279. Khushbu Shah with J. Kenji López-Alt: Culture & Cuisine

Town Hall Seattle Arts & Culture Series

What is Indian food in America? The country’s identity as a melting pot makes for a diverse tapestry of flavors, but that doesn’t always equate to easily being able to identify one’s place in the culinary landscape.

In her debut cookbook Amrikan: 125 Recipes From the Indian Diaspora, acclaimed Food & Wine writer and editor Khushbu Shah presents instructions for preparing dinners, drinks, and desserts as varied as Saag Paneer Lasagna, Pani Puri Mojitos, and Masala Chai Basque Cheesecake. But Shah goes beyond instructions and ingredients, writing about the larger story of Indian food. In a 2019 interview with the New York Times, Shah said, “Food is undeniably intersectional. It’s impossible — it’s irresponsible — to deny it.” Amrikan is replete with images and essays that illuminate this fusion of cuisine and culture, showcasing the links between food and identity.

Khushbu Shah is a food writer and journalist who resides in Los Angeles, California. She was most recently the restaurant editor at Food & Wine magazine, where she crisscrossed the United States several times over on the hunt for the country’s best new chefs. She is the youngest person and the first person of color to ever hold that title. You can also find her work in the New York Times, Washington Post, GQ, Eater, and more. Additionally, her writing has been featured in the Best American Food Writing anthologies, and she has made appearances on television shows like Ugly Delicious. Khushbu grew up in Michigan, where her immigrant parents raised her with a deep appreciation for spices and good fruit. This is her debut cookbook.

J. Kenji López-Alt is a chef, parent, and New York Times best-selling author of The Food Lab, The Wok and Every Night Is Pizza Night. He is a wildly popular New York Times food columnist; cohost of The Recipe podcast with Deb Perelman; and host of Kenji’s Cooking Show, which has more than a million subscribers on YouTube. He lives in Seattle, Washington.

Buy the Companion Book Amrikan: 125 Recipes From the Indian Diaspora

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