Kolkata: To Esther David, food is a memory. This woman received the Sahitya Akademi award for her writing, and it was for that very reason that she decided to become a writer. Women in the household, cooking together with a group of family members at a large table full of delicious Indian Jewish cuisine. I also recall the different tastes that were present in the food.” In our signature dish, the chef combines coconut milk, jaggery, and dough to make the soft puri, which he serves with a fiery curry. “You will not understand this blend of flavors if you haven’t tasted it,” Esther warns.
While she imparts such tidbits about Ahmedabad’s Indian Jewish cuisine over the phone, she takes readers on a gastronomic journey through the recipes of Jewish communities from India in her book, Bene Appétit: The Cuisine of Indian Jews. Members of the Cochin, Baghdadi, Bene Ephraim, Bnei Menashe, and Bene Israel Jewish communities have all been recognized as ancients in their home states, alongside the more than 100,000 other non-Jewish refugees living in India today. The book describes their food culture, including recipes, festivals, and dietary laws, all of which show how Indian food influenced them.
