Warming Curries for Winter’s Chill

After settling in the U.S. from India after her student days, Kalpana (Kay) Kethineedi built a career in the corporate world. After one busy workday, missing the comfort foods of home, she was struck with the idea of creating easy, shelf-stable meal kits inspired by her mother’s and grandmother’s recipes.

Kay’s Curries now offers several versions of classic biryani: vegetable biryani; one to pair with paneer or tofu; and one to pair with chicken. All capture the flavor of home-cooked Indian food, including her mom’s masala, the spice blend that gives each version its deep, balanced flavor and warmth, and has been passed down through generations.

Her Pav Bhaji kit celebrates classic Mumbai street food: a spiced vegetable mash served with buttered rolls, similar in comfort to an American Sloppy Joe but filled with Indian flavor. The Masala Kichadi combines rice, lentils and vegetables with an aromatic spice blend for a gluten-free one-pot meal.

Kay’s Curries have no preservatives or allergens: they are gluten-free, dairy-free and contain no nuts or seed oils. Each packet is hand-mixed and packaged at Hope & Main in Warren, where Kay says, “Everybody has my best interests at heart.” She’s also found that same warmth throughout Rhode Island: When she and her husband moved to Warren, their neighbors even hosted a welcome party!

Available at specialty markets and farmers markets around the state and at KaysCurries.com. (Photo courtesy of GhostPepperCreatives.com.)