Cookilicious All the Way

Priya a pleasure to talk to a foodie. What got you into food?

My life has always revolved around food. In my growing up years, I would love to observe people around me cook food. Be it my grandmom, mom, dad, and even my neighbors. I would just be observing them and taking it all in. Then my college helped me get into the science of food. I studied Foods and Nutrition as part of my curriculum for 4 years during my graduation in Home Science. There has been no looking back since then. Initially, it was all about playing host and making new and different dishes for my family and friends. However, the last 4 years have also been about how to make a living out of it!

I love your IG handle. How do you get your inspiration?

Instagram and Pinterest are my go-to social media channels for inspiration.

I enjoy coming up with ways to adapt dishes into a vegetarian/vegan format.

I love watching cooking shows. Learning cooking techniques from experts and learning about food from other cultures is so much fun!

Another thing I love doing is talking to elderly people and getting to know the stories behind certain dishes/recipes that have been in the family for generations. It can be quite fascinating!!

Also, there are so many wonderful food bloggers out there who inspire me to do better every single day.

Food photography is my new found passion.

In my case, I have chosen my hobby and passion to be my profession – but burnout is a real thing! So, I try to keep it interesting by doing all of the things mentioned above to make sure I don’t lose my interest and creativity.

Do you focus on vegetarian food only from the south or the entire part of India?  

Cookilicious focusses on vegetarian and vegan food from across the world. It is not just limited to (South) Indian cooking. My roots lie in Indian cuisine, but I love eating and cooking multi-cultural cuisine.

Name me five ingredients that you cannot do without? On the other hand, five ingredients or vegetables that you could do without?

I cannot do without Instant noodles, but since they don’t count as vegetables or ingredients, here are my top 5 pantry staples in no particular order –

Potatoes, turmeric, paprika or chilly powder, garam masala, and garlic.

I can’t seem to think of anything I can do without it.

Can Indian vegetarian food become vegan without the ghee or its not the same flavor?

Yes, it very well can. In fact, many of our foods are naturally vegan. But, I feel, these swaps are a minor differentiating factor when you are making a big lifestyle change. Coconut oil or sesame oil (depending on the recipe) works as a great substitute for ghee in Indian dishes.

Priya, what does women empowerment mean to you? 

That is a loaded question. 🙂

Female empowerment to me means the power (and freedom) of choice!

A woman should have the choice to make her own decisions without being judged by society.

Be it a choice of education, career, consent, a life partner, or even children, a woman must have the power to choose for herself!

If a woman can take a stand for herself without any fear of society, that’s empowerment.

How is the modern Indian woman different from her mother and grandmother?

In my opinion, the modern Indian woman is okay with not doing it all and accepting there are things she can’t or even won’t do.

There’s a different thought process gaining traction now. It’s okay for a woman to focus on herself and her career.

The idea that it is the woman’s job to manage the house and raise the children, and that her career comes after is slowly going away.

I think that’s a key difference. There’s more freedom of choice for women these days.

Talk to me about some of the things you want seeing changed in the Indian culture? 

Over the years, there have been a lot of positive changes happening in Indian culture. But misogyny, discrimination, and inequality still exist and that is a harsh reality.

I would really like to see any kind of discrimination (based on gender/religion/caste) go away. Equality is the way forward – for every man, woman, and child.

Talk to me a little about your faith, the special feasts, and how you celebrate them?

While I am not very religious – I have inherited a sense of tradition from my parents. I do celebrate most Indian festivals.  I see every Indian festival like Christmas or Thanksgiving –  a time to create special memories with family and strengthen familial bonds.

Since our families live in India – here in the United States, my husband and I celebrate these festivals with our closest friends. On these special days, I tend to cook dishes that are more traditional in nature – those that I’ve seen my mother prepare when I was a child.

To give you an example, Diwali is a very famous Indian festival. It is called the Festival of Lights. As with other Indian festivals, Diwali has a religious connotation and signifies the triumph of light over darkness, It is an official holiday in India. On this day, people wear new clothes specially purchased for this festival. Delicious food is cooked and families will usually meet up with each other. The festival is also associated with fireworks, so children and adults alike will wake up at the crack of dawn to set off fireworks.

On this day, I will clean the house, prepare a traditional Indian meal, go to the temple, and in the evening, have friends over so everyone can set off fireworks and then have dinner. By doing this, it gives everyone a chance to relive their childhood memories and to connect with each other.

For the children especially, it is an opportunity to get to know their culture and roots.

You have been chosen to cook vegetarian food for the four living US presidents. I want to know a soup, starter, main course, and dessert you will cook for them?

It would be such an honor if this really happens someday. I would probably serve them the following dishes, one from each corner of India.

Soup – Rasam Soup Shots – Rasam is a dish from the South of India. It’s a hot and spicy lentil soup made with tomatoes, curry leaves, and tamarind.

Starter – Mini Vada Pav Sliders – Vada Pav is a famous street-food from Mumbai (West India). It’s a bite-sized fried potato pattie wedged between mini burger buns that are smeared with a mix of sweet, spicy, and tangy chutneys.

Main Course – Kadai Paneer – Kadai Paneer is a dish from the North of India. It features paneer cubes marinated in a rich and creamy onion-tomato gravy. This dish is served with Naan – Indian flatbread, and Jeera Rice – an aromatic side dish made with Basmati rice, cumin seeds, and ghee.

Dessert – Rose flavored Sandesh  – A famous dessert from Eastern India made with paneer and rose syrup.