First I would like to kindly thank Sucheta for letting me write a guest entry on her blog! I recently met Sucheta in Nepal where I was re-visiting VIN (Volunteers Initiative Nepal) whom I worked for last year. This year I set up a partner foundation called Friends of VIN (visit our newly launched website Friends […]

India and Nepal are two neighboring countries that have a lot of similarities and a few differences. Often times you would hear the phrase “same same but different” in reference to contrasting the two. My own personal experience aligns quite well with this. Like India, women in Nepal wear salwaar kameez and saris, adorned with […]

My perception of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal was quite different than the reality. I had envisioned a metropolitan city, neatly maintaining the balance between the old and new, cobblestone pathways leading to the Hindu temples and Buddhist stupas where peace and fresh air fills into your lungs, streets of restaurants and bars where hippies, […]

My friend and food blogger Lakshmi Jagad came up with this brilliant idea of sharing her five memorable meals ever eaten: It could be anything that makes the meal memorable – the food, the place, the place you were in your life when you ate, the company, the weather, the ambience – heck, the guy […]

Often times people ask me, I want to go somewhere abroad but don’t know how to start organizing it. Planning a trip can be quite a challenge, especially when it’s an unfamiliar country with a different language and culture. Moreover, people are looking for the flexibility to go on their own, where and when they want to. Solo travel […]

I learned that citizens from 180 nationalities call Amsterdam home. That explains the variety of cuisines you can find here. On a single street there are restaurants from India, Thailand, Malaysia, Mexico, Argentina, Italy, Japan, Brazil, China and more! The culture here has always been freedom of expression and will, which explains why Amsterdam is a […]

On my return from New Delhi to Atlanta this past week, I had a 11 hours layover in Amsterdam. In a way, I was glad about it. I have traveled extensively in Europe but never had the opportunity to visit Holland (or Netherlands). I was very close to moving there once in 2008 while working […]

Volunteers Initiative Nepal or VIN is a Nepal based not-for-profit organization that was founded in 2005 by Bhupendra Ghimire (Bhupi). Bhupi grew up in a remote village in Nepal where he had to walk three hours a day to school. He was one of the few students from his village to complete graduation and later on went […]

I am totally in awe after meeting some volunteers here in Kathmandu. There are boys and girls in their 20’s who have come from Canada, USA, Switzerland, UK and Australia – all with common goals to give back to this world and experience life in a different culture. They have abandoned their comfortable lifestyles and families, […]

The Golden Temple in Amritsar is one of the most spiritual places in India. The temple is a Sikh temple (aka gurduwara). It was constructed in 1604. Made entirely of gold, the temple is simply spectacular in its architecture and beauty teaching lesson of egalitarianism and humility. Even though I grew up in north India, […]

New Delhi, the capital of India is perhaps the only city in the world where a vast number of different religions coexist with much harmony. The population of India is majority Hindu, but also includes a good number of Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, Jews and Zoroastrians. If you want to visit all their places […]

The past week has been rather interesting and insightful. I have been in India, acting as a host and guide to my dear friend, Gina. This is her first time visiting India, even Asia. She is originally from US but currently living in Spain. The first day we took a drive in Delhi, Gina pointed […]

Here’s a crowd favorite dessert that I end up making during the holidays every year. Even people who don’t typically like pumpkin, love this recipe. What makes it extra special is the caramelized burnt sugar (or brûlée) that tops off the creamy cheesecake. If you don’t have a  brûlée torch, it is well worth the small investment. For variations, […]

Growing up in India, Diwali was a huge affair. It is a festival celebrated by all of India (Hindu or not), sort of like New Year’s. Known as the festival of lights, the victory of good over evil, homecoming of Lord Rama and welcoming Goddess Lakshmi, Diwali is the biggest festival in India. The scene […]

Who says you can’t eat lobster for every course? Well, not dessert (I think) but I did eat these wonderful lobster dishes while in Maine last week. Not one was overcooked, which is typically how you find it in the south. Sweet juicy lobster meat was delicately seasoned, sometimes not at all, so that you […]

This coming weekend, I will be presenting at the Travel Adventure Show in Atlanta. I will be cooking a dish from Cyprus for the Fiery Food Challenge. The dish is Halloumi with Red Peppers, Capers and Olives Dressing. It is hearty, spicy and delicious with layers of different flavors creating an explosion in your mouth! Halloumi […]

Last night I taught The Help (book and movie) themed cooking class at the Hal’s Kitchen cooking school in Atlanta. If you are familiar with the story, you would remember the character Minnie, who was known to be the best cook amongst the help available in the small town of Mississippi. She was also famous for […]

When I visited Morocco last Fall, I took cooking lessons from the locals, indulged in the native food and came home with some cookbooks for reference. Eating at home in Rabat was very different than eating at Moroccan restaurants. There were a variety of vegetables that were used in everyday cooking (and were delicious) which […]

Finally gave in and tried this odd combination that has been raved about in magazine and on food shows!  (Opening episode of the Food Network‘s show Dweezil & Lisa; Travel Channel‘s show Man v. Food.) An establishment started by Shangha Hankerson, son of famous R&B singers from the south, Glady’s Knights and Ron Winans Chicken and Waffles has […]

In this recipe, Chef Zouhair Zariri, author of the book, Moorish Fusion Cuisine: Conquering the New World combines two of his favorite ingredients, fennel and artichoke to make a light, healthy soup that combines flavors of East and West. With the chill of fall creeping in, it is the perfect comfort food with a twist. Serves 6 […]