Journalism of Courage
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Sadaf Hussain
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The writer is a chef and the author, most recently, of Masalamandi: A Guide to the World of Indian Spice Blends
More From Sadaf Hussain
Strait of Hormuz is closed. So is the migrant worker’s kitchenSubscriber Only
July 24, 2026 19:05 IST
We like to tell ourselves the cook goes home and eats clean, off his own field, closer to the soil, free of a packet he could never afford. This is mostly false, and we know it, because we watched it five years ago
Mon, Jul 27, 2026
What UP’s One District, One Cuisine leaves out is the story of UP itselfSubscriber Only
May 11, 2026 18:07 IST
The vegetarian and the non-vegetarian here are not parallel cuisines. They are one cuisine taking turns at the stove
Tue, May 12, 2026
During Ramzan, the fasting makes the feasting meaningfulSubscriber Only
February 20, 2026 07:17 IST
Overflowing tables are easy markers of culture. But it is the quieter hours that give weight to our celebrations. The fast may be invisible, but it is what makes the feast meaningful in the first place
Fri, Feb 20, 2026
From galawat ke kabab to malai gilori, Lucknow asks you to take a pause and savour itSubscriber Only
November 26, 2025 17:06 IST
When UNESCO named it a “Creative City of Gastronomy,” it wasn’t an unexpected honour. It was a long-overdue acknowledgement
Fri, Nov 28, 2025
Why UP’s proposed ‘One District, One Cuisine’ initiative risks flattening India’s rich food heritageSubscriber Only
July 20, 2025 14:02 IST
From its diverse street food to forgotten family recipes, food is more than a dish — it’s an identity shaped by caste, community, and memory. It is not about branding, it is about belonging
Sun, Jul 20, 2025
Puri, halwa and dignity: Bhandaras offer a glimpse of the sacred, as well as food securitySubscriber Only
May 27, 2025 16:43 IST
Community meals, which are so central to celebrations in India, are not just about the act of feeding people. They are also about reinforcing the idea that everyone deserves to eat
Tue, May 27, 2025
The gendered burden of festive celebrationSubscriber Only
March 12, 2025 19:20 IST
It is worthwhile to stop and think about how the responsibilities that come with a more grueling social and spiritual calendar are distributed within the household
Wed, Mar 12, 2025
How the Indian Coffee House brewed the politics of revolution, one cup at a timeSubscriber Only
July 06, 2024 22:08 IST
From the freedom movement to Emergency, addas over coffee offered a safe space for resistance
Sat, Jul 06, 2024
Breaking our food myths: Muslims don’t make the best qorma and Afghan bakeries have Bihari bakersSubscriber Only
April 09, 2024 12:59 IST
Food serves as a powerful bridge between cultures, but only if one is willing to embrace new culinary experiences. Sharing meals is a crucial step towards appreciating culinary diversity that may also protect food and culinary practices from being politicised
Wed, Apr 10, 2024
Not just Kakori Kebab: The immortal legacy of Chef Imtiaz QureshiSubscriber Only
February 18, 2024 18:00 IST
He was not just a chef — he was an ustad dedicated to his craft and a mentor generous with his wisdom.
Wed, Feb 21, 2024
Chicken tikka masala or butter chicken: The origins of this popular style of chicken are irrelevantSubscriber Only
December 23, 2022 14:35 IST
Instead of obsessing over the question of who invented the chicken tikka masala, it is better to celebrate all those who contributed to its rich flavours.
Fri, Dec 23, 2022
How Diwali became a festival of food and memories, history and cultureSubscriber Only
October 22, 2022 11:00 IST
Growing up in Ramgarh, Jharkhand, the festival was a celebration of life and flavours
Mon, Oct 24, 2022
The flavour of nostalgia: How Nirula’s changed the way Delhi eatsSubscriber Only
October 08, 2022 17:50 IST
Deepak Nirula, who died this week, was a pioneer in the fast food industry. Nirula’s is a brand that gave people choices when they didn’t have many
Sat, Oct 08, 2022
Said-ul-Ajaib: Home to a 14th century Tughlaq chamberlain is now a cafe and boutique hubSubscriber Only
June 22, 2022 14:05 IST
If Mehrauli was a mandi and a place for blue-collar workers, Said-ul-Ajaib emerged as a space for business and art. The early cafes and experimental artists’ studios were attracted to the area for its bohemian appeal reminiscent of the lofts and attics of the western world.
Sat, Jun 25, 2022
Mehrauli: Delhi’s first ‘city’, and its old and new mandisSubscriber Only
June 04, 2022 09:00 IST
Mehrauli continues to fascinate its visitors — the young and the “hip” flock to its many clubs and boutiques, historians are often found meandering through its narrow lanes studying one of its many structures, tourists flock to Qutub Minar, and pilgrims go to its temples and dargahs to seek comfort in the divine
Sat, Feb 18, 2023
Chirag Dilli and its bygone days of colourful weddingsSubscriber Only
May 21, 2022 10:59 IST
Though Chirag Dilli is now surrounded by some of the most upscale colonies of South Delhi, till the 1950s, there was nothing but farmlands and dense jungles. Among the wilderness was the shrine of Hazrat Nasiruddin Mahmud Chiragh-Dehlavi.
Sat, Jun 25, 2022
Celebrating the land Gods of rural Delhi in Khirki villageSubscriber Only
May 11, 2022 12:50 IST
As Delhi expanded southwards in the 1950s and 60s, it gobbled up the farmlands of the rural villages that had existed along the periphery of the city for hundreds of years. Khirki was one of them. Suddenly dispossessed of their land and livelihoods, the people continued to retain their ties to their traditional ways of life and social organisation.
Sat, Jun 25, 2022
Eid in Hauz Rani: One roof, many cultures and customsSubscriber Only
May 02, 2022 15:54 IST
We often think of “Old Delhi” as the current Shahjahanabad area. However, a number of urban villages in the city (especially concentrated in South Delhi) trace their history to the Sultanate era. This five-part series focuses on the history and culture of Delhi’s “urban villages”. We would explore the everyday practices and living culture of these communities and situate them within the larger history of Delhi.
Sat, Jun 25, 2022
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