On Dec. 7 at General Muir, Parsi chef Meherwan Irani (owner of Chai Pani), Jewish chefs Todd Ginsberg (General Muir) and Eli Kirshtein (formerly The Luminary), and Indian chef Archna Becker (Bhojanic) came together for Challah Walla, an evening of delicious food and discussion about cultural similarities between Jews and Parsis. The restaurant was full,…
Palak paneer, chana masala, and the obscenely treif-sounding butter chicken don’t exactly scream “Jewish,” and they’re not likely to be on your grandmother’s holiday table. In India, however, Jews have a long history and an even longer culinary tradition. For millennia, India has been home to Jews, mostly from three groups: Cochin Jews, Bene Israel…
An article titled “Malida and the Sustainability of the Small Indian Jewish Community in NYC and the TriState Area” was commissioned by an editor a few years ago, but it was later vetoed. After that, the editor ghosted me, as many authors do. I’m posting this on this platform because I think you’ll find it…
After completing their army service, young adults in Israel take “the big excursion to the East,” whether it’s to “discover themselves” in ashrams, sleep on the beach in Goa, or smoke pot all day away from their parents’ prying eyes. One of the reasons Israelis believe they know everything there is to know about India…
Indian cuisine is recognized for its delicious and fragrant spices, slow and extended cooking procedures, and a variety of unusual dish titles. Growing up, my family didn’t eat Indian food very much because it was difficult to locate kosher ingredients and the flavor profile was unfamiliar. However, as my cooking skills improved, I began to…
MYSORE, INDIA (JTA) — MYSORE, INDIA (JTA) — Christmas in Kolkata has always been a festive occasion, from the sparkling exterior lights that adorn Park Street to the bustling pop-up Christmas market in the central rotunda of the enormous New Market. While the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the devastating aftereffects of Cyclone Amphan,…
Passover is a week-long festival commemorating the Israelites’ deliverance from Egyptian slavery. The Passover Seder kicks off the Jewish holiday with a traditional feast that includes some symbolic dishes that aren’t vegan-friendly. With these three vegan recipes, you can serve a delicious-looking meal during Passover. Potatoes, soy mince, onion, garlic, and a variety of delectable…
Kolkata: To Esther David, food is a memory. This woman received the Sahitya Akademi award for her writing, and it was for that very reason that she decided to become a writer. Women in the household, cooking together with a group of family members at a large table full of delicious Indian Jewish cuisine. I…
Why are Jews and Israel important? India is adored by the public. Kalnirnay, Western India’s ubiquitous calendar/almanac, is a delightfully ecumenical document that hangs in my kitchen. It has a list of all religious holidays, including several that I had no idea were celebrated in India. While Christmas has certainly taken center stage this week,…
Did you know that India’s Jews are descended from four separate groups, each with ancient Indian roots? Bene Israel, Cochin Jews, Sephardic Jews from Europe, and Iraqi “Baghdadis” are the four groupings. The Cochin Jews attribute their genealogy to King Solomon’s lost 10 Tribes, who came in quest of spices with him; the Bene Israel…