Namaste!
I’m Shweta, the founder and creator of all things Masala and Chai. I created this food blog in 2020 to document my favorite recipes my mother passed down to me. Today, it showcases accessible and comprehensive Indian recipes for home cooks. My goal is to be a resource for Indian techniques, ingredients, and the culture I’ve grown up with as part of the Indian diaspora in the U.S.
What You'll Find on Masala and Chai
Masala and Chai is full of Indian recipes that are meticulously developed and tested by Shweta Garg. Several recipes are passed down by her mother, aunts, and grandmother who grew up in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. Most of their recipes are measured by the ancestors, so Shweta spends time in the kitchen translating estimated quantities and loose techniques into replicable and concrete foolproof recipes.
You'll find classics like restaurant-style Mango Lassi, homemade Dahi made the way her great-great grandmother prepared it in India, and Indo-fusion like Masala Chai Tres Leches Cake that shows the love desis have for Mexican food in the U.S. Some recipes are simply a reflection of Shweta's upbringing in Arizona as a first-generation Indo-American immigrant, such as the Samosa Pinwheels or Almond Halwa Croissants.
- Technique: Indian cooking uses several obscure techniques to develop the best flavor. From sun-fermented pickles like Nimbu ka Achar, blooming spices with a tadka for Coconut Chutney, or learning how to shape and fry Samosas for a delicious appetizer, you'll add a new preparation or cooking technique to your skillset. Not to mention all the specialized cooking equipment used in India to roll out the best rotis or using an Instant Pot as a small shortcut.
- Ingredients: No Indian kitchen is complete without our unique ingredients! A lot of Indian homes love to make ingredients from scratch. You can learn how to make your own paneer with just 2 ingredients and how to make a large batch of Ginger Garlic Paste ahead of time to store in the fridge for easy use.
- Culture: Indian culture and it's evolution across the diaspora is at the center of everything we share here. We love sharing how to celebrate Diwali with us through desserts and fried food, the best Ayurvedic Khichdi for when a loved one is sick, or street-style snacks like Samosa Chaat that you can make at home.
About Shweta Garg
I moved to Arizona, U.S.A. from Alberta, Canada when I was 5 years old. Like most immigrants, I struggled to identify with my culture but grew up cooking authentic Indian food in the kitchen with my mom while she assimilated us with funky fusion foods like adding Chole to our red sauce pasta.
After graduating from NYU, I started working full time in technology consulting while also pursuing food photography professionally at restaurants around New York City in 2018 - shooting for their menus, social media, and food delivery platforms. I went on to do commercial food photography and working in bakeries part-time before translating these skills to what you see today on Masala and Chai!
I lived in NYC for 11 years before moving back to Arizona to be closer to my parents. Now, as a first generation Indian-American, I feel more connected to my culture through food. It brings me so much joy to work so closely with my mom and aunts in the kitchen to capture their unique recipes and to show people the amazing Indian food that's out there past Butter Chicken, Garlic Naan, and Mango Lassi.
About Abha Garg
My mother, Abha, grew up in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. She was raised by her single mother with four older siblings. She learned how to cook from the matriarchs in her family, starting with her great-grandmother teaching her the basics to her grandmother hammering in the precise techniques. My Nani (mother's mother), taught her the classics like samosas, ladoos, achaars, papadums, etc.
Eventually, she moved to Canada in her 20s with her eldest brother and started her own family. She passed down everything she learned to me as I grew up in Arizona, where she currently resides with my father. I always loved being her little helper! From frying bhaturas, to making rotis, to stuffing my face with homemade pani puri on hot summer nights.
She uses her decades of experience in Indian cooking and experimenting to contribute as a recipe developer and editor for the recipes on Masala and Chai.
Features
My recipes, photography, and expertise have been featured in publications like New York Eater, Food & Wine, Food Network, The Kitchn, The Feed Feed, Parade, BuzzFeed, Mashed, AMNY, Forbes, Consumer Affairs, and USA Today. I've also been a judge for the 2024 IACP Cookbook Awards Program. I enjoy speaking on topics such as balancing a 9-5 while pursuing your passion (Mediavine, Food Blogger Pro) and DEI (Tastemakers Conference).
I have been very fortunate to collaborate with amazing brands like Natural Delights, Oster, Sach Foods, Georgia Peanuts, Yes! Apples, and more. Work with me!
Please visit my Press page for more.
FAQs
I shoot on a Sony a7r V. My main lenses are a 90mm and 24-70mm. I shoot photo and video entirely with artificial light. All of my photos are individually edited using Adobe Lightroom. I use a Manfrotto tripod for my videos if I'm not using my iPhone. Check out my Amazon shop to see what I use.
A lot of them are random food cravings inspired by my mom - an amazing cook - who would do weird things in the kitchen like sneak leftover curry in our pasta. Growing up, she was always learning new dishes so my brother and I weren't made fun of for our ~stinky~ Indian food at school! We always ended up with a fun fusion meal.
A common misconception with Indian food is that it's too spicy! There's a difference between using spices for flavor vs. chilis that add heat. If you're concerned about the heat profile, I recommend using Kashmiri Chili Powder which is very mild. And of course, you can reduce the amount of heat per your tastes.