The South

Michael’s family has lived in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia for generations. They originally owned a small tobacco farm, and then, in the last century, transitioned to sugarcane. My mother-in-law, Shelly, tends a vegetable patch large enough to feed the whole extended family. She also raises goats, which she milks to make artisanal soap to sell at the farmers’ market.

On my first visit to the farm to meet Michael’s family, I was nervous and excited. Michael had mentioned my love of cooking to Shelly, and one night, she asked me to cook dinner for them. Because first impressions are everything, I had to make a good one. I wanted the meal to be special and new, yet familiar enough so they’d like it. Knowing they were a meat-and-potatoes family, I made a Goan specialty of stir-fried beef and hot chiles called chile fry. I served it with chicken biryani—layers of chicken, rice, and fried potatoes, cooked together.