When I was planning my trip to Sikkim, I had only two things on my agenda – eating momos and getting a good view of the Kanchenjunga. Yes, pretty much the simple stuff. This was one of those trips where I wanted to do slow travelling, eat heartily, stay put in one place and immerse in knowing that place well. And that’s exactly what I did.
Category: vegan food writing
The Quiet Life of Bread in Goa
If you stay long enough in a residential area in Goa, morning will begin with a sound. A rhythmic horn of a bicycle cutting through quiet. If you follow it, you’ll find a man on a bicycle, with a large basket balanced behind him. Inside it lies Goa’s daily ritual, its breads.
Three Unusual Foods I had as a Vegan in Sikkim
As I sat at the breakfast table, mountain air slipping in through the window, she placed a plate in front of me with one whole piece of something which resembled both a fruit and vegetable, along with tomato chutney. “What is this?” I asked, with my eyes scanning to place if I had ever eaten it before. I touched it—it was soft—but I still couldn’t figure out what it was. It was pale yellow in colour and looked like a mix of guava and cucumber.
For me, Padwa is equal to Puranpoli
Whoever thought of making a dough, filling it with cooked chana dal and jaggery, rolling it out, cooking it on a tawa, and then eating it piping hot, was a genius.
Because I don’t know any other dish like puranpoli that’s as filling and fulfilling at the same time.
I had the best pasta in Portugal and not in Italy
Yes, I know Italians will murder me for saying this. But it’s true.
A few years back I was on a work trip to Italy and Portugal. In Italy, I had all the usual popular Italian dishes – different types of pastas and pizzas – and I really indulged in all of them and must say I thoroughly enjoyed it too.
But that was until I reached Cabo da Roca in Sintra, Portugal.
All Things Ber: The Ancient Fruit, The Modern Muse
When I finally saw my favourite winter fruit with the fruit vendor, I instantly picked it up, wiped it clean on my t-shirt, and impatiently took the first bite. Yeah, yeah, I know that I need to wash it at least ten times before eating it. But some things you just can’t resist.
6 lessons I’ve learnt from being a vegan in India for 6 years
It’s World Vegan Day, and I thought it’s a good time to reflect on my journey of being vegan in India for almost 6 years now and pen down the lessons that I’ve learnt along the way.
Why I want to go back to Vietnam—Just to Eat as a Vegan
I’m planning to go back to Vietnam just to eat. Yes, you heard that right — I want to go to Vietnam just to eat.
Travelling to a new place for my birthday is a yearly ritual. As I sat down to research where to go this year, one country kept coming back to me — not for its beaches or bustling streets, but for its food and flavours: Vietnam.
An Ode to Indrayani Rice
The first time I tasted Indrayani rice, it felt like a childhood memory, warm and slightly sticky. It clung to my fingers and to my heart.
We had stopped at a dhaba on our way from Nasik to Mumbai, the kind mostly visited by travellers on route on the highway. I ordered a simple meal of rice, dal, and a sabzi. When it arrived, I frowned at the sticky-looking rice, unlike the semi-cooked basmati rice which is usually served. But my hungry hand ignored it and quickly mixed it with dal, took a bite, and then what I experienced, I can only call it rice nirvana.
World Poha Day is Here – So are the Memories it Brings
What other dish sparks regional rivalry, family loyalty, and childhood nostalgia all at once? Poha does—and now it even has a global day to prove it.
When I first heard that June 7 was being celebrated as World Poha Day—or Vishwa Poha Diwas—I was surprised. Don’t get me wrong, I am the biggest fan of poha, but having a day around it was what surprised me.