Welcome To Lassi With Lavina

Items in ‘Food’

Indian Onion Sutra

By Lavina Melwani • Mar 5th, 2010 • Category: Food

Warning: Do NOT Separate an Indian from his Onions! It’s the one ingredient that no self-respecting desi cook would want to be without; whether you are whipping up a Mughal feast or a poor man’s meal – onions are absolutely necessary. In fact, a shortage of onions can cause a near revolution in India!



Jehangir Mehta – Kitchen Warrior

By Lavina Melwani • Jan 5th, 2010 • Category: Food

Jehangir Mehta’s Graffiti Food and Wine Bar is probably one of the smallest restaurants and its kitchen is just 50 square feet, but Mehta produces some big tastes, using spices from many parts of the world, including India and Persia. Recently Zagat gave it a 26 for food which says a lot about the quality of Graffiti’s food. Mehta is indeed a fearless warrior who is not afraid of strong spices or of blending them in unconventional ways.



Christmas in Goa

By Lavina Melwani • Dec 18th, 2009 • Category: Food

What can be better than going home for Christmas, especially if home happens to be warm and sunny Goa? Chris and Beverly D’Souza with their young son Luke are in Goa, their hometown, far away from the cold of New York.



Jehangir Mehta’s Sweet Endings

By Lavina Melwani • Nov 25th, 2009 • Category: Food

Would you put green tomatoes in your dessert? How about basil or coriander? If you’re cringing, you’ve got to meet Jehangir Mehta, the pastry wizard who’s created a big buzz in Manhattan.



Madhu Gadia’s Top 10 Indian Vegan Superfoods

By Lavina Melwani • Nov 18th, 2009 • Category: Food

When Oprah features a vegan recipe from Madhu Gadia in her magazine, you know it’s hot! The good news is that if you happen to be vegan, can’t eat eggs or dairy, you don’t have to be exiled to a Siberia of bland vegetables anymore.In fact, there are some Indian vegan super foods that can light up the menu and give you all the nutrition and flavor that you need. So what are these magic foods?
(Image is of one of the super foods featured in the book – beans – transformed into Dal Vada Burgers)



Simply Dosa-licious!

By Lavina Melwani • Oct 28th, 2009 • Category: Food, The Buzz

Ten years down, who knows what we’ll find. Dosas being served in American schools and college campuses? Dosas in vending machines? Dosas-to-Go at fast food outlets?



Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

By Lavina Melwani • Oct 25th, 2009 • Category: Food, The Buzz

Looking to find the perfect restaurant in your area online or via mobile phone? Searching for videos to check out the best tips from celebrity chefs?

Well, there’s good news – behind each of these culinary experiences, there’s an innovative company launched by young Indian-Americans who probably have food and hospitality etched into their DNA! Sidestepping traditional careers, these entrepreneurs have followed the pungent aroma of spices and flavors of food to start their own businesses.



The No Turkey Thanksgiving

By Lavina Melwani • Oct 6th, 2009 • Category: 24/7 Talk is Cheap - The Blog, Food

A no-turkey Thanksgiving should make both vegetarians and the turkeys very happy!
As each successive wave of immigrants come to America, they introduce their own well-loved foods to the Thanksgiving table and in the process create new traditions.



Wisdom from the Chocolate Gurus

By Lavina Melwani • Oct 4th, 2009 • Category: 24/7 Talk is Cheap - The Blog, Food

Forget the Vedas, forget the Bible, now we are getting infinite wisdom from chocolate wrappers! When did we start consulting our chocolates for knowledge about life and living?



Indian Cuisine Adds Spice to Thanksgiving

By Lavina Melwani • Sep 26th, 2009 • Category: Food

Indian immigrants are particularly inventive when they have to find vegetarian alternatives to turkey. Sahni sometimes makes a whole baked pumpkin stuffed with a rich aromatic curry of kidney beans and pumpkin meat, a satisfying alternative to turkey.