Food

Coconut: How a Fruit Became a Slur

Tracing the controversial phrase’s past, present, and future.

Raita, the Yogurt Dish that Escapes Categorization

Is it a chutney, a sauce, a dip, or a drink? For those from the subcontinent, it’s all of the above.

America Ruined Caffeine. Can South Asia Save It?

How a pillar of community building became a drug for productivity.

Sitaphal’s Contested Past and Sweet Eternity

The fruit associated with a Hindu goddess isn’t South Asian at all. Or is it?

Shukto: The Bitter Dish Bengalis Love to Hate

Not everyone’s a fan of the centuries-old vegetable stew. But what would the region’s cuisine be without it?

The Double Lives of Beef-Eating South Asians

Many who grew up steering clear of the red meat are now opting in, sometimes secretly.

Vikas Khanna Isn’t Done Flying

The Michelin-star chef’s latest — and likely last — restaurant, Bungalow, is a manifestation of his mantra: “I’m as good as my last dish.”

How A Bowl of Fruit Became a South Asian Love Language

Affection comes in a various forms, but for many, the purest gesture is freshly washed, cut, or prepared produce.

The Butter Chicken Effect

As a lawsuit unfolds over the dish’s origins, it’s time to ask: has its popularity done more harm than good for Indian cuisine?

Pomegranates, the Ruby Jewels of the East

A viral article claimed the fruit is tasteless and making a “comeback.” But for South Asians and Iranians, it transcends any fad.

Karak Chai is Really the Story of South Asian Migrants

The accessible, diasporic brew is a byproduct of Gulf modernization — and its insidious underbelly.

Dates: The Sacred Superfood that Withstood Millennia

The ancient drupe has long been a staple for Muslims. Now, it’s the latest fad for health nuts in the West.

How South Indian Immigrants Shaped Malaysian Cuisine

Tamil, Malayali, and Kannadiga migrants are behind some of the archipelago’s biggest culinary hits, from roti canai to teh tarik.

South Asian Pizza is (Finally) Having Its Moment

Hold the pineapples and pepperoni. Enter: shutki, aloo chicken, naga pepper, and green chili chutney.

Black Pepper: From India’s “Black Gold” to Afterthought

Europeans colonized India in its quest for the once priceless spice. How did we start taking salt’s best friend for granted?

The Succulent World of South Asian Barbecue

The subcontinent’s reverence for grilled meats and treats transcends the tandoor.

Goan Food is Much More than Vindaloo

Restaurants have long reduced Goan cuisine, shaped by over 450 years of Portuguese rule, to one dish. That’s now changing — but is it enough?

How Shan Masala Spiced Up Diaspora Tables

Despite competition and import bans, the Pakistani venture built a global, $250 million business whose fans swear by its innovative spice blends.

Haleem, Now Available Near You

For many, the meat-and-pulse stew is a rare, Ramadan tradition. Now, chefs are bringing it, along with inventive modifications, to the masses.

Padma Lakshmi on ‘Taste the Nation’ Season 2: “To Eat is Political”

We chatted with the food writer and TV host about how American food is immigrant food, why she doesn’t care about what the 1% eats, and what’s next.

How Ferrero Rocher Melted South Asian Hearts

And why the significance of the once gold standard of gifting is no longer the same.

How Horlicks, Bournvita, and Complan Took Over India

World War I, celebrity ads, and scare tactics ensured that a Western concoction became a mainstay for the subcontinent and its diaspora.

Saravana Bhavan: Dosa, With a Side of Murder

Around 20 years ago, a Chennai court convicted the infamous restaurant chain’s founder of murder. What happened next was equally surprising.

The Death of Paan

How the tricornered treat, once a cornerstone of South Asian life and art, has slipped to the periphery.

How Cha Became Chai

British trade manipulation, espionage, and aggressive marketing changed the trajectory of the once-unpopular beverage in the Indian subcontinent.

Wazwan and the Fight to Keep the 36-Course Kashmiri Feast Alive

How Kashmiris around the world are championing the ancient meal once fit for kings as its chefs slowly dwindle.

How South Asians Reclaimed Tiffin

The colonial term — which refers to everything from a lunch box to a teatime meal — stuck around to become a cultural touchstone.

Hot Tamale Louie: The Pakistani, Tamale-Slinging Cowboy

How Zarif Khan changed a Wyoming town and redefined what it means to be American.

Trinidadian Doubles, the Unlikely Street Food Hit

How the national dish lifted families out of poverty, led to a family feud, and changed Caribbean cuisine forever.

Ethiopian and Indian Food: An Interconnected History

Sambusa and samosa. Injera and appam. Misir wot and dal. How over 2,000 years of trade shaped the cuisines of the two ancient cultures.

Madhur Jaffrey, Always the Perfectionist

The chef, actor, and writer showed the West that Indian cooking was worthwhile and Indian women had bite. And she still has several projects up her sleeve.

How India Became a Nation of Eggetarians

The egg’s prominence in the Indian vegetarian diet is a point of contention. The perennial question is: are eggs meat?

Not All South Asians Like it Hot

How eating spicy food became so intertwined with South Asian identity, and why it’s time to retire the stereotype.

In Tadka We Trust

Each drop is a sensory universe. Here’s how the technique as old as time came to define South Asian cuisines.

Khichdi Deserves More than the Sloppy Treatment

It’s time to celebrate the rice and lentil dish synonymous with home comfort, which rarely makes it to restaurant menus and has been appropriated by wellness warriors.

In Defense of Doodh Soda

Despite Pepi’s viral ad, mixing milk and coke is nothing new. In fact, the combination has a long history in South Asia.

How Tandoori Chicken Took Over South Asian Thanksgiving Tables

For the diaspora, the no-frills dish has become a curious fixture of the iconic holiday meal.

How Hilsa Became One of the World’s Priciest Fish

With insatiable demand and export bans, ilish maach has become expensive and hard to find — but that isn’t stopping the diaspora.

How the West Deemed Eating With Your Hands “Uncivilized”

And why the practice persisted in South Asia anyway.

How Chakri, a Diwali Special, Became a Global Snack Sensation

Crunchy, salty, spicy, and addictive, these savory fried coils are no longer just for the festive season, in large part, because of the diaspora.

Even Parle-G Isn’t Immune to Change

The iconic biscuit — long associated with consistent branding and pricing — shrunk its packaging twice in just the past year. But did anyone notice?

The Overlooked History of Punjabi Vegetarianism

Two-thirds of Punjab is vegetarian. But stereotypes of chicken-loving foodies persist, ignoring traditions shaped partly by Partition.

The Disappearing Sweets of Bengal

The region renowned for its sweet tooth endured multiple conflicts and divisions, losing many of its creative mishti-making traditions in the process.

How Bhut Jolokia, the Ghost Pepper, Took Over the West

Dubbed the hottest pepper in the world in 2007, the unique northeastern Indian chili became a tempting challenge for Western palates. But what got lost in the process?

Sri Lanka: The Reality of Mealtime in the Midst of Economic Collapse

The island nation’s worst economic crisis since its 1948 independence has forced people to change how and what they eat.

Why “Best Of” Lists Often Overlook South Asian Cuisines

But as these restaurants and chefs rack up recognition and business from ardent fans, do mainstream accolades even matter?

Irani Bakes Spread Through India. Now, They’re Disappearing.

As Parsi cafés shutter, Irani bakes that have become teatime staples — from mawa cake to nankhatai — are at risk of vanishing, too.

How Maggi Created a Generation of Experimental Cooks

The iconic instant noodles packet turns 40 in India, its biggest market, this year. Here’s how Maggi, despite a 2015 ban in the country, reshaped snacks and meals forever.

Rowdy Rooster Wants You to Fall in Love with Indian Fried Chicken

Roni Mazumdar and Chintan Pandya — behind New York City restaurants Adda, Dhamaka, and Semma — just launched their first quick-serve concept.

How India Made Ice Cream a Dessert of its Own

Once the mainstay of the colonial elite, ice cream — thanks to American GIs and Indian entrepreneurs — soon became the ubiquitous and flavorful treat that it is today.

The Urban Resurgence of Offal

Once a staple of Parsi home kitchens, animal organ dishes are showing up on urban restaurant menus — from those of Dhamaka to Bombay Canteen.

How Ghee Took Over U.S. Grocery Shelves

The recent global rise of the clarified butter is striking for an ingredient steeped in centuries of culinary history.

For The Great British Baking Show's Crystelle Pereira, Passion Means More Than Perfection

We sat down with the finalist to chat about focaccia, the one spice she can’t live without, why she didn’t kiss Mr. Spatula, and what’s next.

Why We Rarely See Bengali Restaurants Outside Bengal

Is London’s Chourangi a sign that global appetites are changing, or will Bengali food take longer to make its well overdue mark?

India’s Burning Hot Love for the Sizzler

The scorch-your-tongue dish grew popular in the 1960s, but few know how it came to India. Some say California, others Japan, but the real story is not so straightforward.

The (South Asian) History of Curry Powder

People mistakenly call many foods “curry” or use the word as an insult. But let’s not forget curry powder’s subcontinental roots.

How a New Generation in India is Reclaiming Gin

Once a remnant of colonial times and consumed primarily by an older generation, gin is now enjoying a revival as cool, young, and uniquely Indian.

The Sri Lankan Hopper is Going Global

The quintessential island snack is making its way around the world, appearing on menus from the U.K. to Australia and beyond.

Why India isn't Known For its Alcohol

France has champagne, Japan has sake, Scotland has whiskey. So, why isn't India famous for an alcohol of its own?

Opinion: The Audacity of Culinary Caucacity

Gene Weingarten’s Washington Post article isn’t the first time mainstream media has tried to pass off racist commentary as satire, humor, or harmless.

The Elusive Appeal of Bengal’s Gondhoraj Lebu

Few outside Bengal have been able to appreciate the delights of the "king of aroma." But thanks to a new generation of chefs, the citrus is slowly making its way into cuisines across India.

Dunkin’ Runs on South Asian America

Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi immigrants have been a big part of the chain’s success. But as larger franchise networks take over, newer arrivals can no longer get their foot in the door.

How the Amul Girl Became India’s Conscience

The iconic butter brand’s take defined how Indians consumed news. But with less room for political dissent, the Amul girl has been holding her tongue.

How Assamese Pithas are Going Mainstream

A new crop of entrepreneurs are serving up these traditional rice flour-based delicacies at scale — and, in turn, bringing them from the kitchen to homes outside Assam.

How India Loved, Lost, and Returned to Coca-Cola

In India, a bottle of Coca-Cola is synonymous with celebration. But the country's love affair with the soda wasn't always smooth sailing — Coke was banned in India for nearly 20 years.

Tamarind: India’s Quintessential Candy Flavor

Although tamarind has always been a large part of savory South Asian cooking, its sourness also has a sweet side.

How a Portuguese Technique Led to a Bengali Sondesh Explosion

Nearly 500 years ago, the Portuguese popularized milk curdling in Bengal. Bengalis would add sweetness and create a rich delicacy.

The Second Globalization of Turmeric

For centuries, turmeric has categorically been the South Asian spice. But, in recent years, it has exploded throughout the West, from face masks to lattes and beyond.

How America’s Patel Brothers Won the Indian Grocery Game

For many new immigrants, the store was a saving grace in a world full of Wonder Bread and Ruffles.

The Rooh Afza Renaissance

The ubiquitous, cooling drink known for its permanent spot on the iftar spread is also indelibly linked with the history of Partition.

The Shifting Tides of India’s Seafood Traditions

Though plentiful and sustainable, shellfish such as clams, mussels, oysters, and snails barely make an appearance in popular accounts of Indian seafood.

How Trader Joe’s Became Known for Its Indian Food

The American grocery chain inadvertently built a line of products — from lamb vindaloo to spicy chakri mix — that appeal to South Asians and non-South Asians alike.

The Weight of Parsi Toddy

How an ancient tradition cemented itself in Parsi kitchens, and why it is now fading away.

How Posto Became Bengal’s Comfort Food

The rise of poppy in Bengali cuisine went hand in hand with the British love for tea.

Community Cookbooks, A Window Into a Bygone Era

A generation of Marathi cookbooks highlight unusual ingredients, old cooking techniques, and absurdly high expectations of women.

A History of Bhang, India’s Most Accessible Cannabis

From Holi celebrations to paan shops, bhang has been consumed for thousands of years in India.

What Recipes Leave Off the Page

Recipes, family legacies, and lore are passed down in the kitchen, not the written word.

How Soya Nuggets Became a Household Ingredient in India

A strange twist of history made this plant-based protein a feature of Indian cuisine.

Sri Lanka’s Little-Known Memoni Cuisine

For years, Memoni food remained absent from mainstream Sri Lankan cuisine, but women from the community are changing that.

Baul Dada Sings of the American Dream

The singing street food vendor brought jhalmuri to New York City, then got caught in immigration purgatory.

How Chili Peppers Spiced Up the South Asian Palate

Whether fresh, dried, tempered, roasted, fried, powdered, stuffed, or pickled, the not-so-native fruit has become deeply enmeshed in regional cuisines.

How Lijjat Became a Global Papad Brand

The story of a women-owned cooperative that turned 80 rupees into a business worth millions of dollars.

2020 in Review: Our Top 10 Stories on Food

Our most drool-worthy food features from the year.

Ten of our Favorite Drinks for the Holidays

Sweet and milky, warm and spicy, or berry-licious and boozy — we have all your holiday drink needs covered.

Here’s How Brown Chefs are Celebrating Thanksgiving

From pumpkin biryani to sweet potato samosas, three Brown chefs share their favorite Thanksgiving meals.

Our Ten Favorite Biryanis to Plate this Thanksgiving

Will it be light and fresh veg biryani, divine seafood biryani, or nutty lamb biryani? The final pick is yours.

The Revival of Sri Lanka's Kithul Palm Treacle

The sweet vegan syrup is evolving from a dessert sweetener to a condiment in savory dishes and boozy drinks.

Rishi Naleendra, Michelin Star-Chef, Spotlights Sri Lankan Cuisine

A "short brown guy from a small island" shared his native food with the world — and they ate it up.