A biography for Sohla El-Wayllyhasn’t been written yet.
“If you want to step up you mashed-potato game, regardless of whether you like them fluffy or creamy, a food mill or potato ricer is your best bet.”
“Parathas are a flaky, buttery, and layered style of flatbread that can be served alongside curries, rolled up and dipped into hot chai, or made into a meal by themselves with a side of raita for dunking.”
“I think one big thing with food and race that is a hot topic is cultural appropriation.”
“Sure, making homemade aioli is not so bad. All you need is to mix an egg or yolk with lemon juice and garlic, then slowly drizzle in oil while whisking like theres no tomorrow, before finally bedazzling with your choice of mix-ins.”
“I think of raita as just a versatile yogurt sauce to serve alongside all kinds of dishes - not just the traditional fare. Whether on a burger, spooned into stew, or served with grilled fish, raita presents endless possibilities and opportunities for inspiration.”
“So when I was tasked with developing a zucchini fritter recipe even I could love, I stole a trick from my mother's Bengali onion fritters, piyaju. Instead of flour and eggs, theyre made with blended red lentils, which manage to stay wispy and crispy against all odds.”
“Whenever I'm cooking at home over a steamy pot, I daydream about the day I'll have a soda gun installed in my kitchen to spray seltzer directly into my mouth.”
“Because biryani is all about the rice, this is the time to splurge on some extra-long, premium aged basmati.”
“Once you know how to make koshari, youll never think twice about whether to save those last few scoops of rice or the half-cup tomato passata.”
“Ive been a pastry chef for a long time, so I dont always have the best gauge on how people bake at home.”
“Sunday morning, while the neighbors were whipping up pancake batter, I watched my mom effortlessly roll out smooth dough, smear it with her heady all-day ghee, and transform it into a flaky flatbread with countless crisp and chewy layers.”
“An ideal potato gratin will contain creamy and tender potato slices, topped with a crunchy, golden crust, and browned edges underneath and all around - a quality that requires good heat transfer from the dish to its contents.”
“The standard nine- by 13-inch baking pan is essential for every kitchen. This is the perfect vessel for bubbling casseroles, cheesy lasagnas, even for roasting meat and vegetables.”
“It can be easy to brush off appearances as unimportant, but tableside presentation is a big part of a baking dishs appeal.”
“When you mix wheat flour and water together, the proteins in the flour combine to form a gluten network. This structure is what gives bread dough the strength and elasticity to capture all the bubbles and burbles produced by yeast in order to grow fluffy, chewy, and light when baked.”
“Flatbreads are common throughout India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal, and have countless incarnations, from chewy, whole wheat roti to puffy, deep-fried bhatura.”
“While the set-up of my home kitchen looks very different from that of a restaurant, theres one thing that has remained from my years as a line cook: the stack of sizzle platters thats always by my side. And its not going anywhere.”
“Unlike chicken, duck breast has a hue and texture akin to that of red meat and is safe to consume medium-rare, so bring on the pink. Perfectly cooked duck breast will have moist and juicy meat, with a luscious and crunchy skin.”
“The base of raita is traditionally unstrained whole-milk yogurt, but I like to break away from convention and reach for whatever fermented dairy I have on hand. Ive used buttermilk, Greek yogurt, sour cream, and any combination thereof for the base of my raita.”
“Scales aren't just for all the would-be pastry wizards out there, either. They're a necessary tool for any serious cook as well, especially for determining ratios or servings.”