When you count Genghis Khan, Tamerlane — or Timur Lang as this part of the world knows him — Babur and Akbar as your ancestors, there’s not much you can do to outshine them to ensure your place in his

A chicken pie is the ultimate comfort food, to cook and to eat. Be it a chilly winter’s day or a sweltering summer evening, you can’t go wrong with a chicken pie, that is, as long as you don’t go wrong in making it. For a pie, half the battle is won with the pastry.

The “Fool” was born in the days before electricity, when servants would pull ropes tied to fans — punkhas — in colonial bungalows in the scorching summer heat of north and central India so that their British masters would get some respite from the midday heat.

With summer, India lays down its own brand of deliciousness… mangoes. While it is still early days for the markets to fill up with these golden treasures, raw mangoes are a class apart when it comes to salads and pickles.

Sunday brunches have become de rigueur these days. Waking up late and having a leisurely brunch is something most of us look forward to on the weekends.

The secret to healthy eating is using fresh ingredients that are in season. Fruits and vegetables that were earlier available only during their respective seasons can be bought throughout the year these days. However, one should steer clear of out-of-season ingredients as they have been force-grown and lacks in taste and health benefits.

The simplest recipes are often the best. The waffle, for example, has seen many avatars over the years. Cafes have served gingerbread waffles with pomegranate molasses and roadside eateries have hawked bacon-topped waffles.

These days the name of the game is Fusion. Whatever the dish might be, it always adds a bit of romance and mystique if some out of the ordinary ingredient is added.

If you are an old hand at Thai and Malaysian cuisine then you will love Laksa.

While the dish has been around for generations, potstickers are making a comeback as the rustic dim sum. Whoever invented potstickers should get a prize. These are momos or dim sums for those of us who do not have momo steamers. The concept is very simple.