10 Authentic Indian Recipes Your Dadi Never Wrote Down

Keeping dadi’s recipes alive: small steps to preserve big memories

Dadi’s recipes survived because they were practical, repeatable, and shared over and over. That repetition encoded small rules—when to add coconut, how long to temper spices, and how much salt feels right—that a written page rarely captures. To preserve those teachings, start by asking for one dish and record the session on your phone while cooking together, or write down the sensory cues she mentions, such as aroma or texture. When adapting for a North American pantry, prioritize substitute ingredients that preserve texture first, then flavor. Make notes about heat levels and resting times so the next generation has a clearer starting point than “add until it feels right.” Try one dish from this list, compare it with the version you remember, and then experiment gently. If you’re not cooking with a dadi, reach out to community elders, regional food groups, or local cooks—oral traditions are often kept alive by neighbors and festivals. Above all, treat these recipes as living documents: adjust them, pass them on, and record the stories behind them. That way, the flavors your family cherishes keep traveling forward, along with the memories that made them so meaningful in the first place.