Bhavna felt that Indian food in Australia was 'heavily stereotyped'. She hopes to change that

Bhavna Kalra Shivalkar describes her passion for sharing Indian cooking as "like a full-time job", as she crafts new fusion recipes, writes food columns, launches pop-up restaurants, and hosts cooking classes.

Key Points

• Bhavna migrated to Australia 12 years ago and found the Indian cuisine offered here to be underwhelming.
• She blogs about traditional recipes and started up a pop-up restaurants to share original and fusion dishes.
• Through her Modern Desi project she shares recipes, runs cooking classes and sells spice mixes.

Bhavna Kalra Shivalkar came to Australia 12 years ago to work in the IT industry, and in her free time has been sharing traditional Indian and fusion recipes with her community.

When Bhavna first came to Australia, she felt that Indian food in Australia was a “heavily stereotyped version” of the food she was familiar with back home.

It's a very watered down version of what Indian food is … the food offered was very oily, (with) strong spices, (and) heavy cream

Bhavna Kalra Shivalkar

Bhavna has also documented recipes by her mum and her grandfather who was from Multan, Pakistan, in her blog.

Being inspired by her grandfather, who shares her passion of cooking, Bhavna chose to put her time into creating recipes and then sharing this love with others through her blogs.

Her The Modern Desi. Co. project has gained over 38,000 followers on her Instagram.

She is also involved in Indian food tours with Maeve O'Meara and publishes recipe blogs with SBS Food.

Fusion sweet by Bhavna Kalra

Alongside a full-time job in IT, Bhavna finds the time to run pop-up restaurants offering foods unavailable in mainstream Indian restaurants.

Her menu includes traditional dishes like pav bhaji and choley bhature as well as fusion dishes like beetroot lassi and pistachio and mawa cake.

Speaking with SBS Punjabi, she spoke fondly of her popular dish combining a traditional Indian sweet dish, a green pea halwa, with kachori (pastry). Bhavna makes this using green peas widely available during winter.

Bhavna shares her skills with others through cooking classes held in Epping and Sydney Community College, and even sells her own Indian spice box and chutneys.

Bhavna Kalra's Indian spice box

Cooking is a life skill. Everyone should know how to cook, especially for yourself. Cooking for others is a valuable trait to have.

Bhavna Kalra Shivalkar

Bhavna also encourages others to try a different cuisine once a week, to experience the rich flavours, textures and food ideas.