Each kitchen disaster will be worth it in the end
I was 21 when I moved out of my parents’ house. We had shuffled around the Delhi-NCR region through my childhood, and finally settled in Gurugram. But this was my first relocation without the safety net of my parents. Thankfully, I had my sister, but we were both spoiled children; despite our middle-class upbringing, our mother did everything in her power to shield us from major responsibilities. This also meant that we had to flap our wings harder than most others leaving their nest.
I’ve come a long way since then—I can even whip up a delicious chicken ghee roast if I’m in a good mood—but I still remember the first time I successfully made a dish from scratch. It was an especially gloomy, overcast morning during the lockdown. As the rains lashed against the window, I decided to make poha. I don’t know why I picked poha. I’m not even fond of the dish. Being a picky eater, I always turned down my mother’s offers to try it from her bowl (moms take note: how to raise a child who eats everything). And yet, something about that morning made me type three words into the Google search bar—poha+tarla+dalal.
Tarla Dalal was the culinary mentor I needed at that moment. My mother may have been thousands of kilometres away from me, but it felt like Tarla aunty was right there with me, reminding me that I hadn’t added enough haldi. My grama-garam poha might have ended up looking like a khichadi, but it was more than I had ever accomplished before. Dalal’s cookbooks are a staple in Indian households, and soon, her recipes were on rotation in my kitchen. During her lifetime, she made gourmet cooking accessible to everyone, from beginners to seasoned cooks, and her legacy still endures, inspiring new generations of professional and amateur chefs.
However, Dalal isn’t the sole influence that got me to finally pick up a pateela. Thanks to social media, women across the country— often unsung storehouses of culinary knowledge — have a platform to share their food histories, legacies and family recipes with the world. Professional and home chefs from various regions are bringing their expertise to readers and viewers with warm smiles, steaming plates of food and their unique style. Here, we celebrate this new tribe of innovative women who have found their way into our kitchens (and hearts), generously passing on their culinary wisdom, from basic cooking techniques to speciality dishes rooted in their heritage.
Nisha Madhulika: The YouTube sensation with heart
Known for her ‘mom vibes’, Nisha Madhulika, is a beloved figure in the Indian cooking community, celebrated for her approachable and heartfelt cooking style. Her YouTube channel has demystified Indian vegetarian cuisine for millions, offering homely recipes with a focus on simplicity, everyday ingredients and traditional methods. Beginners will find comfort in her warm presence and clear instructions, easing the stress of mishaps and enhancing the joy of cooking.
Madhulika began her online journey in 2011, and since then, her channel has won over 14 million subscribers, making her one of India’s most-viewed YouTube chefs. Whether you’re looking for traiditional Indian dishes or an update on signature classics (homemade chocolate ghujjia, anyone?), her videos are crafted to empower even novice cooks like me to enter the kitchen with confidence.
Aruna Mucherla: The constant cheerleader
“She’s literally Joy from Inside Out,” commented one follower under an Instagram post by Aruna Mucherla, and the more you engage with her content (and recipes), the more you realise how accurate this description is.
Mucherla focuses on South Indian cuisine, making it approachable for cooks of all skill levels. Her content offers an eclectic mix of recipes, insights on various ingredients and their uses, as well as sustainability hacks like creating a floor cleaner with food scraps. Her infectious energy, beaming presence and constant encouragement will lift your spirits, even if you fail to successfully make one of her recipes. I still turn to her rasam recipe whenever I crave something tangy and spicy.
Vijayalakshmi Vikram: The vegan virtuoso
There was a period when I decided to be vegetarian, which disappointed my parents more than me saying, “I didn’t like biryani” (I still don’t). Taking it a step further, I also considered veganism during that time but could never commit to it. I loved dahi too much. But I was still curious and attempted looking up a few vegan dishes. If I had come across Vijayalakshmi Vikram’s recipes then, I wouldn’t have been so intimidated to try what I considered ‘complicated’ vegan dishes.
Her Instagram handle, Viji Moo, is a treasure trove of delectable plant-based recipes that showcase her creativity and passion for veganism. Vikram stands out for her meticulous attention to detail and her ability to simplify complex recipes, making vegan cooking accessible and enjoyable. From hearty curries to decadent desserts, her recipes prove that vegan food can be both nutritious and delicious. Fans of kimchi will particularly enjoy her kimchi fried rice recipe.
Kabita’s Kitchen: The daily cook’s BFF
Kabita Singh is like that neighbour who always lends you a cup of sugar, and shares three ways to use it. Her YouTube channel ‘Kabita’s Kitchen’ is a lifeline for those seeking practical, everyday Indian recipes. Her videos are straightforward, focusing on quick and easy meals that anyone can whip up. With her friendly and relatable style, Singh has garnered a massive following, making her a trusted source for home cooks looking to create delicious meals without spending hours in the kitchen.
Her papad ki chutney, though not a traditional chutney, was a revelation—papad‘s crunchy appeal can extend to sabjis and curries as well.
Baljinder Kaur Gill: The custodian of Punjabi cuisine
Also known as ‘The Authentic Punjabee’, Gill wholeheartedly celebrates the robust and hearty flavours of Punjabi cuisine. Her Instagram is brimming with recipes that showcase the rich culinary traditions of Punjab featuring timeless classics like butter chicken and sarson da saag. Gill’s passion for her culture, and her ability to translate the depth and diversity of Punjabi cuisine into mouth-watering recipes, makes her a standout home chef in the culinary world.
I’ve had my eye on her Punjabi lamp chops recipe for a while, but the most captivating part of her content is the stories that accompany each recipe— glimpses of her life experiences, family, community, even messages from readers. Alongside this access to authentic recipes, you can also bask in the warmth of a tight-knit community bonding over similar life experiences, and perhaps, feel a little less alone.
Sameera Fatima: The Hyderabadi cuisine veteran
“There’s no good North Indian food here,” is a common gripe shared by North Indians in Mumbai. Personally, I’ve realised that I don’t miss ‘North Indian’ food, but a specific blend of Lucknowi-Hyderabadi cuisine I grew up eating, influenced by my parents’ background. Turns out, all I needed was to the right chef to transport me back home. Sameera Fatima knows the magic of Hyderabadi cuisine and is determined to make it accessible to everyone. Her recipes span the full spectrum of this rich culinary tradition, from mutton yakhni soup to khichda, biryani, and haleem. What sets her apart is her ability to break down complex dishes into simple, step-by-step instructions that even beginners can follow. Her approachable cooking style means I could try making traditional Hyderabadi dishes without feeling overwhelmed.
Whether you’re attempting a dum biryani or the decadent Royal Falooda, Sameera’s detailed guidance ensures that you feel like a pro in your own kitchen and while I know my culinary skills aren’t refined enough to attempt a dum biryani, Sameera Fatima has a recipe for more ambitious cooks. If you’re feeling even more adventurous, I’d recommend going straight for the Royal Falooda.
Nambie Jessica Marak: The champion of Assamese cuisine
Nambie Jessica Marak, known for her YouTube channel ‘Eat Your Kappa,’ went from home chef to professional chef when she featured on MasterChef India in 2023. Marak has dedicated her culinary career to embracing her tribal roots, celebrating her Garo heritage and sharing the rich favours of northeast India with her audience.
Her Instagram profile serves as a valuable repository of traditional recipes, highlighting the unique ingredients and cooking techniques of the Garo community. Marak’s approach to an often misunderstood cuisine is both educational and conversational, making regional specialties and local ingredients less intimidating, especially for newcomers. Would you have given up your lasun-mirchi ki chutney (garlic-chilli chutney) for a chutney made using fish before this? Maybe, maybe not, but Marak will guide you through it, sharing local lore along the way. And on days when you wake up craving something wholesome, just reach for her pitika recipe. Try it once, and thank me later.
Source link
Modified by Maaaty at Cheap Generic Pharmacy
