Home cook Nallini Swaminathan still makes heirloom Malayalee recipes for Deepavali

In her gorgeous home kitchen, Dr Nallini Swaminathan is ladling spoonfuls of a deliciously creamy potato gravy called istew into a delicate white receptacle. “This is just simple comfort food,” she says, her beautiful face breaking into a disarming smile.

A psychologist by profession, Nallini still makes time to cook regularly and never fails to make her mother’s heirloom Malayalee recipes come Deepavali every year for her children, grandchildren and other relatives.