Vijee Venkatraman

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Discovering Afghan Cuisine A World Away

I grew up in India, but it was at restaurants in the United States that I came to know and love the food of my old neighbor, Afghanistan. So I was dismayed when my friend Ashok had the opportunity, but not the inclination, to learn more...

It’s Delicious No Matter What You Call It

Recently, I caught a rerun of the famous Soup Nazi episode from the popular sitcom "Seinfeld." When the characters discussed mulligatawny, a soup from India, I felt happy, the way you generally do when you hear about a good guy from your hometown making a...

Indian Ban leads to Lentil Shortage

In the hands of an Indian cook, lentils - also called dals or pulses - might be made into spinach dal or sambar. Whatever dish they go into, they feature prominently on the daily menu of most Indian-American families. Open a kitchen cabinet in a...

A Spicebox & Cookbook Got Her Started

When I set off to graduate school in the US, the Internet had not yet taken over the world. I actually spoke to people to gather information about life in America in general and my destination, New Orleans, in particular. So, I was delighted to...