Delhi: Home Cooking Class, Family Dining & Cultural Activities

4.99

(233 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We were already halfway through chopping onions when I realized I’d forgotten the Hindi word for “spicy.” Our host, Rajiv, just grinned and handed me another green chili — apparently, there’s no such thing as too much heat in his kitchen. His wife Priya was rolling out dough for poori, showing us how to get it thin enough that it puffs up perfectly in the pan. The smell of masala chai drifted through their Delhi apartment — cardamom and ginger, mostly — and honestly, I felt more like a distant cousin than a guest. There’s something about being welcomed into someone’s home that makes all the difference. Maybe it was Priya’s gentle teasing when my dough turned out lopsided (she fixed it in two seconds), or maybe just the way everyone kept laughing at my attempts to say “namaste” properly.

After we’d finished prepping lunch (I still think about that potato curry), Rajiv took us around their place — he pointed out the little temple tucked by the window and explained why certain colors mean luck here. We tried on sarees (well, I tried; my friend chickened out), and Priya painted a henna pattern on my hand while telling stories about her school days. At some point we ended up doing a Bollywood dance move or two — badly — but nobody seemed to mind. The whole afternoon felt loose and unscripted; sometimes we’d pause for tea or just to watch the street outside their window. Their daughter even quizzed us on Indian movie trivia (I failed spectacularly).

I didn’t expect to feel so at ease in someone else’s home. There was Wi-Fi if you needed it (my friend kept posting photos), and they made sure everyone had water or chai at arm’s reach. They even sent us off with handwritten recipes and a little souvenir — mine’s hanging by my kitchen now. If you’re looking for a day trip in Delhi that feels personal instead of polished, this cooking class is probably it. Still thinking about that first bite of halwa…