Learn how to make authentic Indian cuisine during this unique 3-hour class at chef’s home

She’s the creator of the incredibly delicious tomato chutney for sale at several spots around town, including Reid’s Fine Foods and Laurel Market.

Whether you’re a lover of Indian cuisine or just want to branch out and experience something new, Santhoshi invites you into her kitchen.

Aside from her chutney business, Santhoshi offers an authentic three-hour cooking class at her home in Rock Hill.

For $60 per person, you’ll make a three-course Indian meal then enjoy it right there at her dining room table.

“Since I was a little girl, I was fascinated by cooking,” she said. “I used to watch my mom cook, and when I grew up I wanted to open an Indian restaurant.”

But alas, life got in the way.

“But to run a restaurant, I need to spend more time and energy on it,” she said. “I decided to teach Indian cooking classes so I could still pursue my passion of making Indian food and spend more time with my family.”

I became a fan of Santhoshi’s chutney early this year, but last month, I attended one of her cooking classes.

When we arrived, Santhoshi quickly let us know that we would be making the meal – not her.

Of course, she stepped in when our eyes widened with hesitancy at certain steps, but her trusting attitude allowed us to get the full experience.

I’ve had Indian food a small handful of times (mostly chicken tikka masala), so it was no surprise that I’d never had the items on the menu: Chicken 65 for the appetizer (deep fried chicken), chicken biryani for the main (rice and chicken), and payasam for dessert (rice pudding).

Santhoshi had many of the ingredients prepped (no chopping for us, thank goodness) but allowed us to sift through her spices when we needed something from her stash.

Between cooking steps, the conversation flowed with ease as Santhoshi told us more about her background and culture.

After an arranged marriage back home, she and her husband moved to Charlotte (just 10 short years ago) and are now raising their two cute boys in South Carolina.

When everything was ready, we sat down to enjoy our hard work and loved every single bite.

The dishes were full of flavor and were great introductions to Indian food for those unfamiliar with it (like me).

“I believe that Indian cuisine is a treasure of knowledge for making healthy and tasty food,” she said. “We are what we eat, so I want to share my knowledge of Indian food with everyone and motivate people to learn to cook this amazing cuisine.”

To book a class, check out Santhoshi’s website.