One of the best things about Jewish food is learning about how it interacts with the customs and cuisines of the places in which it’s cooked. Indian Jewish cuisine is rooted in kosher law and Jewish ritual, and shaped by the vegetables and spices of the region. There’s basmati rice, flatbreads for Shabbat, and coconut curries simmered with plenty of fragrant, bright spices like turmeric, ginger, fenugreek, cardamom and cumin.
My Jewish Learning’s article on Jewish Indian Cuisine outlines the three major Jewish communities in India, each with their own culinary traditions. There’s the Jewish community of Cochin,which dates back to before 1170, the Jewish community of Calcutta, which came from Bagdad, and the Jews of Mumbai, who may have been in India since 175 BCE.
Learn more about the flavors of Jewish Indian cuisine with our recipes below:
Indian-Spiced Cauliflower Latkes with Cilantro Chutney
Curry Coconut Chicken with Split Peas
Indian Carrot-Cardamom Halvah
Saag Paneer with Goat Cheese
Masala Lamb Stew with Creamy Coconut Quinoa
Cochin Coriander-Cumin Chicken from The New York Times
Onion Naan from Bon Apetit
Chapatis (Whole Wheat Indian Flatbread) from Saveur
kosher
Pronounced: KOH-sher, Origin: Hebrew, adhering to kashrut, the traditional Jewish dietary laws.
