I’ve known Khushbu Shah for around 11 years now. We first met sitting in a little cluster at Saveur Magazine when we were both interning for the digital team. Who knew then that we’d both be here now, her with a book and me…with this newsletter? ha. Khushbu also has a newsletter and you can subscribe to her there for all the city guides of your dreams!
She used to be the restaurant editor at Food and Wine, so this girl knows a thing or two about great spots for great meals and great drinks.
Khushbu’s book, Amrikan, came out recently and I couldn’t be more proud of her! It’s a gorgeous book (buy it here), filled with 125 recipes from the Indian American Diaspora. We made the hash brown, egg, and cheese kati rolls (I added bacon to mine) along with a spicy cilantro chutney and they were gooooood.
Also dying to try her recipes for Jalapeno Popper Samosas, Pizza Samosas, Shrimp Moilee, Mexican Pizza (!!!), and Chili Paneer Dumplings. There is also a Saag Lasagna aka laSAAGna…I mean, come on.
The book is full of amazing adaptations and hacks that her family used when they moved to the United States before South Asian grocery stores and items were more readily available.
The book is inspiring and delicious and I am so happy that I got to have her over to cook with me in my kitchen. Don’t be scared by the heat of the chutney; slap it on there! It really MAKES the kati roll.
Also! Below are some questions I sent to Khushbu; please enjoy.
FARIDEH: What are your pantry staples?
KHUSHBU: I always have peanut butter, chia seeds, pickled jalapeños, good canned beans, several types of rice, coconut milk, tomato paste (in tubes only!), condensed milk, and bottles of Taco Bell hot sauce my pantry lol.
F: What are your favorite dishes that your mom made for you growing up?
K: My mom is an incredible Indian cook. Her dosa is unrivaled, and her Gujarati classics like khadi and okra and roti and daal just hit different. She also makes this dessert that she calls "heath bar" that is one of the best things i've ever eaten.
F: What is in your freezer rn?
K: At least 5 varieties of frozen dumplings, frozen siete foods almond tortillas, a block of tofu that I froze (I love the texture change when you thaw it), a block of paneer, a deli of rajma (from my book), tamarind chutney, cilantro mint chutney, frozen fruit, frozen peas, serrano peppers and bird eyes chiles (whole), and always some ice cream format.
F: What is your favorite kitchen tool?
K: I love my food processor so much, and my Instant pot.
F: What are some of the most common misconceptions about Indian American cuisine?
K: That it is crazy complicated in time, technique, and ingredients! That everything is a curry! That every is spicy — you can adjust all of it to your own preferences!
F: What is your morning routine?
K: Wake up, use the bathroom, brush my teeth, chug water, do the daily meditation from the Open App, try and get some sort of movement or fresh air in before I get stuck in the clutches of my email/social media, but I often fail at that lol. I am a work in progress.
F: What is your favorite condiment?
K: Okay I love Heinz ketchup lol, I call it the third chutney. Also a huge fan of Toum.
F: What is your favorite sandwich?
K: I looooove any california hippie style sandwich that is packed with cheese and lettuce and crunchy vegetables. I also could eat the Veg-talian from Court Street Grocers every single day.
F: What is your favorite dish to cook for others?
K: I love introducing people to pav bhaji, which is one of my all time favorite Indian dishes. It comes together quickly and feeds a crowd easily (there's a recipe in my book!) and I love to make the saag paneer lasagna from the book, too.
F: What is your favorite dish for others to make for you?
K: Oh man when people make pasta from scratch? I love that. Honestly though, anything done out of thoughtfulness, love, and enough salt is great. I am just honored anytime anyone wants to cook for me! It's such an act of love and kindness.
Hash Brown, Egg, and Cheese Kati Rolls
4 Super Flaky Parathas or store-bought frozen parathas
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
olive oil or neutral oil, for frying
salt and ground black pepper to taste
4 thin slices cheddar or American cheese
2 frozen hash brown patties, prepared according to package instructions
2 tablespoons Spicy Cilantro Chutney
¼ red onion, thinly sliced
4 strips bacon, cooked (optional)
ketchup, for serving (optional)
If using frozen parathas, heat them according to the package instructions.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until evenly combined.
Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat and add a little oil to it. Pour one-quarter of the egg mixture into the pan to make a thin circle of egg. After 20 to 30 seconds of letting the egg cook, place a paratha on top so that it sticks to the egg layer. When the edges of the egg start to brown, flip the paratha and egg so that the paratha is now on the bottom. Season the egg with salt and pepper. Place a slice of cheese directly on the egg and let it cook for 30 seconds. Transfer the paratha to a plate. Repeat with the remaining egg mixture, parathas, and cheese slices.
Cut the hash brown patties in half horizontally, so that the two pieces are as long as possible. To assemble the kati rolls, spread or drizzle ½ tablespoon chutney on the egg layer of each paratha, then add a hash brown half, followed by a few slices of red onion, and a strip of bacon (if using). Roll up and eat, with ketchup for dipping, if you like.
Super Flaky Parathas
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons neutral oil, plus more for brushing
⅓ cup water
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, oil, and water. Using your hands or a wooden spoon, bring the mixture together into a soft dough that is not crumbly. Knead the dough for 5 minutes, then cover it and set aside for 2 hours or so to let the gluten in the dough rest.
Divide the dough into 6 balls and let rest for at least 10 minutes before you start to roll them out. Roll out 1 dough ball into a disk about 3 inches in diameter. Brush with oil and place on a plate.
Repeat with the remaining dough balls, brushing each disk with oil and stacking the disks on top of one another. Let rest for 20 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk into a thin circle about 6 inches in diameter. The dough should spread very, very easily at this point. Roll up the circle into a thin tube and then curl the tube into a spiral. Repeat with the remaining dough disks. Rest the spirals for about 5 minutes, then roll each one back out into a 6- to 7-inch circle.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Place 1 paratha in the pan, cook for 1 minute, and then flip it. Brush the cooked side with a little bit of oil, cook for 1 minute, and flip it back over.
Brush the other side with a little bit of oil and cook until the paratha is cooked through and golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate and cover with a kitchen towel to keep warm. Continue to cook all the parathas in the same way. To make them extra flaky, stack the cooked parathas and gently squish together the edges of the parathas.
Spicy Cilantro Chutney
6 to 8 green serrano peppers, cut in thirds
1 bunch cilantro (leaves and stems)
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Put everything in a blender, with the serrano peppers at the bottom. Blend until the chutney is smooth.
Excerpted from “AMRIKAN: 125 Recipes from the Indian American Diaspora”. Copyright © 2024 by Khushbu Shah. Photographs © 2024 by Aubrie Pick. Used with permission of the publisher, W.W. Norton & Company. All rights reserved.
Cooking with Khushbu!!