Image provided by Tableseide Restaurant Group

Tired of ordering pizza and making the same old stir-fry at home? Here’s the cooking inspo you’ve been looking for to spice things up at home. A series of special cooking classes will be held at The Francis, unlocking the complex and flavorful secrets of Indian cuisine to Sarasotans. Discover Indian in it’s truest/tastiest form just by joining any of the four engaging and deeply interactive tutorials, hosted by Deepa Thomas—author of cookbook, Deepa’s Secrets, which takes you from classic Indian traditions to modern Indian cooking with deliciously simple recipes. Each class encompasses an integrated cultural theme and begin with chutney and pappadams—ingredients and aprons provided!

The first class in the series, ‘Basics of Indian Cuisine’, you’ll explore a typical Indian pantry—learning in detail about authentic spices/herbs, and how to blend them to make fragrant masalas, enabling you to create easy and diverse Indian dishes of your own. Many elements of Indian cooking are exotic and even difficult to pronounce. In fact, you won't find many at your local grocery store. But after the class, the mystique of this rich cuisine will be revealed! Deepa will further divulge her shortcuts and techniques to make exotic Indian an everyday fare in your kitchen. Her hands-on classes will embark in an intimate setting allowing attendees to participate as much or as little as they’d like. You may join her in getting your hands dirty, preparing the dishes for each course or, you may sit back, relax with a drink, and be entertained by the tableside experience! Fly solo, bring a date, or come with a group of friends—either way, the class will be immediately transported from downtown Sarasota to the South Asian country in a blink of an eye.

First class of the series: March 25th, 6:00-8.30pm. The $65 per person ticket price includes interactive class, three course meal and a recipe booklet. Classes are limited in size, so book ahead to reserve your seat at The Indian Table.

The Francis, 1289 North Palm Ave., Sarasota, 941-552-9650.

Image provided by Tableseide Restaurant Group

The Indian Table