Pasta—egg or semolina—a staple in almost every kitchen in America, is markedly absent in classic Indian cooking. However, when tossed with saucy cumin and fennel-kissed tomatoes, pasta makes a great starchy substitute for the more popular Indian basmati or long-grain rice. We Indians love to create subtle balances in our curries, with bitter, hot, tart, sweet, astringent, and nutty flavors, taste profiles that we extract from spices like red chiles, fennel, jaggery, and cumin. Arugula, clas