Author and cook Archana Pidathala’s second book, “Why Cook,” resulted from a three-week-long, intense journey across India along with her book designer-turned-friend, Eszter. The book features nearly 100 recipes sourced from 16 women across India. “These women come from different fields and are doing great work in their respective workspaces. The one thread that binds them is a common love for the kitchen,” said Pidathala in an exclusive conversation with Outlook Traveller Eats.
The author started her journey from Kurnool, Pidatahala’s hometown in the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, and the final stop was Naggar, a quaint town in Himachal Pradesh. “The book that presents timeless recipes and life lessons from inspiring women will bring you closer to understanding the power of a simple act like cooking,” the author added.
One of the 16 women featured in the book is Aashna Behl. Behl, a mountaineer, traveller, and permaculture enthusiast, became friends with the author in the summer of 2018 when the latter stayed at a permaculture forest garden called TIEEDI near Darjeeling.
“Our connection was instant. Aashna and I went looking for local vegetables and spices in local markets, rode her Bullet motorbike through the hills, cooked a wood-fired meal from my first book (Five Morsels of Love; published 2016), sipped on tongba (a fermented finger millet drink), and vowed to cook for each other.” (Excerpted from Why Cook)
Behl introduced Pidathala to the world of Nepali pickles. These pickles are great flavour additions to a meal and can be made with a host of vegetables, including potato, radish, carrot, cucumber, bitter gourd, and chayote.
The vegetables are tossed with ground sesame, mustard oil, chilli, herbs, spices, and lime. One can choose to replace the sesame with peanuts. These pickles store well for a couple of days when refrigerated.
One of the recipes from Behl, documented in “Why Cook,” is that of aloo ka achar (potato pickle). The pickle is flavourful, nutty from the sesame, pungent with the mustard oil and fresh because of the herbs and lime. Use Behl’s recipe from the cookbook for the pickle preparation and pair it with a rice- or bread-based meal.
