Hello, I’m Anjali. I’m smitten by all things edible and thrive on storytelling. As I explore corners of the world for the next perfect bite, I weave together words and photographs, creating a diary of food stories and cooking adventures.
Born in New Delhi, India, I made my way to Brooklyn, New York, via Austin, Texas; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Khartoum, Sudan; and Beirut, Lebanon. Along with this list of culinary influences is the country my father was born and brought up in, Myanmar – formerly known as Burma.
I come from 3 generations of immigrants. As most people who leave their homes do, they stayed connected to their childhood, their homelands, and the family they left behind by recreating their favorite family recipes and, with every new home, created new recipes by adding the unique flavors around them. These are the some of stories that make up Perfect Morsel.
With parents who share a passion for food, I had no choice but to grow up somewhat infatuated. Maa is a self-taught chef extraordinaire who can flawlessly cook anything. She taught me how to wield my spices and introduced me to the world through her collection of recipes and cookbooks. Dad is an adventurous eater with a contagious love for food. He taught me the importance of the stories around food and the skill to make friends out of strangers by asking them what they like to eat.
Raised in a Hindu home, in a Catholic school, in a Muslim country, my only religion is food. I eat everything! I believe that every bite has a story and that food is a powerful medium for creating and recreating memories. I believe that no distance is too far to travel for a delicious bite and that food can bring peace and a better tomorrow to the world, if used wisely.
By day, I work with vampires and warriors at HBO and, by night, I play with spices and recipes in my kitchen. My weekends are spent exploring farmer’s markets and, as often as I can, I take to the road and sky in search of stories, memories, and the next perfect morsel.
Grab a cup of turmeric milk and join me!
Unless otherwise stated, all text and photographs are the property of Anjali Malhotra.
Obsess much?
As a toddler, hypnotized by the mouthwatering ingredients hidden in its drawers, I’d often stand in front of our open fridge licking a melting stick of sweet butter from my tiny hands.
At 8, I argued with my science teacher who tried to teach us that cheese tasted sweet and only sweet. How could cheese, a multifaceted luxurious ingredient be so flippantly termed “sweet”? I argued that it was also sometimes bitter, sometimes salty, and I did so like I was defending the civil rights of every cheese in existence. And, yes, she did call my mum that night to complain about my disobedient taste buds.
At 12, I experimented with cooking and creating recipes while pretending I was a celebrity chef on my own TV show. The new sensation to sweep the world! I could just hear the audience “oohing” and “aahhing” as I readied my equally imaginary pen for autographs. My fanciful world didn’t stop there. The sensational dishes were always served with a snifter of Pepsi, which I sipped like fine brandy.
As a teenager, I daydreamed during school of the amazing meals being cooked at home for dinner which I’d make sure to eat with my fingers instead of silverware. At night, I’d purposely curl my fingers under my nose to lull myself to sleep with the soothingly pungent scents of turmeric and cumin.
In college, inspired by my mother’s handwritten recipes along with the numerous pickles and spices tucked away in my luggage, I began recreating my favorite childhood meals. I would cook often to feel close to my parents but also to connect with other students who had left their homes in cities near and far. I quickly realized that food nourished my relationships – old and new – and I kept cooking.
Thank you
To Maa, for being a nurturing cook and for teaching me how to recreate the meals I had growing up around our dining table, which I cherish every day oceans away.
To Dad, for fueling my love of food by asking me what I ate today the very minute we get on the phone oceans apart; and for calling me whenever you eat an incredible meal to tell me all about it.
To Tarah, my husband, for being my biggest fan; for loving food as much as I do; for never hesitating to go on a food adventure with me even if it means riding a tuk-tuk in Thailand for 45 minutes in the rain to taste the best fried fish in the world; and for still saying that I cook the best fried fish in the world.
To Taj, our pup, for showing me that food obsessions have no borders among species and for keeping me company in the kitchen, even though I know you have ulterior motives.
And, thank you for reading.
~Anjali
Bernadette Chopra says
Anji… congratulations !!! So proud of you!! Cannot wait to follow you on this incredible journey of food.. culture.. ! And share your beautiful world of amazing culinary talent !
Anjali says
Thanks so much, Berny!
Shalu says
Hey Anj….. love your journey……Shalu
Anjali says
Thanks so much, Shalu! Hope to eat with you very soon.
Maa says
CONGRATULATIONS ! Your very beautiful article touches my heart and takes me back to all those wonderful times.We wish you success , will enjoy and live through culinary creations peppered with your innovative and spicy touch.
Anjali says
Thank you Maa & Dad. You’re in my thoughts for every post. I couldn’t do this without you.
Judy says
Touching, tasteful, beautiful…I of course would have expected no less! Thanks for sharing with me. Chocolate dipped radishes are going to be part of my holiday menu experiment this year!
Anjali says
Thank you, Judy! I had a feeling you’d find the chocolate dipped radishes enticing.
Sheina says
Anjali, this is beautiful! Very well written and inspiring! Definitely shows your true passion (no surprise!) I like the comment “vampires” and “warrior” at HBO! I look forward to future posting and sharing. Wish you the best too! Can’t wait to see what’s next.
Anjali says
Thanks so much, Sheina! Glad you liked the HBO comment as well!
jill says
Anj – congrats on a true labor of love. It’s wonderful and I hope I can be brave enough to try some things.
Anjali says
Thank you, Jill! I’m sure you will. And, I’m sure one of your gifts of assorted garden vegetables will show up as a post someday.
Courtney says
Lovely site Anj! Loved reading your bio…I knew you loved food, but it was nice to learn more about where your passion for it came from and a little more about your upbringing! Looking forward to reading more about food pairings you find and the stories you share. Maybe I’ll search for something interesting from Alaska to bring back for you!
Anjali says
Thanks, Courtney! Glad you liked it. Something from Alaska? Yum!
Pri says
ooooh! Loved reading.. your writing weaves me into itself!
SO looking forward to cooking across continents with you
Anjali says
Hi Priyanka! Thanks a bunch for stopping by. So glad you enjoyed reading! And, yes – cannot wait to cook/eat together across continents with you very soon.
Ashmi says
So beautiful! You’re an amazing writer. Incredibly blown away!!!!
Anjali says
Thank you, Ashmi! Especially for all your support and encouragement. Looking forward to cooking for you in 2012.
Prashant says
Congratulations on this Didi. I look forward to reading more! And tasting some!
Moni Malhotra, DAD says
Always very, very, very proud of you, in fact eversince I held you for the first time in my arms when you were only three months old, and gosh you were so beautifully tiny! I had always told you you had a hidden talent somewhere waiting to explode. Thank you for your rememberances. I look forward to the day when your fans will point at me to say “He is the father of the Great Anjali Malhotra Feinberg” Good luck and we love you and Tarah very much.
Anjali says
Aw, Dad. Thank you… for your words but more for always willing to share a food adventure with me and for being an inspiration to see the person behind the food. Can’t wait to share another adventure with you. I love you.
Sylvia says
hi Anjali,
Amazing! I truly enjoyed reading about your childhood stories. I can just picutre you doing all those things :). I could feel the love and passion through your beautiful stories. Look forward to reading more!! xoxox Sylvia
Anjali says
Thank you so much, Sylvia. It’s so great to hear that my stories (and food) resonated with you. Keep coming back for more!
Mustafa Arshad says
Hi Anji,
I am really fascinate with your ideas on recipes and with fusion style. I myself grew up in Dallas, Texas and later in the east coast and ultimately in Long Island ,New York and finally returned back to my origin. I do love to cook, do research of food.
Thank you for your fine recipes. Keep bring more!!
Anjali says
Hi Mustafa, Thank you for your sweet words. I’m happy to hear that my ideas/recipes/stories resonate with. I have a couple of breakfast taco recipes that I think you’ll appreciate having grown up in Dallas. Stay tuned for more!
Simon @ Rice & Sticks says
Hi Anjali
First of all I would like to say that i really like your blog. Secondly, it’s truly inspiring to see your bold fusionistic take on international cuisine.
Great to read about your Burmese roots, Burma sounds really interesting as well. I was lucky enough to try Burmese cuisine in Bangkok thailand. So friendly, sweet and kind people.
Keep sharing more great content. Always interesting to read what’s on fellow travel/food lovers like myself got on their mind;)
Anjali says
Simon, Thank you for checking out my blog and for your wonderful words. I appreciate it. Burmese food is so close to my heart and I can’t wait to share more of it here. My husband and I spent 2 weeks in Thailand for our honeymoon. Everything about those 2 weeks, including the food, was incredible. Great to connect with a fellow travel/food lover like yourself.
Simon @ Rice & Sticks says
As for burmese food I only had it a few times. Much of it seemed like a fusion of chinese, thai and indian mixed into one distinct cuisine.
Both Thailand and Malaysia are exciting. Ever since learning to cook thai food in thailand it won’t pass one single week without thai cuisine.
I’ll keep an eye on your blog for sure.