Special Drop: How Indian Food Became Frustratingly Hip

Today we are sharing an episode from "Bad Table Manners," a podcast that pushes the boundaries of food storytelling in South Asia, produced by our friends at Whetstone Radio Collective. Enjoy! Thanks to the cool-ification of Indian food, traditional ingredients from the subcontinent, like turmeric and ghee, are now repackaged and resold in Western and Westernized markets as if they were “new” discoveries. Cleaned up, minimalistic design labels are often employed to give the familiar and unfamiliar look and conceal what one can argue is a recolonization of the Global South by the Global North. The U.S.-based academic Rumya Putcha tells us why this hipster Indian food is problematic, while Vidya Balachander, current South Asia editor at Whetstone, helps us unpack the idea of the global supermarket. We’d love for you to be part of the Immigrantly community. Join us on Instagram: @Immigrantlypod Find us on Twitter: @immigrantly_pod Support us via our If you enjoy listening to Immigrantly, please share the love and leave us a review so that more people can find us!

Welcome to Immigrantly: a boundary-pushing, border-crossing podcast that gives diverse voices and stories, a home. Drawing on her own experiences as a rights activist and a first-generation Asian immigrant, creator & host, Saadia Khan tackles the big questions on race, identity & the immigrant experience while challenging mainstream narratives in today’s divided America. Covering everything from love and dating to food and faith, each weekly episode explores a theme with inspiring guests such as Grammy-winning singer Arooj Aftab; bestselling author of 'The Kite Runner,' Khaled Hosseini; and comedians Hari Kondabolu and Aparna Nancherla. It’s a true celebration of what makes us unique – and a timely reminder of all that unites us. If you’d like to be part of this fun, thoughtful and inclusive community, all you need to do is subscribe! Executive Producer & Host: Saadia Khan Sound Design & Content Editor: Manni Simon Media Coordinator: Kayla Lupoli Content Writers: Yudi Liu, Ashley Lanuza, Sarah Doh & Saadia Khan Music: Evan Ray Suzuki/Epidemic Sounds