Did you know that dishes like butter chicken and bread halwa were born out of survival and displacement? Or that gurudwaras became lifelines, serving food and comfort to thousands rebuilding their lives after 1947?

In this episode of A Century of Stories: India, host Kunal Vijayakar is joined by historian and culinary anthropologist Dr. Kurush Dalal to explore how India’s kitchens transformed after Independence. From refugee-run dhabas to community kitchens, they uncover how migration shaped our plates, how food traditions adapted to new realities, and how some of India’s most iconic dishes are, at their heart, stories of resilience served hot.