“This recipe was passed down to me from my grandmother. I spent my summer vacations at her home in Uzbekistan, where she kept a large vegetable garden. Crisp, refreshing bodiring salat is one of the many things I learned to make with the fresh produce she grew.”

DAMIRA INATULLAEVA grew up in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, an ancient city along the Silk Road, which she refers to as “the historic crossroads of East and West.” She loved growing up in such a diverse country where she learned to cook from her mother, grandmother, and their friends of many backgrounds. After a long career as a cardiologist, Inatullaeva and her husband immigrated to the United States to be closer to their children, and to try something new! She is now a cooking instructor with League of Kitchens, where she and other women from around the world teach family recipes and share their personal stories through in-person and online workshops.

May 15, 2020. Illustration by Justine Kelley.