How safe are our hues? Jalebi! Just the word is enough to give one a sugar rush. But ever thought what gives it that orange-yellow hue? No, it’s not saffron since that’s quite pricey ...

My sister and I would gaze at the Gulab jamun marinating in syrup, and the golden swirls of jalebi behind the glass counter of a shop on Soho Road. Assorted bhajis, pakoras, aloo tikki ...