A dozen Dames got comfy in Gina Voci’s cozy screening room (aka third-floor guest room with fancy big-screen TV!) on Sunday, Jan. 7 to watch “The 100-Foot Journey” accompanied by delicious snacks prepared by Dame Chandra Ram from her new cookbook, The Complete Indian Instant Pot Cookbook. The movie tells the story of a young Indian chef in France and his dramatic ascent to the top, so the pairing of Indian foods was perfect! Crispy samosas filled with peas and potato, Indian-spiced popcorn and papadams with delicious spicy chutney kept everyone munching throughout the movie. Lest we get thirsty, Gina provided a perfect array of wines to match the food. (The Vouvray paired especially well with the spicy Indian foods!)

After the movie, the group headed to the kitchen, where Chandra and Gina were putting the final touches on an Indian feast for dinner! We enjoyed lamb vindaloo sliders, chickpea chaat (chickpea salad with pomegranate, cucumber and crunchy fried Indian bits), basmati rice with cumin and preserved lemon and saag paneer (sauteed spinach and mustard greens with Indian fresh cheese).

Chandra shared how her own experience as the daughter of an Indian father and an Irish mother growing up in America,  informed her perceptions of Indian food. “Because of the way I grew up, I put a bit of an American spin on classic Indian recipes. So for example, lamb vindaloo turned into a riff on the southern pulled-pork sliders we all know and love — but with Indian flavors.”