• Crime - English

    Cyanide at Chowpatty

    Akash Tripathi 1 The salty breeze of the Arabian Sea drifted through Girgaon Chowpatty, curling around sizzling pans and the spicy perfume of crushed coriander and garlic chutney. Tara Joshi stood behind her grandfather’s chaat stall, apron tied around her waist, expertly arranging plates of sev puri with the finesse only years of helping at the stall could teach. The sky had turned a buttery orange, and the usual crowd of couples, college kids, and beach walkers had begun to gather around the row of food carts. Dattatray Joshi—Dada to everyone—stood beside her, his wrinkled hands moving steadily, his voice…

  • Comedy - English

    The Great Delhi Samosa Caper

    Neelesh Rao 1 Pooja Deshmukh stepped off the rickety auto-rickshaw and looked around the bustling streets of Old Delhi. The air was thick with the aroma of spices, fried food, and the faintest hint of incense. Her stomach rumbled in anticipation, but she pushed the hunger aside—today was about much more than food. She was here to review Baba’s Samosa Stall, a legendary street food joint that had been making waves in the culinary world. As a food critic for a top Mumbai magazine, Pooja had traveled the length and breadth of India tasting everything from Michelin-starred meals to street…