The lunch took place at Sohini’s home, and the guest list included other creatives in the food and cultural industry across London. Sohini’s partner, Rijul, took us through the story behind every course. The meal was primarily vegan and full of flavour. We started with daal puri, jhal muri, lettuce pockets, both packed with spice, sweetness and texture. The addition of aam ras to the daal puri felt like a welcome addition to the meal and a nod to the fruit of the season. Finding the flavour of Kesar/Alphonso mangoes in London is a joy unmatched. It always takes me back to my childhood lunches at my naani’s (maternal grandmother) and the whiff of the ripening mangoes from the cupboard. These flavours make me reflect on my core memories as a child, and revisiting them in a new setting helped me rebuild a relationship with them. A sense of discovery embalmed in nostalgia.
Moving on to the next starter was the most unexpected delight, and honestly, one of the most memorable dishes: the plantain chutney in the jhal muri, which Sohini mentioned was inspired by her trip to Mauritius. The addition of a new flavour reimagines the sweetness of the jaggery and tamarind chutney.
Source: Nayonika Ghosh.
For the mains, we were encouraged to eat with our hands, which I personally loved. We were served an incredible broccoli thecha with podi, gur daal, moolo and fennel. It was a dish I could never have imagined, but somehow it brought my Bengali, Maharashtrian and English worlds together on one plate. This was followed by a cabbage dish and the most delicious tofu chilli sauce. They also introduced us to Dudher sar rice from Bengal, specially sourced from Amar Khamar, an organisation working to preserve rice and grain varieties and bring them from Bengal’s farms to our plates. Sohini also served potatoes with a kombucha sauce, which became a clear favourite across the table.
To finish, we had a mango coconut sorbet with strawberries, easily one of the best dairy-free desserts I have eaten.
Sohini and Rijul were wonderful hosts. They opened up their home and hearts, sharing stories about their travels through food while also giving all of us the space to share our own. They spoke to us about the Bengali way of eating and introduced us to ingredients and traditions that are often forgotten.
Sohini’s take on Bengali food is so refreshing. Her depth of understanding around flavour gave way to recipes that felt unexpected, but completely delicious. She created her own versions of tauk, the sour element in Bengali cooking, and ghontos, Bengali medley dishes, and each one felt thoughtful and full of life.
Through her cooking, you can really see Sohini’s desire to carry the flavours of India with her while staying mindful and intentional about the ingredients available here in the UK. She also shared how her travels continue to inspire what she makes, which I think is such a beautiful approach to evolving as a creative and as a chef. There is a genuine care in the way she cooks, using everything she has and carrying forward a no-waste approach that feels both rare and deeply rooted.
It was incredible to meet and connect with other creatives who are passionate about food and art. Generally, in South Asia, gathering around a table of food, sharing dishes across the table with your loved ones, brings everyone to the same playing field, hierarchies are broken down, and conversations flow. All of us around the table came from different backgrounds and disciplines, but one thing that tied us all together was curiosity and connection. Sohini’s food really facilitated that conversation; we were all discovering these new flavours collectively, while reflecting on our personal narratives through them. The food connected us all and gave us the space to be ourselves, much like a South Asian household gathered around a table of food.
If you’re in London, please check out @smokeandlime and do attend Sohini’s events. I’m sure you’ll have an amazing meal and maybe make new friends!
To find out more about her practice and ethos as a chef, visit https://sohinibanerjee.com/
