To say I’m a picky eater is kinda an understatement. Like, I didn’t start eating guacamole until I was 24… That said, I think I’ve made some pretty big strides in expanding my palate. And nothing helps more with that than a good cookbook. Without further ado, meet Palak Patel (she/her), chef and author of The Chutney Life which comes out on October 24th.

Palak loves to share Indian-inspired meals reminiscent of the food she grew up eating in her mom’s kitchen, as well as taking classics and putting her own spin on them by adding spices or by simply making them accessible and achievable for the everyday cook (me). “The goal is to teach people how to make homemade or semi-homemade meals for any occasion and how not to be afraid to experiment a little,” she says. As for when she got passionate about cooking, her huge and close knit Indian family of 17 def played a role: “Hosting, cooking, and eating is such a large part of my culture and has always been how I show my love for others. Once I got married, I started cooking even more, and found freedom to try new things.” Oh girl, I can 100% relate.

Her new cookbook includes tons of delish dishes, many influenced by her South Asian roots. “When you grow up eating a lot of Indian food, the flavors kind of become your baseline so to say,” she says. “When I eat something, I can’t help myself from instantly trying to find a way to make it at home, but with my own flair. That flair may not always be so apparently Indian, but it does come from years of eating tons of garlic, ginger, and green chilis in my food, so I’m naturally drawn to adding similar flavor profiles or else everything just tastes too bland! My cookbook has a lot of recipes that are influenced by this mish mash of flavors—like adding a touch of garam masala and turmeric to buttered noodles. It can be the slightest addition, but it really adds something to make it interesting.”

Speaking of those recipes, Palak was kind enough to share a few that you should try tonight, over the weekend, or for your next Taco Tuesday.

BRB cooking up a storm 👩‍🍳,
Chloe Trout, associate editor