Bittersweet (with Helen Zaltzman)

Our holiday episode this year is a Christmas special. Samin is making puns and courting controversy (don't let a Chicagoan hear how she eats a hot dog). And Hrishi’s making a weird sandwich, and trying to recreate a treat he sampled in London. Featuring listeners’ questions, plus a conversation about an ancient fish sauce between Samin and our friend and co-host of Radiolab, Latif Nasser.For recipes, Home Cooking merch, and a transcript of this episode, visit homecooking.show.Listen to the Radiolab episode about Pompeii here.

It’s Thanksgiving, and so, like giblets and your racist aunt, this is the only time this year that you’ll have to deal with us. Welcome to the first (and possibly only) installment of our chill era, featuring our favorite retired food scientist, Dr. Sumesh Uncle Hirway.

We’re back for a special episode of the podcast, and we’re getting questions and giving thanks as we get ready for the high holy day of home kitchens. We got a special surprise in the form of a question from international pop superstar Camila Cabello! Also, we finally made shirts that say “Shrimp J*nga Forever!” and you can get one at homecooking.show/shrimpjenga. You can listen to Hrishi’s new song here, and watch his TED Talk here, For recipes and a transcript of this episode, visit homecooking.show/16.

Hello again! We’ve climbed out of our cave and here we are, blinking bewilderedly in the light of the bright sun, trying to remember how to make this podcast. Join us as we slice up a veritable fruit salad of questions, including one about raisins from our new puppet friends Waffles & Mochi. They’re the titular characters of the new Netflix kids show that just came out. Samin is in the show, too, so you should go watch it as soon as you’re done listening to this! For recipes, resources, and a transcript of this episode, visit homecooking.show.

We’re wrapping up this pandemic year and our pandemic podcast in a carefully-sealed bag, so as not to let the flavors intermingle with other flavors in your podcast cookie tin. For our cookie-themed episode, we‘ve got chocolate chip cookies, no-bake cookies, and smart cookie Helen Zaltzman (@HelenZaltzman) tells us about her gingerbread creations. Plus, a Chef Detective mystery about a lost family favorite from an out-of-print magazine. For recipes, transcripts, and more, visit homecooking.show/14.

Happy Thanksgiving! Our special family guests this week include Samin’s younger brothers Pasha & Bahador, Hrishi’s dad Dr Sumesh Hirway, and Hrishi’s niece Asha. Plus, the wonderful Tracy Clayton (@brokeymcpoverty) tells us about the Thanksgiving opinion that could get her excommunicated from her old Kentucky home. This episode is dedicated to Kanta Hirway, Hrishi’s mom. Without her incredible home cooking and mischievous sense of humor, this podcast (and Hrishi) would have never been. Her Thanksgiving mango pie was the connection point for Samin and Hrishi’s first collaboration, and we hope you’ll try making it in her honor. Words cannot express how much she will be missed, but she expressed her love through food, anyway—so eat well and take care of each other For recipes, resources, and more, visit homecooking.show/episodes/13.

According to our callers, a big part of Thanksgiving seems to be making food for your loved ones that you only kind of like yourself. But can we make these dishes a little better for the people cooking them?! We’re gonna try. Plus, Demi Adejuyigbe (@electrolemon), tells about his quarantine baking adventures. For recipes, transcripts, and more, visit homecooking.show/12.

Dr. Sumesh Uncle Hirway, Ph.D (@sumeshhirway) is back with more tips, Jen Feltham of Sonoratown (@sonoratownla) teaches us a tortilla trick, and Samin & Hrishi talk treats. For recipes, resources, and a transcript of this episode, visit homecooking.show/11.

We’re joined by actor Jason Mantzoukas, one of our favorite people. He’s a novice in the kitchen who needs a little help getting comfortable with some cooking basics. Plus, we call up Hrishi’s dad, a.k.a. Sumesh Uncle the Food Scientist, for some information on his newest favorite gadget: an air fryer.

We’re back for a third batch of episodes! Samin and Hrishi help a listener who is over-encumbered by a number of cucumbers, and Chef Detective fills in the missing pieces from a family recipe for pull-apart bread. For recipes, resources, and a transcript of this episode, visit homecooking.show/9.