Khaalis/خالص a word that means pure in Urdu, serves as the anchor of this thesis, reflecting the essence of food that is made, shared, and remembered with love. Food, in its most khaalis form, goes beyond sustenance; it becomes a vessel for emotion, memory, and connection. It holds the power to tie people together, to create bonds that outlast the meal, and to transport us instantly to a place, a moment, a scent-filled kitchen of the past.

Inspired by the relationship with my three sisters and our childhood stories, this project captures the joy of cooking, the anecdotes tied to recipes, and the cultural significance of meals as a medium for connection, tradition, and emotional resonance. Food becomes a silent narrator of stories passed down without words, wrapped in recipes, tastes, and gestures.

Such familial and emotional dimensions of food are rarely documented or studied deeply, especially in the South Asian context. This project aims to fill that gap by bringing attention to food as a cultural and emotional archive, one that deserves to be preserved not only through recipes, but through the stories, bonds, and khaalis moments it creates.