South Asian

Onam is a harvest festival traditionally celebrated with a vegetarian feast known as sadya in the south Indian state of Kerala. Avondale's Thattu serves Keralite food, and hosts a sadya. “People are not aware of the diversity of Indian cuisine,” says the owner.

Two cousins opened the first Eggholic, a restaurant featuring a distinctive style of Indian food focusing on eggs, in Schaumburg in 2018. By the end of this year, there will be 28 Eggholics across the country. How did they do it?

“God bless the pioneers of the Indian community who brought Indian food [to the United States], but we’ve gotten settled into this greatest hits world,” says Zubair Mohajir, the chef behind the buzzy Wicker Park restaurant Wazwan. 

After any service at a Sikh gurdwara, or temple, the free meal of langar is served. Anybody is welcome, and all of the work for the meal is voluntary, an expression of selfless service. Learn about langar and try a recipe commonly served for it. 

Chicago cookbook author and food entrepreneur Anupy Singla shares a recipe for a refreshing drink to celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colors that takes place around the beginning of spring. "I like to have options of natural sodas and drinks that everyone can partake in," she says. 

Uzma Sharif likes to infuse her South Asian culture into the chocolates she sells at her Pilsen shop and the Michigan Avenue Starbucks Reserve Roastery. That's true of this easy cardamom and ginger truffle recipe, perfect for Valentine's Day.