n January 2020, two friends arrived in the scenic hill station of Mussoorie at the foothills of the Himalayas. Of the two women, Manju Saigal was better prepared for the chill of its winter, having spent her childhood there several years before settling in Malaysia. With her was seasoned traveller Bettina Chua Abdullah, editor and founder of The Fay Khoo Award for Food+Drink Writing. Chua was convinced that a trip to Saigal’s hometown was an indispensable first step for them both as they prepared to compile Saigal’s first food memoir,. In the three weeks that followed, Chua gained a first-hand experience of the food, culture and traditions that shaped Saigal’s entire philosophy of Indian cooking.
