). What started out as an idea is now a legacy business that boasts over 45,000 women employees and a net worth of over Rs 1,600 crore.

Started as Shri Mahila Udyog Lijjat Papad, the company is now India’s oldest all-women cooperative. The brand’s aim has remained unwavering — to support women in attaining financial independence. 

2. Balaji Wafers 

“Crispy, delightful and the perfect party starter” — this is how most people describe Balaji Wafers. But Chandubhai Virani,  the founder, had no idea his simple snack would come to find so much love. 

Born into a farming family, Chandubhai and his brothers moved to Rajkot in search of employment. They were hired at the canteen of a local cinema for a salary of Rs 90 per month.  

Theatregoers were Chandubhai’s first customers. They enjoyed the chips he sold, oblivious that he was making these in his one-room home. Soon Balaji Wafers grew into a multi-crore national sensation that clocked a turnover of over Rs 500 crore this year. 

3. Parle-G

A staple in all Indian homes, you won’t deny Parle-G is desi chai’s ultimate partner. Interesting to note is how the brand’s name came to be. In 1929, Mohanlal Dayal, a Mumbai-based gentleman, refurbished an old factory in Mumbai’s Vile Parle. He decided he would manufacture confectionery here. 

Soon, the factory came to be called Parle after the location. The factory began baking biscuits here in 1939 to counter the trend of imported snacks. Parle Gluco was a hit. 

However, soon, numerous other brands hopped onto the bandwagon of making glucose biscuits. So, in a bid to stand out from the competition, in 1982 the brand repackaged their biscuits as Parle-G.  

4. Nilon 

Brothers Suresh and Prafful Sanghavi were working in the field during the peak of World War II. Seeing the plight of the soldiers, they would prepare lemon syrups and juices from the produce on their land and serve these to the army. 

The brothers soon began to realise the potential of food processing. Soon, their home kitchen in Utran village, Jalgaon, Maharashtra became a site of experimentation. Aromas of ketchup, jellies, jams and more prepared with ingredients sourced from the field began to fill the space. However, when sold, these did not generate a good response from the audience. 

In 1966, the brothers introduced pickles to the menu and sales rocketed! That is how Nilon pickles was born.   

5. Chitale 

Everyone is a fan of the brand’s ‘Bakarwadi’. Few know that this was the result of a Maharashtra farmer’s idea. 

Bhaskar Ganesh Chitale turned to farming to help his widowed mother. However, hours spent at the farm in the drought-prone village of Limbgove, 20 km from Satara, yielded few to no returns. 

In 1939, Chitale boarded a train to Bhilawadi in Sangli district where he observed an abundance of domesticated animals. Milk would often be in excess. The farmer decided to put this to use and began making milk products — cottage cheese, shrikhand, milk powder, etc. Today, over 40,000 farmers work with the brand. 

The Bakarwadi sold by the brand is so famous that over 1,000 kgs are made in an hour. 

6. Vadilal

We’ve all enjoyed the popsicles on a sunny afternoon after the end-of-year exams. The name ‘Vadilal’ evokes nostalgia. The brand had humble beginnings in Gujarat in 1907. At the time their ice creams were made using the traditional and popular Kothi method in which a hand-operated machine was used to churn milk, ice and salt. 

Vadilal Gandhi started the brand with sodas but it was his son Ranchod Lal Gandhi who introduced ice creams to the brand. By the time of India’s independence, the company had opened four outlets across Ahmedabad. The company clocked a turnover of over Rs 1, 071 crore. 

Edited by Padmashree Pande.

When Rukhsaar was growing up in the 90s, she did not have proper guidance to achieve her goal of becoming a chef. Without internet access, information or career counselling, she didn’t know which path to pursue. So she took up food technology, a newly introduced course at her university.

To her surprise, food technology was a completely different ball game — it did not involve cooking at all! However, she fell in love with the ‘new world’ she was introduced to and went on to pursue a BTech, MTech and PhD in it.

She enjoyed learning biochemistry, preservation, processing, and research of food products.

After completing her education, the food technologist would have been able to choose a job of her liking, but here’s where her other dream kicks in — to be her own boss. And she was willing to put in the work and wait for her chance in the sun.

This chance presented itself even before the entrepreneur completed her PhD, and led to the launch of her food venture ‘Khalis Foods’. Today, Rukhsaar has managed to convert her passion into a thriving career, and is also among the top eight finalists of MasterChef India.

A mission to provide unadulterated food

The birth of Rukhsaar’s venture stemmed from her need to provide healthy food for her children. While pursuing her doctorate, she also juggled the responsibility of making homemade food for her firstborn, her daughter, who was three at the time.

She started looking for some healthy food to serve as snacks. “I went to the market in search of some unadulterated food. All I saw was frozen and packaged food, which was highly processed with many preservatives and harmful additives,” Rukhsaar tells The Better India.

Failing to find anything appealing, she thought of working on something without preservatives, for busy mothers. After completing her PhD, she started researching how to make healthy frozen snacks without additives and started experimenting at home.

“Take the frozen chicken nuggets available in the market. They are all loaded with additives and meat fillers. I worked on how to preserve food in a natural way and studied how to increase the shelf life. My degree helped in recipe formulation and standardisation,” she says, adding that it took her almost eight months to study and work on the shelf life.

She experimented with chicken strips, nuggets, popcorn, and kalari cheese samosas, which became a big hit. She also served her snacks at an exhibition at the Sheri Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC).

Buoyed by the response, she decided to convert her experiments at home into a full-fledged venture. On 3 August, 2019, she launched ‘Khalis Foods’ — an online, frozen food venture from Pampore.

But life had other plans. Just three days later, the Indian government revoked Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. This move led to the suspension of internet and mobile services, halting Rukhsaar’s venture before it could even begin.

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“We were cut off from the rest of the world and didn’t have any mobile network. As my business was online, I couldn’t connect to my customers. We were even asked to evacuate the SKICC exhibition. All my frozen food turned bad as we didn’t have access to freezers. I lost about Rs 70,000,” she shares.

Not one to be bogged down, she restarted Khalis Foods in November 2020. However, January 2021 brought on yet another COVID lockdown, causing her to shut down again.

Again, Rukshaar proved her resilience and didn’t let this affect her vision to provide healthy, unadulterated food to children.

“Pursuing a dream is never easy. It comes with its own set of challenges, especially in Kashmir. My passion to set up my own venture and provide unadulterated, safe and healthy snacking options for my people is all that keeps me going. If I fail again and have to start from scratch, I will do it all again in a heartbeat. I look forward to producing quality products no matter what challenges come my way,” says the entrepreneur.

What kept her going?

“Never losing hope. There will come a day when you will be successful in whatever you want,” she remarks.

Once again, like a proverbial phoenix, Rukhsaar rose in September 2021, and there has been no looking back. Working out of the annexe of her house, in a 10 by 10 square feet room, the mother of two currently sells frozen products like chicken popcorn, crispy chicken strips, breaded chicken nuggets, kalari cheese samosas for children, and chicken keema samosas, Turkish adana kebabs, and chicken spring rolls for adults.

Focused on quality, she makes only one batch per week to ensure freshness. “We freeze the batch in our blast freezer. After it’s frozen, we pack it. It’s all handmade and no machinery is used in the process,” she adds.

She employs six people and gets about 600 to 700 orders per month, she informs. While her initial focus was just on online sales, the demand led her to sell her products in departmental stores in Srinagar too.

But this focus on keeping food clean leads to a problem of storage as it has a short shelf life. “We have an overwhelming demand for our products, but we are unable to expand currently as we don’t have access to cold chains, refrigerated vans, etc. My focus is on quality and I will not compromise on that,” she adds.

She hopes to expand out of her small room and open a culinary school in Kashmir one day.

Taking Kashmiri cuisine to the World

Even though Khalis Foods is thriving, Rukhsaar jumped at the chance to audition for MasterChef India.

“When people talk about Kashmiri cuisine, they talk about wazwan and rogan josh. Through MasterChef India, I want the country to know how we prepare homemade food in Kashmir. We use so many local indigenous ingredients to make our food and there is a science behind every ingredient used. The world must know Kashmiri ‘ghar ka khana’,” she says.

Rukhsaar is one of the top eight finalists in MasterChef India-Hindi and one of the first Kashmiri women on the show. She’s been ‘wow’ing the judges with her dishes, where she uses traditional Kashmiri ingredients in creative, restaurant-quality dishes.

“I got a chance to be a chef thanks to MasterChef. I think I’ve done it all now,” laughs the 34-year-old.

Being one of the few Kashmiri women chefs, Rukhsaar is a beacon of inspiration for young girls in the valley. She urges youngsters to follow their passion.

“My career is in sync with my passion, which is one of the best things. I want to tell youngsters to look at ways to transform their passion into a career. Have faith in yourself,” she says.

On being asked about her ‘aha moment’ or the day she felt ‘she made it’, despite achieving so much, Rukhsaar says, “I think that day is yet to come”, which speaks volumes about her goals.

“I am in a good place and very grateful for everything I’ve received so far. But I still have a lot to do. I can’t say that I’ve achieved everything I’ve truly ever wanted yet,” she adds.

As we wait to see the heights that this fiery woman reaches, you can follow her here to place orders, or just be a bystander to witness her incredible journey.

Edited by Pranita Bhat

“I was a foodie since my childhood. Back in my hometown, I used to hog on the food that my grandma cooked. But while in Bangalore, I only had a few South Indian food options like dosas, vadas, and idlis, which also lacked taste and quality,” Suhas tells The Better India.

“My grandma used to cook the simplest foods with a handful of ingredients, yet they were filled with flavours,” he recalls.

Bengaluru boasts over 12,000 restaurants serving a variety of dosas, but Suhas says he noticed a lack of authentic Dakshina (South) Karnataka cuisine, particularly from his hometown Kundapura. To honour its culinary legacy, he and his wife Raksha Prasad started ‘Jagli Tindi’ restaurant in J P Nagar, Bengaluru.

Today, the eatery lures up to 1,200 foodies per day with its signature food delicacies — including avalakki bath, Mangalore buns, mandakki upkari, khotte kadabu, ghee jaggery ragi halbai, gasagase payasa, and more.

Bringing South Canara delicacies to Bengaluru

A graduate in business management, Suhas worked with multinational companies like Wipro and Aegon Religare for about eight years. Other than corporate work, he has always been passionate about fitness and health.

“I have seen people struggle with body shaming and low self-esteem. In fact, I myself struggled with the same. It took me two years to go from weighing 135 to 75 kg. It not only made me look good from the outside but also gave me self-confidence, self-respect and self-motivation,” he says adding that he went on to help other people in their transformation journey.

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“We cannot ignore the fact that the food we eat has a crucial role to play,” says the 33-year-old. “In cities like Bangalore, people are forced to eat poor-quality fast food. They remain unaware of the amounts of calories that go into their diet. Most of the restaurants use food colours, artificial flavour enhancers like MSG, adulterated lemon salt, and vanaspati.”

So when he and his wife launched Jagli Tindi in 2019, they kept health and nutrition intrinsic to the brand.

Talking about the couple’s dream, he shares, “Since the time we were dating, Raksha and I wanted to run a business together. Instead of going on honeymoon, we started the restaurant just six months after our marriage. This is our first baby,” he smiles.

Jagli Tindi, which translates to ‘food relished while sitting on a traditional deck area’ in Kannada, offers about 30 varieties of tempting Kundapura food. Priced between Rs 15 and Rs 120, the restaurant aims to serve nutritious food to people irrespective of income backgrounds.

Suhas says his restaurant attracts significant footfall every day. “Many people from across Karnataka move from their native places to Bangalore for work. Like me, they regularly crave traditional food. Whenever I interact with my customers, they tell me how they come to us to reminisce about their hometowns and recreate memories of what their mothers cooked,” he says.

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Their mandakki upkari is among the bestsellers. Served on a banana leaf, the delicacy is made with red puffed rice and is tossed with their ‘secret’ podi mix and onions. It is then topped with grated coconut and a good deal of peanuts.

Vignesh Holla, who hails from Udupi district, is a regular customer. “I have been visiting their restaurant for about four years now. Since day one, the flavours have been consistent. I feel homely whenever I go there and feel connected to my hometown with the food they offer,” he reiterates.

“The kind of food it offers makes the restaurant unique. I love to relish their avalakki bath, mandakki upkari, and khotte kadabu. You don’t find all these dishes in other restaurants in Bangalore,” Vignesh tells The Better India.

“Usually, cooks pour in a good deal of oils in the dosas. Often, I would encounter throat infections because of this. That is why I limited myself to this particular restaurant. Although this restaurant is 15 km away from my home, I find time to visit it at least twice a month,” he adds.

Our recipe for success

Today, the couple’s restaurant has become a go-to place for many foodies across the city. But this journey has not been without its own share of challenges.

“We have seen a lot of ups and downs. On the first anniversary of Jagli Tindi, we had to shut the restaurant due to the [COVID-19-induced] lockdown. We restarted it after taking loans. I sold my superbike as well. Unfortunately, we had to close it when the second lockdown was announced amid low sales,” says Suhas.

In all, the newlywed couple were burdened with a loan of Rs 12 lakh. “We did not want to give up on our dream. Without giving up hope, we pooled some money and went to cities like Hyderabad and Delhi to meet investors from the Taj Hotel, Radisson Blu, and Ashoka Hotel. They were impressed by our idea and invested in our work, and finally, we reopened our restaurant,” he adds.

Suhas says he does not come from any culinary background. In fact, he says, he did not even know the difference between urad (black gram) and chana dal (chickpea). Over the years, the couple learnt everything from scratch on their own and established the restaurant by using their grandma’s recipes and recreating delicacies from South Karnataka.

For Suhas, the journey has been full of learning, but at the same time, he feels immensely contented. “When I retire to my bed, I sleep peacefully knowing the value of the work I do. With this, I am able to revive my native delicacies in the simplest form with high nutritional value — just the way my grandma offered it to us,” he shares.

Edited by Pranita Bhat. All photos: Jagli Tindi.

We say ‘versatile’ because no matter the occasion — festive or celebratory — you can never go wrong with a box of kaju katli. The filigree foil-coated diamond-shaped pieces of heaven have reigned supreme over the Indian mithai scene for decades now. And they aren’t moving any time soon.

As you let your palate revel in the celebration of flavours the sweet brings to your mouth, have you stopped to wonder whether it was a ‘Eureka!’ moment that led to it or a similar dramatic incident?

You’ll be surprised to know there are two versions, one however holding more popularity than the other. We leave it to you to decide the brains behind the katli.

A result of serendipity

The lesser-known version of the katli’s birth credits the Marathas for it, specifically a chef Bhimrao. As he worked in the 16th-century Maratha kitchens, cooking up a storm of delicacies for the royal family, Chef Bhimrao was always experimenting with ingredients and recipes.

His personal favourite was a Parsi sweet Halwa-e-Farsi made with ground almonds and sugar. Borrowing inspiration from this, the chef created his recipe with cashews substituting the almonds. The resultant kaju katli was applauded by the Marathas who christened it owing to thin slices (katli) made of cashew nuts (kaju). The eponymous sweet became a frequent hero at the royal table and soon found its way to places across India.

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To understand the other version of the sweet’s history, we travel to the 17th-century Mughal era.

A symbol of freedom

The story goes that around 1619, Emperor Jehangir, a prominent ruler of the Mughal dynasty, had captured Sikh gurus, holding them captive in the Gwalior Fort. It is said that Muslim orthodoxy made the emperor perceive Sikhs as a potential threat to the empire.

Among the detainees at the time was the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargovind. While held in captivity, the guru would frequently share his teachings with the other inmates, attempting to make their time more bearable.

Watching this, Emperor Jehangir came up with an unusual condition. The guru would be released and anyone who could cling to his robe would as he walked out of the fort be set free too. Intent on liberating everyone, the guru devised a way around this condition. He ordered the 52 monarchs to make a robe long enough to be worn by everyone in prison.

On the set day, the guru walked out of prison with everyone holding onto the robe. Ironically, this day coincided with Diwali and came to be known as ‘Bandhi Chor Diwas’ to mark the liberation.

Everyone acknowledged Guru Hargovind’s method as ingenious and Jehangir’s royal chef prepared a sweet to commemorate the day. The blend of cashew nuts, sugar and ghee was relished, and needless to say, went down in history as a delicacy.

While both versions reference their unique takes on the history of the sweet, you can go for the one you love.

Edited by Pranita Bhat

While we may not be able to bring back those golden days once more, we can assure you these recipes will. If you’re away from home for the festivities and missing your mom’s magic, or even if you miss the joy of yesteryear, let these recipes light you up. 

1. Aloo ki Kachori 

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In Indian homes, even as a myriad of snacks clamour for attention, there is one that always bags the spot — aloo (potato). It’s versatile, reminiscent of old times, and just what you need to perfect your platter. 

2. Gulabi Moong Dal Samosa 

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With everything in the home being glammed up, why not opt for your samosa casing too to take on a new look? With a tinge of beetroot and a whole lot of healthy ingredients, these scrumptious moong dal samosas ring in the festivities like nothing else. 

3. Shrikhand Doughnuts 

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For that cousin who says she’d like something more contemporary, here’s an idea. These shrikhand doughnuts are just the fusion snack-turned-dessert you need to serve. 

4. Sutli Paneer Bombs 

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Yes, we urge you to be eco-friendly and not resort to modern fireworks. But we wholeheartedly encourage fireworks on a plate. You can’t go wrong with these sutli bombs, which are the ultimate party starter. 

5. Apple Crisp Baked Gur Sandesh 

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The milk jaggery fudge gur sandesh is popular in Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal owing to the nolen gur that is procured in these areas. This unique version of jaggery is prepared from the sap of the date palm trees. So when apples enter this traditional take, we can’t help but give it a thumbs up. Not only will this dish get your guests hungry for more, it will also warm them up as the chill sets in. 

6. Rasmalai Milk Boba 

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Instead of reaching for the phone and ordering in the traditional rasmalai, why not prepare a drink that’s a spin on the dessert? Cooling, refreshing and beautiful is how netizens are describing this popular item. 

7. Masala Khichiya Papad

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Who doesn’t love masala papad? Here’s a twist to the usual version that your guests can gorge on through the catching up sessions. 

Edited by Padmashree Pande

In a recent thread on X (formerly known as Twitter), Karthik spoke about his visit to a restaurant in Japan’s Kyoto — ‘Tadka’. What’s surprising is that this eatery is not run by an Indian, but rather by a Japanese duo!

As Karthik writes, “They visit Chennai once every 6 months, learn new dishes, practise it to perfection and add it to their menu.” The duo’s dedication to delivering authentic South Indian cuisine has caught the attention of netizens.

The result of this effort is a platter of South Indian delights that received a thumbs up from Karthik, who found the place on par with many eateries in South India, where he hails from.

I visited this kick-ass south Indian restaurant called Tadka in Kyoto, Japan. Tadka is owned and run by Japanese people. They visit Chennai once every 6 months, learn new dishes, practice it to perfection and add it to their menu. pic.twitter.com/rDmBn4JbIC

— Prasanna Karthik (@prasannakarthik) October 29, 2023

Apparently Tadka has very very few Indians eating there. Its customers are mostly Japanese customers who have fallen in love with the food there. what a way to contribute to India's soft power!!! pic.twitter.com/3ETklgOwGj

— Prasanna Karthik (@prasannakarthik) October 29, 2023

In the process, the two have truly embraced Indian culture from the bottom of their heart. They developed a deeper understanding of Hinduism and fell in love with it. pic.twitter.com/Jbhpglskyo

— Prasanna Karthik (@prasannakarthik) October 29, 2023

I don’t have coffee or tea. But when I was leaving, they gave me a complimentary cup of south Indian filter coffee. Since I did not want to be rude, I accepted it. It turned out to be the best filter coffee I’ve ever had. These guys took Japanese precision to an all new level. pic.twitter.com/ZETj1lUN9T

— Prasanna Karthik (@prasannakarthik) October 29, 2023

He also went on to talk about the Indian culture encouraged at the restaurant among other things that surprised him. “In a country that uses chopsticks to eat food, Tadka actively promotes eating by hand…in true South Indian style.”

Needless to say, Karthik left the place impressed with just how Indian cuisine is finding love globally.

Edited by Pranita Bhat

The two, who have been “best friends” for ten years now, were getting their fill of the famous mishti delicacy at one of the City of Joy’s oldest sweet shops. 

After relishing rounds of the sweetened milk delight at ‘Nalin Chandra Das and Sons’ — a mithai shop in existence since 1841 in Kolkata’s Notun Bajar area — Dolon declared this was the best dessert she’d ever tasted, with Anindya heavily in agreement. This wasn’t just an outing for the friend duo. It is their way of life. 

As they explain, the intent behind visiting these legendary eateries is to amplify stories about Kolkata’s culinary heritage and those working to preserve it. These tales have found a space in ‘Kolkata Classics’, a digital story bank that documents the city’s unseen side on Instagram. 

“Food is an integral part of any Bengali’s life,” says Dolon, a banker who took to lifestyle blogging in 2012. A passion for history and culture influenced this decision. 

When Dolon met Anindya, a businessman-turned-photographer, the two bonded over the city’s food landscape. Anindya had been documenting food and recipes along with his wife, Madhushree, for their blog ‘Pikture Nama’ for years. Meeting Dolon was almost fated. 

He points to how digital archives are nothing more than a modern form of what cavemen would once do. “They would document their life in the form of drawings on the cave walls. They never thought that centuries later these drawings would give us a snapshot of their socio-economic condition. Maybe someday in the future, something similar will happen with the stories we leave behind on the internet.” 

In every story that goes up on Kolkata Classics, the hero element is always the establishment. “We try to talk about these places that are over 150 years old, the people running them, the challenges they encounter and the rich history behind their survival,” notes Anindya. 

Here’s a glimpse at five of these legacy eateries. 

1. Parbati Hotel 

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The restaurant’s story is a picture of resilience in the face of adversity. When Joydeb Kundu started the place over a century ago, he did it with the simple idea of serving homestyle Bengali meals at a reasonable price. Soon, the place amassed a great following with its fish curries. 

However, the COVID-19 pandemic posed tough times on the restaurant’s legacy as Sailendranath Kundu, Joydeb’s son, and the one who was spearheading the operations, passed away. Plans for shutting down the business were on the cards when Sailendranath’s wife stepped in. 

Today, the restaurant continues to draw love from the city it once served. 

2. Potlar Dokan 

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“The place never had a formal name,” says Anindya. The original name ‘Potlar’ stemmed from ‘Potla’ who was one of the seven sons of Shashi Bhushan Sen, a cashier in Calcutta Tramways, and the owner of the restaurant. For Anindya and Dolon, the main pull here is the kochuri (a Bengali-style kachori) and telebhaja (fritters). 

3. Paramount 

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A hot afternoon in Kolkata has only one antidote, as Anindya and Dolon will testify. This is the sherbet at Paramount, located on Bankim Chatterjee Street in the city. Standing tall since 1918, the restaurant provides its guests with an opportunity to take a walk back in time through the years that have shaped its history. As the late founder’s son, Mrigendra Majumdar, recalled in an article to Outlook, “My father had ingrained in us the ‘mantra’ of using quality ingredients, and that is what has stood us in good stead all these years.”

As Anindya and Dolon also discovered on their rendezvous here, the recipe for the daab sharbat was handed down by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray, a celebrated chemist and historian.

4. Bnete Da’s tea shop 

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