A deeply savoury curry found in many South Indian and Ceylonese homes.

How this writer’s Ceylonese grandfather taught his multi-lingual grandkids valuable lessons about the complex world of legumes.

Give tofu some extra love with a healthy dose of warm spices and plenty of complementary textures.

A mild, gently spiced curry thickened with cashews and fresh coconut.

A wholesome one-bowl meal for special occasions or just because, packed with flavourful spices and hefty vegetables.

A quick vegetable stir-fry with the classic savoury spices of an Indian kitchen.

Learn about the many sweet and salty snacks commonly devoured during the festive season. Illustrations by Veshalini Naidu.

A deep, dark, complex mutton dish to impress your guests on festive occasions.

Turn a can of luncheon meat into a spicy dish, a perfect pantry meal to cook before grocery runs.

Zhuzh up your everyday tomato soup with spices and raisins for a flavoursome lunch.

A versatile minced meat sauce that can be paired with your carb of choice for a complete meal or even a quick snack.

Unlike many other chutneys popular in the Malaysian-Indian repertoire, this one veers sweet and makes for a great snack on its own.

This version of Malaysian-Indian chicken curry uses store-bought curry powder such as Baba’s, but is taken up a notch with extra spices.

A subtly spiced and hearty side dish, unfussy enough for a weeknight. 

Made with fresh rice of the first harvest at the end of the winter solstice, this is offered to gods & goddesses before family & friends.

Leela’s late mother was the family’s ‘culinary comforter’, and taught her how to make this vegetable dish. Complex in flavour, this recipe takes no shortcuts.

The star of this dish is fenugreek, along with the freshest fish possible.