Srinagar, Nov. 21 -- I grew up seeing food as a form of love. My grandmother cooked with ingredients that always had a story behind them.

Fresh produce came from nearby farms, grains were ground at home, and fruits and vegetables were dried for winter. Noon chai paired with homemade bread. A simple bowl of millet or maize kept people going through long days.

No one counted calories or talked about nutrition. Health came from the food on our plates.

Today, I feel worried when I look around. Home-cooked food has lost its place in many Kashmiri lives. Lines outside fast food stalls grow longer every month. Even toddlers know the flavour of packaged chips better than the taste of a simple recipe cooked at home.

The change did not arriv...