Indian Cooking Classes Chicago, IL
Learn traditional Indian Cooking recipes and indulge in dishes ranging from vegetarian curries to paneers. Expand your cooking horizon to the land of India. Enroll in one class, or take the entire 4 class series! As classes teach you how to make vegetarian dishes, you won't be making traditional tikka masalas or chicken tandooris, instead the focus will be on amazing vegetarian dishes and will be followed by a sitdown dinner. Upon completion of the series, you will have learned 9 dishes per class and possess a thorough understanding of Indian cooking tradition.
Classes are limited to 8 people.
Classes include the following:
I. Basics of the North Indian Meal
II. Quick Meals
III. Regional Cuisine of India
IV. Muglai Cooking
 | LOCATION Chicago, IL |
 | NEIGHBORHOOD South Shore |
 | WEATHER Severe weather may result in class cancellation |
 | WHEN Year round (Saturdays from 9a-12p, Monday and Wednesday from 6:15p-9:15p) |
 | DURATION 3 hours per class |
 | WHAT TO WEAR Please wear comfortable clothing. Aprons will be provided. |
 | BOOKING AVAILABILITY To secure a spot, we recommend that you BOOK 1 week in advance of your preferred class date. |
 | BOOKING AND CANCELLATION POLICY REFUNDS: No refunds once booking is made. RESCHEDULES: Reschedules permitted 3 days prior to class. If you do not reschedule, you will forfeit your payment. CANCELLATIONS BY CHEF: All classes may be subject to cancellation or rescheduling on instructor’s prerogative. Alternate days will be offered to rescheduled classes. |
(From Yelp...) I'll see how much I actually learned when I give some cooking a shot. The recipes were nice, and overall a well designed nine course meal.
I would have preferred a bit more of the 'science' behind what works and what doesn't but that is probably a bit too much to ask for a introductory class. A bit disorganized at times, but that's also a reflection of her attitude that cooking is a constant experiment.
(From Yelp...) See those five stars I gave? Multiply each of them by two. This is a 10-star cooking class. How do you review an experience that indulges all of your senses and leaves you with a sense of peace and joy, a new set of skills, and a full, happy tummy with just five stars??
Ranjana holds small classes in her sparkling professional kitchen at her home near Hyde Park (take the Metra Electric Line down and enjoy a 4- or 5-block walk through one of the most beautiful parts of Chicago to get there).
Not only do you learn to make the 9 or so dishes included on the menu, but Ranjana explains the general patterns of flavor and spice mixing involved in Indian cooking which will take you much further if you plan to branch out beyond the dishes taught in class. In addition to the dishes, she'll also show you how to make your own chai, your own yogurt, and roast and grind your own spices to be used as is or in garam masala - all easily achieved in your own kitchen as well. And surely nothing has taken me back to those childhood moments of delight and wonder as seeing my own chapati inflate like a balloon over an open flame. Everything we made was delicious, and there was plenty of hands-on practice.
Dishes we made in the basic North Indian class: Samosas, eggplant with tomato, okra, chapati (bread), daal, green chutney, mango chutney, tamarind chutney, halwa. Also: chai tea, yogurt, toasted spices
But even better than getting to eat your own crispy, spicy samosas right out of the pan is the chance to learn from the remarkable Ranjana. Patient, clear, and expert at her craft, Ranjana radiates warmth, peacefulness, and hospitality and is simply spellbinding when she speaks. Interspersed with cooking instructions are history lessons, stories of her own fascinating life, a prompt to smell the black cardamom and green cardamom to experience the difference, and gentle questions to get to know you as well.
From the flavors, scents, textures, and colors of the food to the warm hug you get as you leave Ranjana's house to the wonderful helpful followup emails she'll send you, this is a magical experience from start to finish. Do not miss this!
(From Yelp...) Ranjana won me over again! I signed up for a second class with her after I received a discount offer for taking a previous class. This time I went with the regional cooking class, which meant South Indian. I was pretty excited to learn how to make some South Indian dishes because I had never tried my hand at it at home. It ended up being just my friend and I in the class because the other students canceled. What luck?! It was like having my own private cooking class! We made a TON of food again, even though it was only the three of us (Ranjana included). The best part of all? I LEARNED HOW TO AND WAS SUCCESSFUL AT MAKING MY OWN DOSA!! Amazing, if you ask me. We also made some fresh coconut chutney (we're talking take-the-coconut-outside-and-bust-it-open fresh), sambhar, rasam, idli, vada, lemon rice, upma (a side recipe that wasn't even part of the plan), a couple of different masalas, and payasam. Seriously, a ton of food! Don't even ask me how we managed to eat a good portion of it.
Ranjana was as friendly as ever, sharing plenty of life stories, and teaching us a lot of shortcuts and new methods for cooking. If you're looking for a good way to learn some real, authentic cooking, take a class with Ranjana, she's the best! You learn to make a lot of different things, and feel comfortable enough to take your recipe book home and dive in in your own kitchen. Take a class with a group of friends to make it even more fun. Have a birthday party or a holiday party here if you're looking for a good group activity!
