New Delhi, Dec. 13 -- Whenever my friends want to eat puri-aloo, they invite themselves over to my home. In my hometown of Lucknow, this combination is found on every table, irrespective of class, community or faith. The dish is a reminder of the simplicity of the food of a city whose cuisine is often mistaken to be laced with spices, oil and meat.

Puri-aloo is not breakfast but a complete meal, often celebratory and cooked for festivals and special occasions. It is always made with multiple sides like khatta meetha kaddu, a pumpkin dish with jaggery and amchoor, sookha ghuiyan (colocasia), raita and pulao. Sometimes, especially in more affluent homes, with a special khoya-matar-makhane ki sabzi, a rich curry made with mawa (reduced milk...