Photo by Alli Mullikin for Robb McCormick Photography
Bidisha Nag opens the front door of her Tartan Ridge home with a warm smile. Her bright kitchen features an oversized island countertop with plenty of space for prepping and serving. Ingredients for today’s meal are laid out: shrimp, banana leaves, turmeric, shredded coconut, Thai chili peppers, mustard powder and mustard oil – a staple in Bengali cooking.
“You can make it with other fish, but today I’m doing it with shrimp,” says Nag. “For Bengali people, since we are located near lots of rivers, we tend to eat a lot of fish. This dish is very easy to cook I don’t like cooking very complicated things.”
Through her Create Your Curry cooking classes, Nag teaches participants how to make fast, simple meals that can be prepared days in advance. Her goal is to help people spend as little time in the kitchen as possible.
Photo by Alli Mullikin for Robb McCormick Photography
Nag, who holds a Ph.D. in cultural and human geography, began teaching as a professor at the University of Nebraska.
“I have taught undergraduate classes with 120 people who were only there because it was a requirement,” says Nag. “When I started my cooking classes, I realized this too is a combination of culture and geography, and my students actually want to be here!”
Nag grew up in Kolkata, India, and has lived in Chicago, Nebraska and New Jersey before moving to Dublin in 2016. She and her husband moved here for his job in Columbus, and chose Dublin for the excellent school system. Their son is now a senior at Dublin Jerome High School.
Photo by Alli Mullikin for Robb McCormick Photography
One thing she liked about living in Chicago was the diversity. She recalls the memorable potluck spreads with foods from around the world. She was happy to discover Dublin is also a diverse and inclusive place to live, with nearly one in five residents born outside the U.S. She always looks forward to gatherings with neighbors and friends.
“We have such an international community that we always wonder who’s going to bring what food,” Nag says.
By now the kitchen is filled with fragrant aromas as the shrimp paturi emerges from the microwave – one of her favorite and, in her opinion, underutilized cooking methods.
To view the recipe visit DublinOhioUSA.gov/dishes. To learn more about Create Your Curry cooking classes, visit createyourcurry.com or follow it on Facebook and Instagram. Class locations include Nag’s home, The Seasoned Farmhouse, 1400 Food Lab and The Mix at Mitchell Hall.
