Kaur’s favorite dish, Samosa Chaat is the dish next to the noodles.

Manprit Kaur

For senior Manprit Kaur, food has always been a way for her to stay connected to her culture. Kaur’s parents are both immigrants from the state of Punjab in northern India. However, Kaur was born in the United States.

Growing up, Kaur has always seen two sides to her life, the Punjabi side and the American side. While trying to balance both sides, food has been one way for Kaur to stay connected with her Punjabi roots.

“Food is a way to connect with your community and stay in touch with that community,” Kaur said.

For Kaur there are many traditional Punjabi foods that she enjoys, but her favorite is a dish called Samosa Chaat.

Samosa Chaat is a dish that has traditional Indian samosas mixed in with a filling of potatoes, peas, chickpeas, onions and red pepper seasoning. It is also served with yogurt and a variety of sauces. 

“It’s like spicy but the good kind of spicy,” Kaur said.

Despite the fact that there are many hardships that come with balancing two different identities, Kaur believes that having two different cultures is a gift and she has found the best ways for her to stay connected to her roots.

“Our food has always been a big symbol of our culture and religion,” Kaur said. “It’s something that differentiates us from other people.

James Perez

For many, food is nothing special, just something consumed to live, but for senior James Perez it’s a way of preserving his cultural roots.

Perez’s dad is an immigrant from the Dominican Republic and his mom is half Dominican and half Vietnamese. Perez was born in the United States and has tried his best to connect to his culture.

Though Perez doesn’t know much about his culture and he doesn’t speak much of his native language, he is able to connect to his Dominican identity through food. 

“I can’t speak Spanish to save my life, but I can do the bare minimum,” Perez said. “My dad raised us to eat a lot of traditional meals.”

Perez’s favorite Dominican dish that his dad makes is a pastry called pastelito.  

The pastry has a filling of some type of cheese or meat, but Perez’s favorite way to enjoy it is just with white cheese. 

Perez has had a connection with this pastry ever since he was younger.

“As a picky kid the fact that it was simple and quick to make made it a go for my dad,” Perez said. “Now that I don’t eat it nearly as much it feels slightly nostalgic when I do enjoy one.”

Perez’s connection with Dominican food helps him stay connected to his culture and not stray away from it.

“I try to learn the food and keep it going,” Perez said. “So I can spread some knowledge to my kids about their grandparents and culture.”

Christina Iang

Sophomore Christina Iang feels a connection with recipes passed down through her family. 

Iang’s parents are from Burma, but moved to Malaysia where they had her. One way for Iang to connect to her roots and family is through recipes passed down through her family. 

“A lot of the stuff that we cook are passed down,” Iang said.

One of Iang’s favorite foods to enjoy over summer is mangos with sauce that has pepper and lime. Although the dish isn’t a recipe passed down, Iang enjoys eating this because she likes mangoes. 

Another one of Iang’s favotite recipes to enjoy over the summer is a rice-related treat.

The dish consists of milk, rice cakes, jelly, and ice cream. 

“It’s sweet and I like sweet stuff,” Iang said. 

Recipes and passed down food plays a big role in Iang’s life.

 “I think that it helps me connect to my culture by learning the recipes we have in my family and carrying it on,” Iang said.

Sophia Delgado Gonzalez

Sophomore Sophia Delgado Gonzalez has found the perfect transition food from summer to winter.

Gonzalez’s favorite food to eat is a traditional Mexican soup called pozole. 

“It tastes good and fills you up,” Gonzalez said. “The weather is about to get cold so it’s gonna be nice to enjoy something that is really warm.”

Foods like pozoles play an important role in Gonzalez’s life. It helps her connect to her culture and understand her parents. 

Gonzalez’s parents are both immigrants from Mexico, but Gonzalez was born here in the U.S. 

Naturally, one of the best ways for Gonzalez to understand her background is through food.

“When I eat the food I’m more connected to my culture and my parents,” Gonzalez said.