What started as one friend's passion for collecting indigenous ingredients in her Delhi apartment has blossomed into something truly magical. Anumitra Ghosh Dastidar's home once resembled a delicious treasure trove, with fridges packed with varieties of dried fish and shelves lined with jars of indigenous rice from every corner of India. Today, that love has transformed into Edible Archives, a celebration of India's culinary heritage nestled in the heart of Goa.

The journey began serendipitously at a party in 2017, when Anumitra was chatting about her obsession with indigenous rice. Anita Dube, curator of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2018, overheard the conversation and was instantly intrigued. Together with her friend Shalini Krishan, Anumitra crafted a proposal that would soon become their dream project. When it was selected for the Biennale, Edible Archives was born.

The restaurant now operates from a stunning century-old home in Assagao, its rust-tiled roof and teal-and-white walls providing the perfect backdrop for culinary innovation. But this isn't just about serving food—it's about telling stories and preserving traditions that might otherwise be lost to time.

Shalini, who spent over a decade in publishing before diving into this venture, describes Edible Archives as a beautiful blank canvas. "What interests me is the cultures around food, how the ingredient is part of a larger ecosystem, the stories of how it's moved from one place to another," she explains with enthusiasm. The duo sees their work as giving heritage ingredients the recognition they've long deserved.

Every dish at Edible Archives is a sensory journey. From sourcing to preparation to presentation, each element tells a story. Popular menu items include pork solantulem featuring kokum and Rajamudi rice—an heirloom variety once reserved exclusively for Mysuru's royal family—and their bestselling Shaanxi-style brinjal with yard-long beans, which they lovingly call "a souvenir from China."

The restaurant's commitment to sustainability and authenticity shines through in every aspect. They source ingredients directly from farmers and local vendors, grow many items themselves, and work tirelessly to minimize waste. Their menu changes with the seasons, ensuring only the freshest produce makes it to your plate.

Anumitra's background as a researcher has proven invaluable in the kitchen. She approaches each ingredient with scientific curiosity, studying everything from grain size to water absorption, scent to color. This meticulous attention to detail results in dishes that are both authentic and innovative.

The duo believes that modern diets have become dangerously monotonous, with most people consuming only ten to twelve ingredients weekly. Through Edible Archives, they're expanding palates and preserving biodiversity, one plate at a time.

Their work extends beyond the restaurant walls. Through workshops like "Every Grain A Story: Rice Appreciation," they're educating people about the incredible diversity of ingredients available and the cultural wisdom embedded in traditional food systems.

This heartwarming project proves that when passion meets purpose, something extraordinary happens. Anumitra and Shalini aren't just running a restaurant—they're safeguarding culinary heritage, supporting local farmers, and creating a space where forgotten ingredients can shine once more.