Fieriness

As a kid, I wanted to cook everything out of my parents’ cookbooks, so I attempted the classic Punjabi samosa. The recipe calls for a lot of freshly ground black peppercorns and green chillies. I assembled and fried the pastries—but they were too hot to eat. They tasted pungent. My mouth and ears were on fire. It taught me that our individual ability to handle heat varies; what works for some might not work for others. I began to pay attention to how much heat could work as a middle ground for me and the people I fed—what types of chillies fit with specific dishes. Alongside the salt on my table at home is a range of hot sauces so those I feed can add as much heat as they need.