When we lost our shelf space unexpectedly and without much warning at Whole Foods recently, I was not sure how we would survive. The old me would have taken weeks if not months to get back up – while the new me was and is getting faster at pivoting. Instead of simply freaking out, my team and I looked for new retail partners that truly understood our mission – clean, authentic Indian ingredients.
Of course, we want to sell products, but we never want that to overshadow our primary goal to teach folks how to eat healthier, appreciate Indian ingredients, and simply ramp up what they are already doing in their own kitchens. That may be incorporating one more spice, trying a unique ingredient, or taking an old recipe and looking at it in a new way. The experiment is working! We’ve partnered with several retailers, including Harvest Market, Coastal Seafoods in Minnesota, and Woodlake Market in Wisconsin.
Nowhere was it clearer that folks are getting it but in Carmel, Indiana, this past October. We created a day of classes called ‘Indian-ish’ Thanksgiving Day sides and showcased how to take everyday ingredients like Brussels sprouts and chickpeas and elevate taste and flavor by layering them with the right spices. Our Chunky Chaat was crazy popular. It’s so common and easy in our own Indian kitchens, but if you have never even seen, let alone tasted, an ingredient like black chickpeas, it can feel exotic and unapproachable.
I showcased our black chickpeas – explained what they are and why folks should get them into their week, and then talked about hitting them with lemon juice and chaat masala… the class was mesmerized. One participant actually said, Who would have known that a chickpea dish would be my new favorite dish? I made the salad, showed them how to cook the chickpeas and even the potatoes in the Instant Pot, and then how to use the leftover chickpea cooking water to make a healthy and easy soup with a simple cumin tarka. What’s the name of that dish?… someone asked. Um, there’s no name. I replied. We just use the leftover broth this way, and it’s delicious! They were hooked.
Sharing my recipes, culture, and flavors is such a wonderful feeling. I almost feel like I’m whispering a little secret that we in the Indian community have known for years. It’s finally resonating in a real way with American home cooks who don’t necessarily want to reinvent the wheel at home and eat Indian meals every day, but simply want one tip, one spice, or one technique to take everything they already do to another level. I’m simply here to meet you where you are and give you that one extra nugget of inspiration. Thank you for listening. Thank you for coming to my classes. Thank you for your support. I’m so grateful for all of you, especially our current retail partners.
Please try some of the recipes below. They will be on my Thanksgiving Day table, and I hope at least some of them will be on yours as well.
xoxo Anupy
If butternut squash feels a little intimidating to prep, this recipe takes all the pressure off. With a few easy cuts and a trusty potato peeler, you’ll turn a simple gourd into the coziest roasted side dish. A sprinkle of garam masala adds warmth and depth, making it perfect for your holiday table.
Pumpkin Spice who? This holiday pie gets a serious upgrade with chai masala — the fragrant, full-bodied spice blend used in Indian tea and beyond. It adds warmth, depth, and a beautiful floral note from green cardamom that takes classic pumpkin pie to a whole new level. If you’re looking for a dessert that feels familiar but tastes unforgettable, this is the one to bake.
A cozy, nostalgic dish straight from the Punjabi kitchen, these stuffed potato flatbreads are pure comfort. The spiced filling — lifted with dried pomegranate seeds and fenugreek— brings the perfect balance of tangy, savory, and warm. They take a little practice, but once you make them, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them.
A fresh take on the classic Thanksgiving cranberry sauce, this chutney gets its magic from warm Indian spices that add depth, brightness, and just the right amount of zing. Perfect with turkey, stuffing, or straight off the spoon.
These Brussels sprouts are the side dish that always steals the show. Roasted with warm spices and a little technique to get them perfectly tender, they bring big flavor and a fun Indian-ish twist to the Thanksgiving table.
This flavor-packed street food is everything you want in a small plate — tangy, spicy, crunchy, and impossible to stop eating. Inspired by the chaat vendors of Chandigarh, this version brings together chickpeas, tamarind chutney, and chaat masala for that signature sweet-tart-spicy kick.
A classic American dessert meets the warm, cozy flavors of India in this irresistible Chai-Spiced Apple Pie. Made with chai masala, it brings a fragrant twist that easily outshines traditional pumpkin spice. It’s familiar, comforting, and just different enough to make your holiday table feel extra special — the perfect sweet finish for Thanksgiving.
This simple, flavor-packed roasted corn brings the magic of Indian street food right to your kitchen. Charred kernels get a bright squeeze of lemon or lime, a sprinkle of black salt, and a kick of red chile — a combination that’s smoky, tangy, and totally irresistible.
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