The word appam typically refers to a lace-like crepe made with coconut milk and rice flour in Sri Lankan and South Indian kitchens. In Ilanit Menachem’s community, which comes from Cochin (present-day Kochi), it’s the name of a Shabbat bread.

The Jewish community from Cochin (present-day Kochi) has diverse roots including the Iberian Peninsula, which is where Ilanit believes the origin of these crispy pastries lies. She calls them the “king of the Cochini cuisine.”

“Chitarnee is a dish that encompasses the Baghdadi Jews of India, it represents them and their journey and most importantly, it tastes bloody delicious!” proclaims Ciara Shalome. It brings together madras curry powder and spice-filled vindaloo paste.

In Ciara’s family, this spicy chutney made with apples is served alongside chicken chitarnee, an essential dish of the Baghdadi Jewish community of India.

Ilanit’s grandmother used to start her cooking for Shabbat early on Friday morning, perfuming her house with dishes like this spicy tender beef stew that’s made with turmeric, ginger, and coriander.

Shulie Madnick’s family masala blend is a closely guarded secret. To make her Shabbat curry recipe, she recommends looking for Maharashtrian or Bombay curry blends, which are similar in style.

These vegetarian fritters made with potatoes and chickpea flour are a popular street food in Maharashtra, a state in western India. Riki Shai’s family, who now live in Israel, make them for Shabbat and other celebrations.

Chicken with coconut cream and bamboo shoots called spayty was part of the Shabbat table in Elli Benaiah’s childhood home. Today, he’s carrying forward Baghdadi traditions with his catering company.

Pair Elli’s saucy spayty with this golden rice pilau that’s made with cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and turmeric.

These crispy potatoes are par-boiled first to make sure they cook all the way through and then fried. You will want to have a candy or deep-fry thermometer on hand for this recipe.

Stuffed vegetables are a staple in many Jewish communities from the stuffed cabbage of Ashkenazi Jews to the grape leaves eaten by communities from Turkey to Syria and beyond. In this recipe, tomatoes and onions are filled with chicken, fresh ginger, and mint.

Like Jewish cooks around the world, many in India adopted local recipes and culinary traditions like this one for kachori, a stuffed fritter. Often filled with moong dal, this version is filled with peas.

Leftovers from a Shabbat dinner of a chicken dish called spayty and fried potatoes form the base of this Saturday lunch salad.

Sweet carrots play off fresh ginger, garam masala, and tomatoes in this recipe from Max Nye’s family. It makes a wonderful Rosh Hashanah side.

Laced with rose and harissa, this flavorful rice pilau pairs with Max’s beef kofta curry, but would also go well with a simple roast chicken for Shabbat dinner.

Making pantras is a project, but one worth undertaking. Filling, folding, and frying the pantras is easiest with an extra set of hands, so ask a friend or family member to help.

This well spiced beef kofta curry is seasoned with coriander, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, and curry powder. Serve it with white rice or a more flavorful pilau.

Saffron-tinged halwa is a signature of the Bene Israel community of India, where many families have their own variation. This one is from Shamira Malekar’s family who always made it for Rosh Hashanah in India.