In the world of fine dining and culinary reinvention, where fusion dominates and plating trends evolve by the minute, Chef Himanshu Pandey stands as a grounded, yet progressive voice — one who champions the soulful stories of Indian cuisine. Currently serving as the Executive Chef at The Imperia by Dhaba, New Jersey, Chef Himanshu doesn’t just cook food — he revives forgotten recipes, reimagines classics, and honors the culture from which they came.
Among his many culinary missions, one shines with quiet brilliance — bringing lost recipes of India back to the plate, one region at a time.
One such treasure from the hills of Uttarakhand is Kafuli — a humble, iron-rich stew made from seasonal greens like spinach and fenugreek. Often overlooked in mainstream cuisine, Kafuli is now finding its place on global menus, thanks to chefs like Himanshu who understand its value not just in nutrition, but in heritage.
“Kafuli is the heartbeat of every Kumaoni kitchen,” Chef Himanshu shares. “It’s not fancy—but it’s pure, honest, and medicinal, just like the food from our hills is meant to be.”
He vividly recalls the days when his mother would prepare Kafuli in a wood-fired kitchen, whisking in curd and rice flour until it reached a silky, green consistency. That memory, once a part of his childhood in the hills, is now reimagined in professional kitchen thousands of miles away — served to guests in the U.S., plated with pride and purpose.
Ingredient | Quantity |
Spinach (Palak), chopped | 2 cups |
Fenugreek leaves (Methi), optional | ½ cup |
Green chilies | 2 |
Ginger | 1-inch piece |
Garlic cloves | 4 |
Curd (beaten) | ½ cup |
Rice flour | 2 tsp |
Mustard oil | 1 tbsp |
Cumin seeds | 1 tsp |
Asafoetida (Hing) | A pinch |
Salt | To taste |
Water | As required |
An overhead shot of a rustic iron kadhai with deep green kafuli gently simmering. A traditional brass thali nearby with kafuli, steamed rice, mooli thechwani, and a spoon of ghee glistening on top. The background features a wooden table, a strip of pahadi handwoven fabric, and scattered pink Himalayan salt crystals — creating a sense of place and purity.
Through Kafuli and many such regional gems, Chef Himanshu Pandey is doing more than cooking — he’s preserving culture, reconnecting diaspora with their roots, and introducing global audiences to the soulful flavors of Indian kitchens that once only lived in grandmothers’ recipes.
“It’s not about elevating Indian food—it’s about respecting it,” he says.
“If I can bring back even one lost recipe and give it the respect it deserves, I’ve done my job as a chef.”
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