Whether it’s a bowl of silky noodles, ladleful of curry or the crispy crunch of something deep-fried, comfort food is a deeply personal feeling that is shaped by our cultures, memories and the people close to us.
For me, nothing comes close to a mound of steaming hot rice. Sparkling white is preferable, despite wisdom nudging me towards the brown kind. The way it settles in the belly after each morsel with its heavy, familiar and filling way is nourishment of the best kind.
White rice holds deep cultural significance across the world, and it’s no surprise it so often anchors our meals in bowls, mounds or spoonfuls. In Kolkata, where I grew up, it’s the first solid food to touch a baby’s tongue in the form of payesh or rice pudding (known more widely by its Hindi name, kheer). Gently sweetened and creamy, it’s love at first bite.
It appears at weddings, glossy with ghee during the bachelorette bash, and the morning after when the bride offers ghee bhaat to her in-laws, seeking their blessings.
More sombrely, it’s the last offering made to the deceased at funerals, sprinkled into the mouth to sustain in the afterlife.
Add lentils to rice and it becomes khichdi, a dish I grew up with that rose to many occasions. Grey skies, illness, heartbreak and more were overcome with a warm bowl of khichdi. Lightly spiced, it is ideally eaten between bites of something crispy like roasted papad, fried sliced potatoes or aubergine.
Of course, everyone has their own favourite. For some, comfort begins even before the first mouthful. The aroma alone is enough to conjure a sense of place. The collective magic of lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal and coconut milk might carry you to a family kitchen far away, where loving hands ladle soup into bowls.
Dominique Woolf’s tom kha gai is exactly that – a gently spiced Thai broth full of citrussy warmth, creamy coconut and memories in a diaspora kitchen. With all the herbs and goodness in it, it immediately feels restorative.
The serving matters, too. Bowls cocoon food into a rotund little world. Add the pair of loving hands that brings it to you, and it immediately elevates the delicious joy it brings. Borderless dishes find their own special place.
Yuki Gomi’s roast dinner ramen is all heart. It’s a melding of flavours with a no-waste ethos that feels like home, wherever you are.
How the meal is eaten counts. Eating with hands builds a more intimate connection with food.
Texture plays its part, too. The crispy exterior of salt fish akara like the ones The Flygerians make, are savoury and deeply satisfying. Crunch brings comfort in many cultures – irresistible.
The soft sweetness of pumpkin in a curry, mashed and swirled into rice, is creamy and wholesome at once, with complexity of flavour and feeling.
And finally, it’s about who’s around the table. Friends, family, shared laughter or shared grief, all of it matters. Karla Zazueta’s bistec ranchero, a special meat stew, immediately reminds her of her father and his favourite order at Leonardo’s in San Antonio de las Minas where they make it with eggs and beans. It’s filling, comforting and perfect for celebrating. A reminder of happy times with loved ones.
Comfort food isn’t just about eating. It’s about remembering, reconnecting and finding your way back to yourself, one bite at a time.
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Mallika is a food writer and cookbook author. She writes an award-nominated newsletter called In Good Taste on food, people and the planet, and is a qualified expert on sustainability. @mallikabasu_
