Divyasha has an undying love for the cuisine of China’s Shanxi Province
Get to know Divyasha, and get her “Sesame Noodles with Chili Mushrooms & Asian Style Cuks” tomorrow (6/24) in the Loop!
“In the past couple years, I have led several virtual cooking workshops and ran a few holiday season baking campaigns.”
Q: What can you tell us about the dish you’re making?
Divyasha: I’m making Sesame Noodles with Chili Mushrooms and a side of Spicy Cucumber Salad. Thick udon noodles are smothered in a creamy soy-tahini based sauce that’s spiked with numbing Sichuan Peppercorns and usual aromatics from East Asian cooking (scallions, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, etc). then topped with chewy crisp and spicy shiitake mushrooms.
Divyasha’s Sesame Noodles with Chili Mushrooms & Asian Style Cuks.
Persian Cucumbers are marinated overnight in a fermented broad bean paste, black vinegar, garlic and Sichuan Peppercorns concoction. The dish is vegan and nut-free and can easily be made GF. It’s inspired by my undying love for the cuisine from the Shanxi Province in China that I discovered during my summer internship in NYC through several restaurants in Chinatown (Xi’an Famous Foods in particular).
Q: What’s your cooking background?
Divyasha: I’m a self taught home chef and amateur baker with keen interest in developing innovative vegan/vegetarian recipes using seasonal produce and unique ingredients.
Follow Divyasha on Instagram @umamifromscratch.
In the past couple years, I have led several virtual cooking workshops and ran a few holiday season baking campaigns – a themed made to order pick-up menu for gifting. With more than 80 original recipes on Instagram that have been vetted and recreated by several of my followers all over the world.
Q: What’s your favorite food memory?
Divyasha: In the past 5 years, me and my husband have a Friday Night Mezze ritual where we setup various small plates (tapas) and make complementary cocktails.
Mezze Night at Divyasha’s.
Q: Where did you grow up and what kind of food did you grow up with?
Divyasha: I grew up in India and moved to Chicago in 2015 for my grad school program at UofC.
My mum is an avid homecook and homebaker who experimented a lot, which gave me exposure to global cuisines from all over the world. Additionally, she was heavily into replicating French desserts and bakes at home! While growing up we had a tradition of eating East Asian or SE Asian food for special occasions such as NYE, Birthdays, etc.
Get Divyasha’s Sesame Noodles with Chili Mushrooms & Asian Style Cuks TOMORROW in the Loop, only on Shmeal!
