The Year-Long Quest to Recreate My Family’s Secret Recipe | Priya Krishna | NYT Cooking

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Priya never knew her grandfather. He’s only ever been photos in an album. And yet, this spice, known in the Krishna family as Atom Masala, is one of his strongest legacies.

Bal Krishna Gupta, who spent a significant part of his job working for the Indian navy in England, grew tired of the bland and tasteless food — and so he created a spice out of necessity. The rest was history; atom masala became the family’s popular spice for generations.

Like so many family recipes, the steps needed to capture its magic were never shared. The spice blend remained a secret when Priya’s grandfather died in 1988. Recently, Priya has been chosen by her family to recreate the blend through memory, guidance and critique by her father and close relatives who knew the beloved spice best.

Read more of Priya’s story here: https://nyti.ms/4hELN7Y

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Date: November 5, 2025

50 thoughts on “The Year-Long Quest to Recreate My Family’s Secret Recipe | Priya Krishna | NYT Cooking

  1. I watched a video by a Chinese chef named Cadence Gao where he reminisced about his father while cooking family meal at his restaurant. Cadence said that one of the reason he cooks is because it's unfortunate to have to live in a world where you can't recreate familiar tastes. Cooking to remember is such a profound mission in life, and I think this video really drives it home. Thank you for this awesome video, Priya and team!

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